I really dislike #1. It makes the title look like Sword Fish Tromb Ones. And my immediate reaction is, "Is 'tromb' a real word?"

Liese's suggestion of a diagonal, if feasible (I don't know the publishing/printing world), could create a very intriguing and eye-catching cover. (ETA: Oops. Xpost there.)

Sort of on this topic, cousin K wants to know if Matilda was named after the Tom Waits song.

Matilda's name comes from: Roald Dahl, Tom Waits, all the other Matilda songs, mutual family agreement.

Incidentally, there really was a Mathilde that Tom had an affair with in Copenhagen. She was a Danish folk singer.

She would also like me to tell you that "I can't tell you how many times I've listened to "I wish I was in New Orleans" while bawling over the 15 years I was gone. Of course now it makes me cry happy tears that I'm back!"

That song is especially sad because its full title is "I Wish I Was in New Orleans (in the 9th Ward)."

I think that they need to break Trombones at the actual syllable break rather than tromb ones.

Can't they, I dunno, slant it or something?

Typographically, it could still carry a sense of joining together disparate things, if they broke each line at equal length... and kerned it boxy:

swor
dfish
tromb
ones

since the title is up top right also, you can afford to play.

LOL Trek.

Ohmygodsofunny.

George the terrier, rest well, little tiger.

Any thoughts Buffistas?

I guess #2 without hyphens if you have to pick one of the three, but I like either of your suggestions at the bottom better than any of the three covers so far.

ita, I'm glad you had a pain free day yesterday and, needless to say, hope it continues.

ETA: I definitely dislike the tomb ones break, because I read it as tromb wons, phonetically.

Kat, was she always going to name him Noah?

Yes, or at least I think so. anyone want to go to ikea with me?

Given the vertical orientation of the 33 1/2, could Trombone be sent off the cliff? End Swordfish with a horizontal T and orient that word vertically. Perhaps tucked under the h, to maintain the one-word continuity.

Yes, or at least I think so. anyone want to go to ikea with me?

I do! It'll just take me a while to get to California.

Oh, and I hope Allyson gets to keep the mouse. I like the mouse. And yay for niece.

David, looking at that cover, my initial reaction would be to run the title vertically - either running up the side (with the "s" on its side at the bottom) or with the letters stacked ("s" at the top with the "w", etc., going down). If they can't, to maintain consistency with their style ... not sure. Sox's suggestion might work best.