Cover Art?

Wench Pat here, standing in while Loretta slathers suntan lotion over her lily white skin…

I know “cover art” is a topic everyone loves to discuss, and since I need to come up with a hasty blog and just had my editor ask for input on the next Mystic Isle book, I thought I’d give a quickie update on how the art for this series is working out.

For Mystic Guardian, I found a fabulous painting of a Hawaiian island that I sent to my editor when she requested  suggestions.  My cover art for my July books is usually discussed in August. In theory, by then my editor has read the book and can talk to the committee that develops my “look.”  In actuality, my editor usually hasn’t had time to read the book and all she knows about it is from the proposal.  But I’ve been with my historical publisher for a long time, and they have a pretty clear understanding of what I do, and try to keep my “look” within certain parameters---a monochromatic color base, “earth” scenes, special effects. My books will have horses or ships in the foreground, but seldom people.

For Guardian, my editor decided to go for a slightly different effect and float the image of a man’s face above the usual scenery, which makes sense for a fantasy hero.  The art department picked up the mist and island ideas from the image I sent them. One assumes the gray color scheme reflects the fog that conceals the island.

For my second book, Mystic Rider, (which was originally Mystic Stargazer until some marketing person decided heroes don’t gaze at stars) I gave my editor the following cursory description of images to be found in the book: “I have Ian wearing a monk's cowl rather than a frock coat in much of the book. He tames a wild stallion. Chantal's music is a major theme. Ian uses an oak staff as weapon more than his sword.  He "reads" the stars and uses martial art exercises stripped naked on dark hills to concentrate on his readings. <G> They flee France in a carriage and a ship. Maybe a coach and horses fleeing through the mist to keep with the misty look? And a dollop of red somewhere to denote escalating violence?”

So, guess which image they chose? Got it in one, if you said “stripped naked on dark hills.”  The art isn’t done yet, but I may be moving back to people covers.  And the committee idled a hot August afternoon with some very bad puns on the hero’s “staff.” Should be interesting to see what a hot August afternoon produces in the way of covers.

I know some of you have asked about the blurbs on the back of our books, but I don’t know all the in-between machinations that produce it. In my proposals, assuming marketing doesn’t read my books, I try to send “concept” paragraphs that describe the characters and basic conflict. Someone writes up the cover copy. My editor edits it and sends it to me. I tear it apart and send it back. We compromise somewhere in the middle. But this is not necessarily the process all publishers follow, so don’t take anything in this business as gospel.

There is a discussion elsewhere about publishing believing animals sell books. Are you more likely to pick up a book with an animal on it? A person? Scenery? Do you have a favorite cover?

Comments

[Liz]

I'm a sucker for jewelery covers. Also stepbacks, just because they catch my attention. a fake stepback would work (side stripe). Landscape covers don't attract or repel me, a Fabio-esque cover has a LOT to overcome to make it to the cart unless I already read the author (a LOT). The covers Kasey Michaels is getting for her reissues attract me - I keep picking them up and I KNOW I've already read them.

[kay]

I'm becoming fond of all the close-ups of various parts of people. Especially the ones with the authentic costumes or old master portraits. I'm not much of a fan of flowers or inanimate objects. As far as hunky guys, I don't mind them as long as they are not standing in the snow or on some rocky terrain with the icy ocean splashing on their face/body and the heroine clinging to one leg ready to take a bite.

[Lisa Plumley]

Very interesting, Patricia! I like landscapes or people on covers, but my editor assures me that everyone loves dogs on covers...so my latest book has two cartoon puppies on it. And it's true--everyone really loves those puppies. ;)

[Jane O]

I assume publishers do some sort of market research on covers and are convinced that they help sell books, but I haven't ever bought a book - or even picked one up to look at - because of the cover. I'm more apt to pass over a book because of the cover - I find the bimbo plus beachboy ones particularly off-putting.

[Francois]

That Mystic Guardian looks like one good book going by the tasteful cover. Very nice.

I can't stand clinch covers. But on the other hand it does give you a clue to whats inside. Tricky. Dogs are a big no no for me - but then as well as disliking them I'm also allergic, so I'd rather they weren't inside the book either. It involves a serious suspension of disbelief to find owning a dog in any way attractive!

[Patricia Rice]

Wow, alreadya lovely diversity of opinion when so often we're unanimous! Bring it on!

