Author of Pop-splat sells his book cover for $10 000

Jan. 26, 2009 - PRLog -- South African author Ian Martin has just put up for auction the cover artwork of his novel Pop-splat and is selling it on Ebay for $10 000.

The artwork consists of four splats illustrating the infamous ‘monkey scene’ in the book, which is where the title comes from:

“Rose also screamed from behind the glass.
“Matt, a baby! She’s got a baby!”
And so she did. The little thing was desperately trying to stay on its mother’s back, its arms about her neck. Matt grabbed its tail and yanked it off, and it instinctively sank its needle teeth into his thumb. More pain and damage to his person!
   He punched its head away with his left fist and hurled the little devil against the cabin wall. Again he had it by the tail, swung it up high overhead and brought it down like cracking a whip, head first onto the concrete step. POP-SPLAT!”

Martin explained how he produced the artwork for the cover:
“The designer needed a blood splat. I bought a toy monkey - very cute - soaked its head in red roof paint, held it by the tail, and whacked it down on a large sheet of paper as if I was trying to smash its skull. I did this four times and then the monkey's tail broke off in my hand. The artistic process was complete, never to be repeated. I was left psychologically and emotionally exhausted as if I had actually killed the monkey.”

A signed first edition copy of the book will also be included with the sale.

Martin believes in starting a new trend in auctioning off cover artwork.

As sales of the book accelerate, he is confident the painting will rapidly increase in value and that bidding will exceed the $10 000 starting price due to the unique nature of this work and the robustness of South African art in the international market.

About the author:
Ian Martin is a South African writer. Pop-splat is his third novel and is about a 21st century Hamlet who ends up murdering his mother and uncle. This social satire has been described as “shocking”, “offensive”, and “subversive”, but is popular among younger audiences, especially students. Interested readers can visit the Pop-splat website at www.pop-splat.co.za, where they can view the first chapter and browse excerpts. The novel is available from all online bookstores, including Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

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Independent South African publisher of Pop-splat by Ian Martin. See www.pop-splat.co.za for more information.