About the Cover

The cover is the combination of an original rough concept I had, refined and perfected by my graphic artist, Barbie Butterworth, of BarisGraphics.

The cover features a set of hands, each holding a puppet stick. From each stick hangs a series of strings. The strings are attached to symbols representing Hollywood, sports, both major American political parties, the media, the U.S. Capitol building, the music industry, and higher education.

In the fictional world where Manipulated takes place a clandestine organization named Mouse Trap, led by a man named Victor Youngblood, controls all of the institutions represented on the cover. Those institutions in turn influence - even manipulate - everyday Americans who are unsuspectingly going about their everyday lives.

In the background of the cover you'll see a torn American flag representing the damage that is being inflicted on the country by Victor and his cronies at Mouse Trap. Damage that includes a divided country where citizens are seemingly at odds over every issue…just like Victor planned.

Will Americans wake up to see what's happening to them before it's too late?

#photo