Blogger: Rachel Kent
I absolutely love book covers and the process of getting a client’s cover to the final stages. When the email comes with the cover drafts attached, I’m always excited. Sometimes the covers aren’t ready yet, but then my client and I are able to offer some feedback for possible changes. This is one of the reasons you want to have an agent. Some publishing houses don’t want authors to have a say in their cover designs, but an agent can negotiate this into the contract. I’d say that close to 100% (if not 100%) of our clients get to weigh in with an opinion on their covers.
Here are some covers for upcoming releases that I have represented… (be sure to scroll down for some discussion!)
(Etta Wilson, of Books & Such, placed this project but has since retired. I was able to weigh in with my feedback on the cover.)
There’s no way I could pick a favorite because I love them all. 🙂
Which of the above covers is the most eye-catching to you? Why do you think that is?
Which one did you look at the longest? Why?
Have you ever had a bad book cover experience with one of your books? (Don’t mention the title or publisher, please!)
Do you have a cover that you are especially proud of? (Feel free to post a link to your webpage so we can see it!)
I love the Bare Naked Truth cover.
Great timing for this post. I’ve actually posted a blog inviting readers to help me pick my book cover. Here it is if you’re interested: http://www.sundijo.com/dear-dad-cover-poll/
Congrats on your book! I voted on your covers. Both are very well-done.
What a great way to involve readers, allowing them to have a voice! Both covers are great.
How neat! I love it when authors involve the readers like this.
How cool is that? I think it’s fun when you get to choose covers with authors. Thanks for liking the cover Zondervan created for my book!
My favorite is The Heart Stone, though The Fairest Lady also caught my eye. I’m catching up on The Once Upon a Time series and have fairy tales on my mind. (smile!)
Thank you for inviting us to share our cover photos, Rachel. Mine, for my debut novel Where Treasure Hides (releasing next month) can be seen at the Tyndale site: http://www.tyndale.com/Where-Treasure-Hides/9781414380995
I didn’t have any input, but I have no complaints. The art/design team did a great job.
Love the cover art. I knew the time period just by the woman’s hat.
Thanks, Cheryl. When I received the email with the cover, I opened the attachment praying I’d love it. And I do!
Thanks, Johnnie. I enjoyed the process and was thrilled with the cover. The lighthouse and beach are authentic. If you go to my author page on Facebook (http://on.fb.me/SGLwm1) you can see a photo of the real Abbott Lighthouse. I’m standing on West Cliff Drive, a bike path along the cliff and integral to the story. 🙂
I checked out your cover. BEAUTIFUL!
Sherry, it’s so fun that your cover is a real place. Yes, I’ll be visiting your site.
Thanks for looking at my cover. I’m thrilled with it.
That is a very nice cover! Filled with emotion, for sure!
Thank you, Rachel. I don’t know if you remember, but we met in the cafeteria line at the Florida Christian Writers Conference a few years ago. (I wasn’t pitching to you — just a nice chat while we inched forward to the plates!)
Wow, Johnnie!! I love, love your cover! And your book sounds interesting. I think I will have to buy it! My WIP involves WWII and Nazi Germany. 🙂
Morgan! I have been deep in WWII research for several years now and I’m not tired of it yet. I’d be interested in hearing more about your story.
They are all lovely, but the ones that caught my eye especially are “The Bare Naked Truth,” “The Fairest Beauty”, and “Love in the Balance.” I think the first one is the concept that drew me in. The second, the colors popped like crazy and the girl on the cover is really pretty. 🙂 The third, I really like the proportions used in the picture and the way the girl’s body seems to break the cover in half. Plus, I’m looking forward to this release because I loved Regina’s first book so much! 🙂
It’s funny…I’m not really an artsy person, but I have definitely bought a book simply because the cover was beautiful. To me, they matter.
I’m the same way! I love book covers.
Thanks, Lindsay! Zondervan did such a great job conveying the heart of the book.
The Bare Naked Truth and The Heart Stone caught my eye. They both look like covers of books I’ve enjoyed or books I’d like to read.
Congratulations to you & the authors!
~ Wendy
Thanks!
Thanks, Wendy! So blessed to be a part of Books & Such!
