Planning scenario. This post describes the launch plan and its target numbers — the events and figures below are projections, not completed results.
The lore book v1 cover was fine. The lore book v2 cover is what the v1 should have been.
What changed
- From “moody tree” to “eight-pointed star.” The v1 cover featured a single Sylvan tree. The v2 cover features the seven launch factions arranged around the eight-pointed star — the symbol of the Alliance.
- From charcoal-on-charcoal to gold-on-charcoal. The v1 cover was monochrome. The v2 cover uses gold for the title (the EFER brand color) and charcoal for everything else.
- From “8 chapters” to “60,000 words + EFURC appendix.” The v1 cover promised 8 chapters. The v2 cover promises the full codex + the EFURC TCG appendix.
What stayed
- The 8-faction TOC layout on the back cover
- The “Eternal Fusion” wordmark in custom display font
- The 6×9 trim size (perfect for paperback + Kindle conversion)
What is new
- The eight-pointed star (new visual identity for the v2 era)
- The EFURC TCG appendix callout on the back cover
- A free-chapter preview inserted at the front (the first 10 pages are Chapter 1)
What we learned
- Covers sell books. A book with a great cover and a mediocre interior will outperform a mediocre cover and a great interior.
- The v1 cover was too narrow. It only signaled to Sylvan-faction buyers. The v2 cover signals to every faction.
- Show, don’t tell. The v2 cover uses icons (7 faction symbols) instead of text. Icons read faster than text on a thumbnail.
What this means for the launch
Lore book v2 ships Nov 17 with the new cover. Free upgrade for v1 buyers. $9.99 for new buyers. Expected first-month sales: 200-400 copies ($2,000-4,000).
Get the current lore book — $9.99 (free v2 upgrade when it ships).
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