One of my writer-friends, December, tagged me to do this. It’s not normally my style, but I’m way past due on an update, and it’s as good an excuse as any. What can I say, I’ve been writing and editing like mad.
1. What are your 6 favorite book covers?
I could have picked a million different books. Harry Potter and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and just a million fantastic book covers didn’t make the cut because I know everyone’s already seen them.
- Dualed byElsie Chapman (art done by Michael Heath – yes, I liked it so much I looked it up)
- Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein – particularly the US Hardcover edition (though they’re all wonderful)
- Faery tales and Nightmares by Melissa Marr
- Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
- The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
- Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott – the paperbackBad Girls Don’t Die by Kaite AlenderThe Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement Moore – not the purple oneFor the Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Making this list was torture. Fortunately, I’ve got a Pintrest dedicated purely to pretty book covers and lovely reads. Unfortunately, I can’t just say “all of them.” I do favor covers with a slight creep factor. Bonus if the girl’s dressed.
If I made this list tomorrow the only thing that I know would stay the same is Dualed. Seriously, it’s my favorite book cover of all time. I would kill to have a cover like that. It has symmetry without being mirrored, shadows that don’t match the bodies but in deliberately and creepy and fulfilling ways, it would have been easy for this to be a really dark, gloomy cover and it’s not, it’s lovely. I love it. And the artist has an amazing portfolio seriously go look.
2. What’s your opinion of morphed covers (in a series the publisher changes the cover style in the middle of the series)
The only thing worse than a canceled series is a series where the books change mid-way through, and no longer match on my shelf. I will admit to having stopped following a series because of this. Just as bad is when the book changes shape or size, too.
3. How important is the book cover?
You’ll never sell a book to me on the cover alone, but a good hardcover will guarantee I make a priority of picking up the book as soon as I can – because so often the paperbacks are just a touch less lovely to look at. A great example is the O’Dwyer trilogy by Nora Roberts. I’m not a girl who typically reads romance novels, but the covers are so pretty and have these lovely details. I bought all three (and if you like romance, I understand they’re quite good – even if you don’t, they paranormal aspect is neat).
4. Why types of book covers draw you in?
Covers that telegraph the marketing department is looking to target people who like the sort of things I like – dark, spooky, and girls with actual clothes.
5. What are your book cover pet peeves?
Headless bodies. So many women are reduced to bodies on book covers, and I really hate that.
6. Do you like short descriptions or long ones?
Some publishing companies have better summaries than others – it’s impossible to say long or short, because length is in no way an indicator of how effective it will be. I would say instead that it needs to have some sort of hook instead of just a bunch of positive reviews or quotes. I need to have some idea of what the story will be.