Rachel, we have to CHOOSE?! I like them all. I noticed each cover seems to hint at the stories within, and I like that.
I liked the Bear Naked Truth because the white seems to convey the theme of the book–purity.
I was also drawn in by the very dramatic colors and picture of The Dragonwitch.
The Heart Stone evokes a mood, so much said with the picture.
I loved the colors in Love in the Balance, and all that the cover tells. The expression of the lady on the front, the baggage, the buggy coming toward her…you know something big is about to change. 🙂
The Fairest Beauty conveys such a sense of mystique, shadows, fog, an apple….Love this one too. 🙂
On Distant Shores–the heroine (I’m assuming) seems to have hope, but I know by what she’s wearing it will be tested through the story.
See, it’s hard to pick one because they all draw me in in different ways. Hmmm, I guess I did a good job of not answering your question of which is my favorite. If I have to choose JUST one, I guess I’ll select Love in the Balance. The colors, clarity of the picture and the way it’s framed really get my interest. :O)
Thanks for commenting on each! 🙂
Thanks, Jeanne!
I love visual images! I am thinking book covers are even more important now than ever for drawing people in with the rise of Pinterest. Images can be shared so easily now. I really love when a cover conveys the heart of a book.
Covers do play a major roll now with online sales and ebooks. I still haven’t joined the world of Pinterest, so I’m not quite sure how that works, but I trust you. 🙂
I love ALL of them! I think I started at The Fairest Beauty the most – probably because it looks like a genre I’d read. But I also stared for quite a bit at The Bare Naked Truth.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who loves them all! That means I’m not biased just because they’re my book step-babies.
The Naked Truth because of the clean lines and face it, bold words that arn’t on most covers like the word Naked is going to make you at least pause for a second look.
And
The Fairest Beauty because it has bold color that pops in the center but more than that it tells me so much about the book with the right placement of objects and colors. The apple, the red cape, blue top, yellow skirt, and the hot man in the we distance. Already I have high hope that this will be what we are all looking for in the Huntsman but we greatly disappointed. I don’t even need to read the back cover. I’m sold. Now I am so excited about it – when does this come out?
I will also add that I think covers of Christan books had really stepped up their game over the past five years or so. Before that the all seemed to look the same and I could almost know by looking at the cover if it was “Christian romance.” I am not saying they should try and hide that it is Christian, but one shouldn’t know it it Christian because of its cheesy cover. 😉
Hi Tari,
The Fairest Beauty releases on January 8, 2013. 🙂 You can pre-order it on Amazon.com. I can’t wait to own a copy!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Fairest-Beauty-Melanie-Dickerson/dp/0310724392
You should also check out Melanie’s two other “fairy tale” books – “The Healer’s Apprentice” and “The Merchant’s Daughter.” Lovely covers, lovely writing.
Morgan
Thanks for answering that, Morgan!
No problem, Rachel 🙂
I agree! The covers before did have a standard look. Some design teams are really stepping up and creating beautiful art now.
Haha, Tari! I love your comments about The Bare Naked Truth. Glad the title made you pause–that’s why I picked it!
Okay, since I’m a WW II history buff, I would’ve noticed the cover of On Distant Shores from the opposite side of the bookstore. The model is sporting a sharp-looking 1940s uniform!
As for me, I have far more illustrated short stories to my credit than books. However here’s a link to my own WW II novel. I was pleased when one bookstore manager placed it front and center where people walk in the door. He told me that it was amazing how many shoppers were drawn straight to that B-24 soaring across the cover.
http://rickbarry.blogspot.com/p/ricks-novels.html
I agree! That crisp blue uniform is sharp.
Not sure if I like the way the cover is divided, though maybe if the lower portion had a bit more vertical space on the cover (it seems a bit squished) I’d feel differently.
Thanks, Rick! The photographer had to do quite a bit of sleuthing to find an authentic early flight nurse’s uniform!
Smiling about the B-24 on your cover (which is gorgeous, by the way). I’m convinced half of A Distant Melody’s sales came from the B-17 on the cover 🙂
Sarah, I can well believe it was a chore to track down such a uniform. But I believe the end result justifies the time spent. 🙂
The cover for “Gunner’s Run” is one of my favorite book covers out there.
