Design the cover for Allen’s novel!

Calling all creative minds…

Want to see your work on the cover of the first novel written by one of India’s most acclaimed journalists? Raintree Media is publishing a dramatic novel by Allen Mendonca and is inviting all creative minds to send in cover design entries.

Set against a century of the triumph and turmoil of India’s political and economical struggle, this book chronicles the internecine drama of India’s most powerful media house. Spurred on by ruthless ambition, media baron Harivanshrai Kumar spins a web of betrayal and deceit that slowly embroils his family, friends and colleagues in an intriguing twist of events. Packed with a cutting-edge journalistic view of historical events and palpable emotions ranging from lust to piety, this book is a must-read!

The working title of the book is 'Sentinel House'

Book Specifications:

5 inches (w) x 7.5 inches (h)

Must-have:

Title of book and the author’s name

Format:

Send your entries in PDF, JPEG or TIFF format. But hold on to your working design file and we will contact you if you are chosen.

What you get:

A cash prize of Rupees ten thousand, credit in the book, an invitation to the launch and hopefully many more assignments :)

Deadline:

Send your entries in to raintreemedia@gmail.com by November 10, 2009

Some tips to help you get started:

•A web of interconnecting stories involving romance, politics, corporate rivalry and the new economy is spun around the central theme of a media house that has grown to dominate the print media industry in India.

•The book incorporates four generations of the Kumars, their wives and lovers.

•The book spans a timeline from an India pre-independence to the contemporary India of today.

Keywords that may help with the design: Mumbai, India, Newspapers, Journalism, Independence, Murder, Betrayal, Anger, Lust, Deceit, Love and Hope.

Allen Mendonca

With deep sorrow, we note the demise of Allen Mendonca, Founder- Director, Raintree Media. He passed away in his sleep on Sept 28, 2009. He was 49.

In a career spanning over 25 years, he had written on diverse subjects – crime, political commentary, theatre, music and film reviews and travel features. He was most famous for his hard-hitting style of taking on errant powers-that-be in public life.

He started his career while in college, working for Southern Speaker, then moved to City Tab and Evening Herald, before joining Indian Express. This publication’s crusading zeal was right up his alley and he soon gained a reputation for gutsy reporting.

He next joined the Times of India, Bangalore as Head of the Business Bureau before taking over as the Head of the Metro Bureau. His pithy column 'Metro Matters’ took up cudgels for the travails of the city. His Sunday columns where he interviewed writers, artists and their ilk brought to splendid life his felicity with words.

He was the Editor of Bangalore Times and was responsible for its remarkable growth in a short period.

In 2005, he co-founded Raintree Media and continued to be Director. He was simultaneously Editorial Director of Explocity group of multi-city publications. He continued to write for several national and international magazines and books.

He had just commenced a final revision of his first novel which Raintree Media will soon be publishing.

Team Raintree derived great strength from his wealth of knowledge, his ability to focus on the basics, his keen eye for detail and his inimitable writing. His genial smile did not mean that we could ever do anything that was less than excellent. We miss him sorely; and are determined to forge ahead and achieve our fullest potential as our tribute to his life.