Today we're talking covers. (Thank you, Ronlyn, for the idea!) I haven't seen the covers for my SWEET trilogy yet, but I've seen a couple of email discussions about them and I am so excited. I think they're going to be fabulous and even better than the CHANCE covers. Can't wait to get them, so I can share them you.
Covers have been a controversial subject for romance novels forever, it seems. Whether it's the covers for what people termed 'bodice rippers' to the manly, muscular chests, cartoon characters, people without heads (not literally!) or the quiet, scenic covers that seem to denote hearth, home and a small town setting, everyone seems to have an opinion about them. Some people are sensitive about the covers of books they read and use a book cover while out in public. Others don't mind carrying around their latest, perhaps steamy looking read.
So here are today's questions. Feel free to address one or all of them:
What's your favorite kind of book cover? Do you like them sexy, sweet, or in between? Do you mind when the characters' faces aren't shown? Does it bother you when the heroine is described as having fiery, red hair and the cover shows a blonde? Would you prefer the characters completely clothed or maybe not have people on the cover at all? If you're reading a book with a steamy cover, do you hide it with a book cover if you're out and about while reading?
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Looking forward to hearing your preferences!
Have a SWEET Saturday!
I don't know what it is about covers that hooks people in. I do enjoy some lovely man candy, but admit that sometimes on the train, I feel a little embarassed (maybe it's me LICKING the man candy on the cover that is the embarassing part! haha). But, I posted somewhere just the other day that Christy's first book caught my eye in Borders. It's a great cover, but it is somewhat nondescript (sorry!! I really don't mean it in a bad way...bless my heart!!), but whatever it was, it was more than enough to grab me. Today over on Jaunty Quills, Cindy Kirk is talking about her new book cover. She loves the cover, but hates the back blurb. I thought the cover was okay but the back blurb was fun and really cute. So, for me, I think it is very subjective as to what will appeal to someone.
ReplyDeletehey christy...this thing with the heroine being a redhead and the cover girl is a blonde?? yeah...i don't really like that...it makes it look like 'they' didn't really care when they put the picture on there...or that nobody had read the book?...i like cute half naked guys on my book covers but i would still read it if it was only writing....have a great day....bianca
ReplyDeleteIt drives me absolutely crazy when the character and picture on the front don't match. Whether it be hair color or the hero supposedly is a rough and tough kind of guy and they have a pretty boy on the cover.
ReplyDeleteTwo of my favorite book covers that match the characters are: Gabe with No Chance and Marc with Unlawful Contact. Those two guys fit perfectly.
Now the subject of the covers being to "sexy" for the most part I don't care, but if I am reading around kids that are old enough to notice the pictures then I won't read it around them.
I think the cover is extremely important and could not imagine being the one in charge of making it perfect. That is a big job! Who ever shot the cover for Pamela Clare's Breaking Point did an awesome job! It didn't show his face (although what a bummer), but it leaves enough to the imagination.
LOL Kris! Licking the man candy will catch a few stares once in awhile. :) Surely stranger things happen on the train then the crazy lady in the corner licking her book. :)
While I am definitely not opposed to the 'eye candy' theme in book covers, there are just so many out there, it becomes a bit too much. And, yes, because I sometimes read at lunch in an elementary school, I am careful about what books I take with me. When people are prominently displayed on the cover, I actually like the 'head cut off' aspect. It allows me to continue to use the pic in my mind without distraction. I really liked the cover to the new Kylie Brant book. It emphasized the suspense aspect of the book for a change.
ReplyDeleteI actually love the cover to RESCUE ME. It's colorful, which initally caught my attention, and vague enough in the pics of people to let my imagination do the work it loves to do when creating character in my mind.
I'm also a fan of the 'quiet, scenic' covers as you called them, when the story is bascially about a whole town.
I really like Hero only covers, even if it's just a part of the hero. An arm, a sexy chest...I LOVE those.
ReplyDeleteHaving the head cut off doesn't bother me a bit. In fact, I sort of like it because then I get to paint the picture. And it does drive me crazy when a character is described one way and the cover art shows them completely differently.
All that being said, I don't mind the generic covers either that show a small town setting or something.
Hey Christy, when you mentioned yesterday that you just got the idea for the next question - I guessed it would be about covers.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I sometimes like a bit of I candy I think it is quite unimaginative ( or a bit simple) to put just some male chest or half naked couple on the cover as if thats all it takes to sell a book.
I like the covers to be a bit more artistic or mysterious. And I dont like faces on covers because I like to make my own picture of the characters in the book .
But when I buy a book by a new author ,I don´t pay too much attention to the cover, more important to me is how the book starts . I like to read the first pages and then I decide if like to continue. So I think a thrilling start is much more important (to me anyway) than a cover.
I just saw that I wrote I instead of "eye" - sorry.