Thanks Leah! I couldn’t ask for a better compliment on cover art!
Your book has a great cover, Rick! Nice plane and I love the font for the title too.
Thanks Rachel. I hear that the graphic artist who designed it received lots of good feedback from that job!
Hi Rachel,
I’m with Jeanne. We have to choose?! 🙂
I just love book covers and all of these appeal to my eye. I’d have to say The Bare Naked Truth one is standout. I love the multi-color words.
I can’t help but be drawn to The Fairest Beauty with its mystery and bright colors and On Distant Shores since my WIP is WWII. I’m also currently reading Sarah Sundin’s books and can’t wait to work my way to this release.
Like Lindsay, I have bought books because the cover grabbed me.
I like The Heart Stone with the heart shape in the sand. It makes me think of the Bible passage when Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery and wrote something on the ground.
So glad to hear that authors have a say in the cover, Rachel. It seems to be an exciting part of the publication process.
Meghan, I appreciate your observation! And yes, the book is about forgiveness. 🙂
You’re the real author! I just still get goosebumps when I realize — again — that there are real people behind such amazing books.
I love the Heart Stone cover too!
It sure is! Thanks, Meghan.
Since I write about wild Viking redheads, the Dragonwitch cover definitely held my eye. But I’d also seen The Fairest Beauty cover before and it’s gorgeous.
I don’t have a cover to share, but my writer friend Heather Sunseri just released a picture of her cover for her new book MINDSPEAK and it looks AMAZING: http://heathersunseri.com/2012/12/05/cover-reveal-mindspeak/
Wow, the woman’s eye is so powerful on that cover! Fun.
Dragonwitch–definitely!! I just love the black architectural background and the red lady rising up! 🙂
They are ALL gorgeous, though. Hope to be reading them soon!
I love the background on Dragonwitch as well. It’s very well done and every detail on that cover is perfect.
The Fairest Beauty and On Distant shores tied for me. The vivid colours drew me in.
Love in the Balance had too much orange. Hey, I’m not just shallow, there isn’t even any water left in the pool.
Tari Faris explained it perfectly, the cover tells part of the story and draws the eye and the imagination.
And thank goodness I didn’t spend a nickel to see The Huntsman!
In the Naked Truth cover, she looks cold. I’m Canadian, I equate white with cold. I want warmth!!
But each cover is very well done and impressive.
Come back to Arizona if you want warmth so badly. 😉
If you get a call in ohhhh, February, from the airport, it’s me. And there will be a cheesecake in my suitcase!!!
Thanks, Jennifer! I’m so pleased with the vivid colors the designers are using for this series. Blue’s my favorite color too 🙂
Thanks for weighing in with your thoughts! I’m glad you like them. 🙂
Oh no! Not cold, LOL! It releases in the spring… so maybe not?
When it comes out, I’ll simply think of it as air conditioning. And gauzy white curtains blowing in my window.
Guess I’m the only one who disliked the “Naked Truth” cover?
I dislike, in general, covers which don’t show the face of the person on the cover art. Always makes me wonder if it was intentional or just a bad cropping job in Photoshop. 🙂
I really liked the cover for “The Fairest Beauty”, because the colors are so vivid, and of course the “mysterious forest” theme, which I happen to be partial to.
It could be that you are just not the audience for “Naked Truth”, Larry. It doesn’t surprise me too much that you don’t like it.
I’ve had a problem with some heads being chopped off on other covers, but this one doesn’t bother me.
Ah. Taking that into consideration, I will say that I like the concept for the “Naked Truth” cover: not showing the young ladys’ face because it deals about not being sure of ones’ identity / conflicts of identity, desires, etc.
Maybe some element of hiding ones’ face? Shame? Insecurity?
Once again, a REALLY fascinating concept for the cover.
Though being a fan of rock opera and prog rock, I am well aware of when concept and the final product don’t exactly match!
Guess the cover isn’t so bad as I orginally thought.
Which of the above covers is the most eye-catching to you? Why do you think that is?
The Fairest Beauty and Dragonwitch. I love the colors on both.
Which one did you look at the longest? Why? The Fairest Beauty because I like the Snow White story, the forest background, and of course since I love ‘Once Upon a Time’ I think this would be a book I would want to read
Since I write technical documentation, my covers are pretty dry and bland but someday the cover of my book will definitely be better.
