One of the first tasks on Amazon’s self-publishing platforms — which must be done before you can go further — is to create a cover for your book. I spent some time noodling around and like this format. Obviously, it’s not final. The quote at the top will be replaced. I hope that one of my graphic artist friends will be willing to review it to correct line spacing and so forth.

But the choice for the photo is difficult.

Some friends like this one. “It looks like something I could actually do,” one friend says. I like this photo because the table laid for dinner suggests that many people will settle in to eat those roast chickens, along with the other dishes arrayed behind the birds. I also like the simplicity of the food offered. There is nothing fussy or fancy about roast chicken, but almost everyone enjoys it — vegetarians and vegans excepted.

Other friends prefer the use of a more classic image: Renoir’s ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party,’ which suggests merriment and pleasure at the table. In this image, I love the many different interactions going on, which echoes my own experience — and maybe yours — when people gather around food. The image is familiar to most of us, and carries a sense of a universal experience, which appeals to me.

Would you share your opinion with me? Here’s a poll you can use, or leave a comment if you’re more comfortable doing that. Any other comments will further delight me.