Throwing the Book Cover at Him

(above image mosaic: preliminary book cover concepts by Chad Glass, in development, for Stephen Mitchell's forthcoming volume)

His stories can fill a book so he's writing one: Stephen Mitchell's past unfolds in 7500 RPM in 5th Gear --My life with GTO 3987, an upcoming book whose cover places the reader in the driver's seat. I thought I would update the blog and feature this work in progress as shown in the pictures above. I'm not entirely certain how the final image will shape up, but, then, isn't that the intrigue of a road trip, mile by mile to a destination?

Years in the making from teenage experiences to present day reflections, the book must judge the cover by capturing the essence of the title, the defining event of Stephen redlining his Ferrari GTO in 5th gear en route to Las Vegas. Not just a mere catch-phrase, it is no small feat: In order to do that the Ferrari must be going more than 150 miles per hour. To those not quite familiar with the original GTO, the car has no speedometer and only a tachometer. The now fantastically legendary sports car, GTO, standing for "Gran Turismo Omologato," was purpose-built (homologated) and intended for racing where extraneous weight and accoutrements are a liability, where posted speed limits do not exist. As such, it was a simpler time, a care-free time, where in Nevada there was no speed limit.

From preliminary blueline sketches that have begun to flesh out in the developing layout designs, the cover can be seen to evolve to include the restrained but powerfully suggestive GTO front sheetmetal thrusting forth beyond the dashboard. The central gauge reads 7500 RPM and both hands are firmly gripping the wheel. From Hollywood to Vegas to France and back, stay tuned for future posts as Stephen Mitchell's 7500 RPM in 5th Gear --My life with GTO 3987 continues...