Lol! I bet there’s not a lot of room for imagination on a technical documentation book cover.
Thanks for commenting!
So hard to choose one! I think they’re all winners and I agree with the previous poster who mentioned how much Christian fiction covers have improved in recent years. I think Sarah Sundin’s cover may be my favorite, but I might be biased because I enjoy her writing so much. I love that the model is smiling–so rare on covers. Usually they look sad or contemplative. She looks hopeful. And the uniform instantly grounds me in the time period, so I know exactly what I’m getting in to. Love it!
Thanks, Karen! The photographer really captured Georgie’s personality here – she’s perky and definitely hopeful.
That’s true, isn’t it?! Most covers have sad or contemplative people on them. How interesting.
Cover issues have been a real learning experience for me. Genre tends to dictate style. Readers unintentionally expect a certain “look” for historical romance and a certain “look” for suspense, etc. I’ve been blessed to have wonderful cover artists who accepted my input … and I’ve been relieved that I didn’t have to come up with designs! It’s always fun for me to send scads of historical photos for the designer to use for inspiration. I don’t honestly have a favorite cover, although I heard from readers about Sixteen Brides. They loved that cover. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sixteen-brides-stephanie-grace-whitson/1100377025?ean=9780764205132
That is a great cover! I love the font and colors.
I like this one too. I don’t know what’s with the cut off heads so much nowadays, but it really works in covers.
I love them all too! The Bare Naked Truth really drew my eye, and I know it’ll instantly appeal to teen girls.
I love the breezy open feel of The Heart Stone, and The Fairest Beauty is just plain gorgeous!
I’m thrilled with the cover for On Distant Shores – I love the RARE historically accurate uniform, the way the model captures Georgie’s sunny personality, and the picture of Pompeii/Vesuvius. Not only is the site important in the story, but my husband took that picture on our Italian vacation – his first professionally published photo 🙂
What a fun and personal connection to the cover! Did he get paid? 🙂
Sshhhh!!! Don’t give the Scot any monetary ideas. Right now he’s just tickled that HIS photo is on a cover, and that’s payment enough. Let’s leave it that way.
Well, now I’ll have to get your husband’s autograph on the book as well, Sarah! Actually, I’m not sure I have YOUR autograph on any of my books. 🙂
I either didn’t know your husband took that photo or it slipped out of my mind. HOW NEAT!
I have one professionally published photo on a book cover too. I took the picture of the VW Thing on the back of Robin Jones Gunn’s book, ON A WHIM (first edition). lol!
How cool that your husband took a cover pic! 🙂 That’s extra special.
I love your new cover and I can’t wait to keep reading your books. I’m getting caught up with the first trilogy right now. Enjoying it! Keep up the good work! 🙂
Thanks, Sarah! That’s so cool about your husband’s photo!!
They were all great, but I found myself stuck on Dragonwitch and The Fairest Beauty. Both women on the covers had a look of mystery and secrets on their faces. The backgrounds were great too, adding suspense and a hint of romance in The Fairest Beauty. I love all of those things. 🙂
Both covers have a lot of detail in the backgrounds. I love that!
Rachel, thank you for sharing my cover.
I tend to read books more than e-books because of the covers. I look at it while I read, plus it reminds me of the author.
Each of these covers evoke a different feeling and I like them all. Congrats to your husband on his photo, Sarah! (P.S. I love all your covers!)
Sherry, I love the Heart Stone’s cover, too. Now I’m wishing for a long walk on the beach! Can’t wait to read it.
Of course! I’m so excited about your book. 🙂
And each book is so different and each cover really does evoke that unique feeling for each story.
I LOVE book covers. “Dragonwitch” caught my eye the most, but I didn’t stay on it long because I’ve already seen it on the author’s website. I looked at “On Distant Shores” the longest. Like others who have commented, the period uniform grabbed my attention.
Thanks, Leah! And it wasn’t an easy uniform to find! This story involves the first squadrons of WWII flight nurses, who were sent overseas before an official uniform was provided – so they modified their old Army Nurse Corps “dress blues” – which are also rare. I had no idea how much work photographers do before the photo shoot!
