Cover Story, Part One: The Name Game

This is the first in a four-part series of posts leading up to the reveal of the book's cover.  In my life as an entertainer I hear quite actually hundreds of questions about the creative process.  I'll try to detail in full the thoughts that went into the final cover and all the drafts.


I had several ideas for a cover in the years since I started working on this book.  Of course, the cover had to match the title and I had as many or more ideas for a title.

After considerable deliberation I decided to go with something that featured "king" in the title.  At least the majority of the titles I came up with had "king" in there.  "El Rey" means "the king" and Willie Martello considered himself to be a king in the Vegas area.  For the longest time the working title was simply The King with a full title of The King: The Story of Willie Martello and the El Rey Club (or simply The King).  I thought that would end up as THE title until Steve Fischer, author of the wildly popular book, When the Mob Ran Vegas, convinced me that "THE KING" would likely get people to think it was a book about Elvis and then be disappointed.  I agreed and decided if I were to keep "king" in the title it needed to be tweaked.

Photo courtesy Nevada State Museum
[J. Florian Mitchell Collection]
My original cover design.
A very B-A-D mock-up made at home.
©Andy Martello & Just A Martello Books
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Long before I found THE title I found a KILLER photo at the Nevada State Museum.  I knew I wanted it in the book and on the cover.  The image you're seeing is a VERY rough idea I made myself to serve as inspiration for a real graphics designer and to have something to show potential agents or publishers.  I love the stoic look on Willie's face, the runway seemingly going off into infinity as if to suggest Willie and his casino are eternal, a story for the ages.  I also liked such a sober photo with such a strong title.  No King is without his problems and it appears this King had some problems in his kingdom.

This is NOT what ended up and the cover.  this was just the first in a series of concepts that led to what you'll all be reading very soon.  At the time I thought I'd ask Jerry Schafer to write a foreword, but he contributed so very much to the book I asked Mark Hall-Patton (Pawn Stars) to write one.

Eventually I settled upon The King of Casinos: Willie Martello and the El Rey Club as the title.  No Elvis confusion and "king" was still in there.  Plus that title spoke to both the casino which I believe was a template for modern Vegas resorts and Willie himself who thought he was the King of Casinos.

Stay tuned to see the evolution of the cover for The King of Casinos!

There is still time to donate and help fund this project.  there are still many great thank-you gifts available for the casino collectors out there.  However the time to get your name listed in the special thanks is running out.  Donate today and become a part of history!

www.gofundme.com/el-rey-club-book

The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.

Tilte Page Teaser

Photo courtesy Nevada State Museum [J. Florian Mitchell Collection]
The King of Casinos: Willie Martello & the El Rey Club
©Andy Martello and Just A Martello Books
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

What you are looking at is the title page (NOT the cover) for my upcoming book.  This welcomes the reader after a brief perusal of the book (a perusal inspired by a truly AMAZING cover) inviting you to take the journey back to Searchlight, Nevada, as I did eight years ago.

That's Willie standing proudly on his newly built airport runway, looking eager and hopeful for the future.  Knowing this book will be out soon, I feel the same way!

There are still plenty of pieces of El Rey memorabilia available for donations and pre-orders, however the time to get your name mentioned in the Special Thanks is running out.  Head to GoFundMe.com today!

 www.gofundme.com/el-rey-club-book

The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.

Listen to Andy Martello on the Todd Newton Speaks Podcast

Emmy-winner Todd Newton and Emmy-wanter Andy Martello

Listen to the most excellent podcast, Todd Newton Speaks 
for a great interview with me about my upcoming book,
stand-up comedy, & life on the road.

Todd is a good friend, author, corporate speaker,
and an Emmy-winning television personality. 

His podcast is very entertaining, available at iTunes,
and ABSOLUTELY FREE! 

If having me as a guest isn't a good enough reason

to give his show a good rating then being FREE certainly must be!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/todd-newton-speaks/id730904374

The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.

On this Date in El Rey Club History...

Willie Martello fought back in court!

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal September 8, 1962

Want to know more?

Pre-order your signed copy of

The King of Casinos: Willie Martello & the El Rey Club.

http://www.gofundme.com/el-rey-club-book

COMING IN NOVEMBER!

The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.

On this Date in El Rey Club History...

Willie Martello was being sued by his casino

investors eight months after the devastating fire in 1962.

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal September 7, 1962

Want to know more?

Pre-order your signed copy of
The King of Casinos: Willie Martello & the El Rey Club

http://www.gofundme.com/el-rey-club-book

COMING THIS NOVEMBER!

The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.

Thank-you, Robert Graysmith for the Early Praise!

Early praise for The King of Casinos: Willie Martello & The El Rey Club

"Who else could tell the story of the Man in the White Hat, Willie Martello, that rollicking whirlwind of flamboyance, town builder, casino and brothel owner and favorite of Sinatra’s Rat Pack, but another rollicking whirlwind of flamboyance and comic verve: Andy Martello.

The rare photos alone are worth the price of admission.
My only regret is that I didn’t write this book."

--Robert Graysmith, author of Zodiac, Auto-Focus, and Black Fire

Pre-order your copy today!

http://www.gofundme.com/El-Rey-Club-Book 

The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.

On this Date in El Rey Club History...

From the Reno Evening Gazette,
September 1, 1953

 Readers of the Reno Evening Gazette learned of

gaming license troubles for Willie Martello on this date in 1953.

Someone was tampering with a few slot machine

 and poor Willie temporarily lost his gaming license.

Want to learn more? 

Pre-order your signed copy of

The King of Casinos: Willie Martello & the El Rey Club!

http://www.gofundme.com/el-rey-club-book

Coming this November!

The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.