ReplyDeleteLOL Kris, so glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read your post! I'll never lick another cover without thinking of you. (Not that I do that!)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that my first cover(s) were nondescript. I actually liked the mysterious look of RESCUE ME. My biggest concern was that there was so little contrast in colors, it was easily overlooked in the midst of some really snazzy covers.
I actually went to Walmart on release day and couldn't find my book. It was there, but it just didn't pop out at me. I feared if a book with my own name wasn't going to pop out at me, it definitely wouldn't pop out at people who didn't know me from Adam's house cat. (LOL I love that saying)
I will pick up a book because of the cover, but usually buy it for the back cover copy and/or the first page. If it's an auto-buy author, the cover doesn't really matter to me.
Hey Bianca, I agree. If the descriptions sounds completely different than the cover, it takes me out of the story. I find myself closing the book to look and trying to reconcile the description in the book to the people on the cover. Stuff like that drives me crazy(ier). (:
ReplyDeleteCrystal, it drives me crazy too.
ReplyDeleteI was thrilled with my CHANCE covers and one of the biggest reasons was that the characters in my mind matched the people so well. LOL I do admit that Gabe was supposed to look more like Gerard Butler than Ben Afleck, but still, he was pretty darned close to what I'd envisioned.
Even Keeley in SECOND CHANCE and Lucas in LAST CHANCE resembled what I saw in my mind. And the covers were selected well before I wrote their books, so I really really lucked up!
I love PC's cover for Breaking Point. I loved the cover for Naked Edge too.
Kara, yes, Kylie Brandt's new cover is great.
ReplyDeleteAnother new cover I love is Allison Brennan's new series that starts at the end of the month--the Lucy Kincaid books. I'm very excited about the series as well as love the covers!
I'm so glad RESCUE ME caught your eye. Looking back on it, I don't know if I would or wouldn't have picked it up if it didn't have my name on it. Hard to say.
Regarding the scenic hometown ones, I think Robyn Carr's Virgin River books are very pretty.
Christy, Rescue Me totally popped out at me....that's how I found you!!! so, I really don't want anyone to think I didn't like the first 3 LCR book covers. Some books, the man candy on the front is the best part of the whole book. What I should have said before is that your book covers are absolutely perfect and do what a really good book should....let the story inside do the talking.
ReplyDeleteKay B. was having a problem posting here, so she sent me this note on Facebook to post for her.
ReplyDeleteGrrrr it wouldn't let me post must be the dial-up again. So here Christy sorry it wouldn't post
Funny but at my age the "eye candy" never bothers me. I really don't give a darn what the bitty's around here think of my reading. What catches me is the back blurb if I like that then it's a done deal that I will read the book.
Christy with yours it was both the cover and the blurb!!
Ronlyn, I kind of like the 'head cut off' covers too. Love imagining what the hero's face actually looks like.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I first saw the cover for RUN TO ME, I worried because, as you know, Ethan has shoulder length hair and the cover shows a man with short hair. No one has ever mentioned that, so guess it wasn't a problem. (:
Elke, good guess!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree that a cover rarely sells the book. It's got to have interesting content or people are just going to put it right back down. But I do think it makes me pick it up to start with, then I'll turn it over and read the back and the first page.
LOL I didn't even notice the 'I' word. Read right over it.
Kris, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kay. Glad the cover caught your attention, along with the blurb.
ReplyDeleteI remember when my publisher first sent the back cover blurbs to me to read. I looked them over and thought, "Oh wow, I'd really like to read these books!"
LOL Guess that's a good thing, huh?
I like scenic covers and many of the silhouetted ones you see on many romantic suspense novels.
ReplyDeleteI like the headless covers. I dislike when they don't match the characters. To me it doesn't make sense why they don't include the authors opinion.
ReplyDeleteChristy, I never read a discussion about book covers that I don't think about you, your first three covers, and well, you nose the rest... :-) LOVED the covers for the CHANCE three, and can't wait to see those SWEET covers.
ReplyDeleteOh Jane, I love the silhouettes too. If they're done right, they can be so mysterious and sexy.
ReplyDeleteJackie, I've always been asked for input. I doubt that I'm given special treatment, so probably most authors are asked. However, when the final decision is made, it's made.
ReplyDeleteThe people who do this for a living know what sells and what doesn't. But authors always want the prettiest, most eye-catching covers we can get. LOL I know I do!
I have been captured a lot of times by the great cover on a book. A lot of times, its the eyes of the model or the positioning of the body or it may just be a beautiful nature scene with evidence of a crime.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite covers is Christine Feehan's Dark Slayer. To me the cover managed to accurately depict the heroine Ivory. Even today when I go in a book store, it still catches my eye...so I go home and read it again. LOL
...Just a guess, but, Christy...you still have not read Dark Slayer, correct? LOL
I really don't mind the covers on books. I buy the books for what is inside and the cover has never really matter much to me.