It’s awesome when a lot of effort goes into making something historically correct.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
Which of the above covers is the most eye-catching to you? Why do you think that is?
I like the Bare Naked and the Heart Stone. The Bare Naked is real but dreamy- I like the colors. And it is provocative in that the viewer sees beautiful legs and yet the subject of the book deals with purity – how will the book reconcile the two? Hmmmm….. I also love that you see the woman’s hair (very feminine) but not her face- she is a young sort of Everywoman….. 🙂
I like the Heart Stone because I love the beach and the image is intriguing- how does this deal with heart? A stone is solid, could be a gem, could be asphalt … A ‘heart of stone’ is cold and unfeeling, but a gem (stone) given in love could represent unchanging loyalty, even passion (ruby). Anyway, those were my first quick thoughts on the titles and covers…
Which one did you look at the longest? Why?
See above-
Have you ever had a bad book cover experience with one of your books? (Don’t mention the title or publisher, please!) I will not say 🙂
Do you have a cover that you are especially proud of? (Feel free to post a link to your webpage so we can see it!) I like our new book cover for BIG HEARTED. (Scepter Publishers) . It’s pretty nice! I’ll post a link as soon as I upload it to my blog – 🙂
Thanks for the comment! Looking forward to seeing the cover for Big Hearted. 🙂
I like the subtle colors on The Bare Naked Truth, too. They did a nice job for us! Let me know when you post your photo!
I like The Bare Naked Truth. Something about the girls posture spoke of innocense and vulnerability, while focusing on the bare legs spoke to allure. Exactly the conflict the topic seems to cover.
Thanks, Connie! So grateful for great designers!
Wow, those are great covers!!! And I can honestly say I’ve never had a bad cover. I love all three of my covers, and The Fairest Beauty is possibly my favorite. It captures so many aspects of the story. Thanks for all the nice comments, everybody! And thanks, Rachel, for including it!
I really like Stone Heart, and I looked at it awhile to catch everything on the beach. Then
I saw The Rarest Beauty. What a gorgeous cover!
The rich colors, beautiful girl, and intricate background all held my attention.
Excuse me–The Fairest Beauty!
The first one caught my eye. “Naked? Really? In the Christian market? What’s this book about?” :o) So of course I then read the tagline.
I’ve only published one book (so far!), a non-fiction, but was very pleased with the cover. The book deals with how women sometimes look to men, and other pleasant distractions!, to meet their intimate needs, instead of allowing God to fulfill those longings. I felt the cover captured the “fanciful fairy tale prince” idea along with a visual that lifted the reader’s eye upward, heavenward.
You can see the cover here: http://www.deebright.com/books/
And oh my goodness, this makes me realize I need a larger image of the book on my site! Always learning… :o)
Very pretty cover. I like it!
Thanks, Beth!!
Ohhhh, pretty cover!!
I like the ‘The Bare Naked Truth’ and ‘The Fairest Beauty.’
A cover is important. Usually you can spot a homemade cover for self-publishing a mile away. It’s the reader’s first impression of you, so it needs to be good.
http://thelastdraftwritersgroup.blogspot.com/2010/11/revised-novel-and-revised-cover.html
One thing I love about all the covers is that the women are all very much alive and seem active in relation to their surroundings rather than passive.
Awhile back I read an article by Rachel Stark, assistant marketing manager at Bloomsbury and Walker Books for Young Readers, about the trend of depicting beautiful “dead” girls on YA fiction novels. http://trac-changes.blogspot.com/2011/10/cover-trends-in-ya-fiction-why.html
I found her words very thought-provoking and they must’ve taken root somewhere in my subconscious because when I saw these covers I wanted to cheer for their beautiful and HEALTHY depictions of women. Well done Art Departments and all those who had a say!
I think I stared at Dragonwitch the longest probably because I’m currently reading Heartless and because dragons and fantasy are part of my writing DNA. 😉
As for my own cover art, well, Donita K. Paul and I couldn’t be happier with our artist, Vincent Nguyen, and his work on The Dragon and the Turtle books. http://www.dragonandturtle.com/
These are all from Nanowrimo, so I don’t know if they count as serious covers, but I liked them, and they were fun to do.
http://thelastdraftwritersgroup.blogspot.com/2012/12/book-cover-memory-lane.html
I’m quite fond of Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s “Dragonwitch” cover – although, I confess, I’ve already started wondering how the flaming red will go with the blue covers the series has had so far! “The Fairest Beauty” caught my eye as well; the colors really pop. “On Distant Shores” held me quite a while, too, as I was trying to study the landscape in the lower part of the cover.
I have a bad habit of judging books by their covers, no matter what the proverb says, but all of these are lovely!
My favorite is the Bare Naked Truth because I like the colors and the cover isn’t consumed by the picture like others often are on books. I haven’t had a bad situation with a publisher on the cover, but definately have gone toe-to-toe on the title of one specifically. Thankfully, in the last minute I came up with a new title we all liked – PTL! I think my favorite cover out of my books is similar to Bare Naked Truth; it doesn’t consume the cover and has a soft feel. The book is Were It Not For Grace (facebook.com/authorlesliemontgomery). My other covers are okay….would definately like to have the cover and title written into a contract – I never thought you could do that, so thanks for the information.
I agree, great info. Thanks for commenting on “my” cover, though I can’t take credit for it.
I’m a beach lover – gotta’ go with Heart Stone. 🙂
Thanks for including Love in the Balance with such beautiful covers. They are just breathtaking.
Ooohh they all are so good! But the one that gets my interest right away and keeps it the longest it Melanie’s. The Fairest Beauty. Beautiful. Maybe it’s the fairytale concept that intrigues me.
Oh, I liked all the covers! Also like the author getting to have input. If I had to chose, it would be The Fairest Beauty because of the depth of colors, detail and even the apple caught my eye. Here is a link to my cover of Joy Restored.
http://www.judeurbanski.com.
The cover is one of the things I miss with my e-reader. I miss getting into the mood of the story. Anyone else?
Ooooh! Those are definitely eye catching!!! I love the “The Fairest Beauty” cover!!
I liked the Fairest Beauty because it looks like Snow White, and the title reminds me of “Who’s the Fairest of them all” so the book must have a fairytale connection. That got my attention because it made me stop and think.
I am guilty of judging books by their covers when browsing bookshelves. My eyes stopped at “The Bare Naked Truth,” where I can almost see the movement of the feet as truths are revealed and “The Fairest Beauty” just because of its perfectly presented classic appeal. All the covers are perfect for their respective titles.
They’re all eye-catching for different reasons but Regina Jennings’ book stands out because it is sunny and has deep, vibrant colors.
I am guilty as well of judging a book by its cover. Its hard not to, but if I like the story idea and others have recommended it, I’ll take a chance on it.
Out of these covers (they all are lovely, by the way), I love Dragonwitch & The Fairest Beauty the best, but that is because those are the types of stories I love to read. I’m drawn to the mystery, the adventure, the fantasy elements. Love the colors of the The Fairest Beauty. And did someone mention romance? The book has an interesting premise, I might have to pick it up. 🙂 And I LOVE Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s work. I will read everything by her, so the cover art is eye candy, intriguing eye candy. 🙂
I really like the cover of ‘The Fairest Beauty’ the best. The colors are vivid and eye catching without being too bright. It has a softness to it that I love.
I like the ‘dragonwich’ cover the best because of the dramatic colours and structure. In a store it would catch my eye but strangely I would not buy the book because it is not a genre I enjoy.
Dragon Witch was the most fascinating cover to me, dramatic and interesting. I would have picked up the book and read the back just based on the cover. I also like Fairest Beauty.
I spent most time on The Naked Truth because it made me think, it had a modern vocabulary of images and so imagined the book would deal with present day issues. I was also attracted by the face on the cover of Distant Shores, because although described as a novel, it make me hope it is based on lived out experience rather than invented. Here is the cover of a non-fiction book I am proud to have published
8-| http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X9lStOlx-DY/TM8NbNwZyUI/AAAAAAAAG7g/VQGQpO39CJY/S350/191013_l.gif
Ooops only a thumb-nail on the last link- here’s a better view. http://evaulian-thebestoftheworst.blogspot.it/p/rajput-princely-warriors-of-rajasthan.html