ReplyDeleteChristy,
ReplyDeleteRe: Sharie Kohler, I have only read her paranormal books, however, she also writes Young Adult fiction and Historical romances as Sophie Jordan....these are on my TBR.
I gotta admit right up front that I like the cover model to match the hero/heroine described within the book. And I like the characters faceless -- 'cause I like to read the descriptions and put together my own hero/heroine faces. Bright colored covers with the title big and bold and maybe a shadowed pic is preferable. I admit that if I'm out and about I use a cover for those "hot" covered books so I don't shock anyone or get those "looks." I'm thinking Santa's gift will help eliminate that problem.
ReplyDeleteI don't worry about covers that much when I'm searching for a book. I like the little "teaser" passages at the very front of the book. It's nice to get a sneak preview of what's inside. I always read the back covers. Most of the time I've done my research on Amazon and made a list before I go searching. But if I'm just browsing the shelves, then I look at covers, read the back covers and sometimes I'll take a book and sit in the refreshment area and read a couple of chapters -- especially if it's a new-to-me author. And I listen to the RPs recommendations!
LOL! Thank you, Kara!
ReplyDeleteHey Linda, I'm so far behind on the Dark series, I'll probably start all over with them so I can refresh my memory on the Carpathian history. LOL Such a hardship. (:
ReplyDeleteAnd Dark Slayer does have a great cover!
Thanks for the info on Sharie Kohler. Will look her up!
Tanya, thanks for your input!
ReplyDeleteAnne, would Santa's gift include a Kindle or Nook?
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, though I've gotten adjusted to my Kindle and like it much better, I miss closing the book and seeing the cover. There are some covers included on Kindle, but not all of them and they don't have the lush colors a paper book has. But E-readers are great for taking on trips or sitting in waiting rooms. I just bought my mom a Kindle for Christmas. Shh. Don't tell her!
Oh, I love the opportunity of taking books to a table and reading the first chapter or two before I decide to buy. So relaxing!
Yes, I finally caved and put a Kindle on my wishlist. My family think they know best - and they think I need one. So, I'm pretty sure I'll be yelling for help after the holidays. I'm not a computer whiz!
ReplyDeleteBut a Kindle will never stop me from buying my "keepers." There are just some things a girl's gotta have!
Better late then never....right? Sorry, it was a crazy weekend and I wasn't able to get on here.
ReplyDeleteI have HUGE issues with covers. I don't mind them being sexy and I love me some eye candy, but some of the covers take that a bit far. Those books I don't even read the back to see if it is something I want to read. I do read in public places, the public doesn't need to know what I am reading. I love the bright covers, the LCR books did jump out at me same with Cindy Gerard's BOI series. I would prefer the bolder, brighter colors with some candy, then to have ALL the candy out on display. I also agree with Crystal that I do not like it when the character on the cover doesn't match the character in the book. Usually, the cover catches my attention, then I read the blurb to see if I would want to try it. BUT lately, I have been getting my new books from recommend Monday.
I agree that I cannot stand it when a heroine does not march the woman portrayed on the cover. I don't mind it if heads are not shown and I like sexy covers although I agree that reading them in public can be somewhat embrarassing - more for the fact that people immediately assume you are reading nonsense than for any other reason.
ReplyDeleteWhen i have a particularly sexy 'six-packed' man I do find myself closing the book for a peek from time to time :).
I particularly like books with insteps - the historical ones obviously.
I cannot though, really cannot, stand the Fabio style covers. Besides the fact that I do not find the guy handsome at all the muscled body is too much over the top.
Re you books Christy, I loved the CHANCE covers!
I do have to say though that the older my daughters are getting the more difficult its getting to explain the sexy covers. Might have to resort to a generic book cover really soon. A few weeks ago my youngest wanted to know the title of the book I was reading and it was something on the lines of Seducing a Rake or Tempting someone or other... and my 8-year old read it and wanted me to explain so maybe you should discuss titles next :).
The first thing that catches my eye on a book cover are the colors, followed by the photo/art work. I like the headless shots also, as I like to picture them in my mind without an erroneous pic on the cover. I too am old enough that I don't care what others think of my choice in books.
ReplyDeleteChristy, you won't have to re-read any of the Dark series to catch up, she beats the history to death in every book! I'm about fed up with the super macho "I'm Capathian, you will follow my orders" crap that every one of the men spout in those books. I do like the Drake Sisters series tho' :o)
i like some man candy on a cover if it calls for it but i like a quirky cover as well. I like for the cover to match the story though as well. If i am looking for a book with no author in mind the cover is the first thing i notice and i have been known on occasion to a buy book based on the cover.
ReplyDeleteLisa B
A lot of readers hate the headless torsos but I prefer that to ones where hair color doesn't match.
ReplyDeleteI like tastelful covers that I can read in public. The cover does not have to enact one of the sex scenes. I'll get the gist of the book.