I'm going over to check out Kasey's covers as soon as I get off here. LOL, Kay, on the poor shivering hero and starving heroine. "G" I prefer warm settings myself, so knock wood, my guys won't suffer.

Since I'm not a big fan of cold, I understand Francois's dislike of dogs that cause her misery, but I suspect most people will ooo and ahhh over a puppy or kitty.

And Jane, I doubt publishers actually do market research beyond noticing which books sell well and what the buyers at the big chains think of the idea. The big store buyers aren't research, they're clout.

[Maggie Robinson]

I've heard a dreadful rumor that the classy covers with a detail from an actual historic artwork don't sell as well as the half-naked guy in the snow. I so hope that isn't true. I love period clothing. Why not go to the source instead of some contempory artist's rendition of a Regency shirt w/ buttons all the way down or the 1970s-style Jessica McClintock prom dresses we see all the time? I think I'm fonder of seeing people than property, but Pat, your covers are always great.

[Janga]

I think the only book I ever bought because of the cover was Jo's Three Heroes. Both novels and the anthology with the novella were already on a keeper shelf, but that cover looked like the characters. How often does that happen? I could not resist it.

I also love Candice Hern's Merry Widows covers, and I like your Carolina covers too, Pat, especially Sweet Home Carolina. They all fit the books.

[Patricia Rice]

The copyrights on artwork are hard to get around, and given that most of us write mass market fiction, there isn't a budget for dealing with art dealers and museums. And in romance, you're right, the half naked guy is going to sell better than classic detail. Although I still think really cool houses ought to do it. With a puppy in front. "G"

Thank you, Janga. The artist for the contemporaries comes from NC, so he at least knew what he was doing. Nice that publishers try to get the details right sometime!

[kay]

Janga, I agree I love the Candice Hern covers.

Pat, I forgot about copyright issues. However, couldn't an artist check up on period costumes before giving us a prom dress from this century? And, we could still have naked with correct period costumes. Just think of all those loose starched collars.

I blame Hollywood.

[Elaine McCarthy]

I don't like the standing-half-naked in a meadow covers either, but the ones that really bug me are the ones where the person's face is hidden. What's up with that? It seems extremely popular just now. I don't have to have a person on the cover, but if s/he's there, I want to see more than his/her left leg. An animal on the cover wouldn't prompt me to pick up a book in the romance section of the bookstore unless it was doing something pretty interesting. Also, I don't like covers with photography, particularly for a Regency. It jars, probably because they didn't have photography back then. I do like houses and scenery, or something kind of symbolic. Mostly, though, I buy books by authors I can rely on to tell me a good story, no matter what their editors put on the cover!

I've given a lot of thought to the psychology of the thing. Could it be that established big-selling writers get better covers because they make more money for the publishers, and book-browsers are influenced not by the details, but by the subliminal message of success? I wonder what effect it might have on sales if they put a first-time writer's name in inch-tall embossed gold lettering above the title, with artwork as classy as you wenches get? I bet it wouldn't hurt.

[Patricia Rice]

I suspect most studio artists use whatever clothing is hanging on their racks, and they aren't going to find 18th century shirts down at the consignment store. Many of them paint from models, so even if they had costume books, it might be difficult to convey it to the canvas. We may need to hunt down a cover artist and interview him/her!

LOL, Elaine, sounds like you don't like Kasey's new covers (I checked them out after the earlier post--I think it's the cool clothes that sell them, if I'm looking at the right ones.) As to the psychology, I assume putting our names in big letters work because we're well known and seeing a recognizable name will draw a reader to pick up the book. That won't work for newcomers. They need something really eye-catching, and let's face it, in romance, that's naked men. IMO, the really big bestsellers tend to have rather plain covers because it's their name that sells. The wenches get "classy" covers, because we're not Nora Roberts yet so we still need something eye-catching but it doesn't have to be naked men because we have the name thing happening. How's that for a theory?

[Edith]

You put a dog on the cover (any kind but a little le fluffy fluff) and a gorgeous male (human) in a historical costume (any era. Preferably with tights and hgh boots) and you have got me, completely. OK. So you can throw in a female human somewhere too.
And gold lettering. And decent size type inside.
Now, that's a book!
I only had a dog on a cover once, but it pleased me to pieces.
Otherwise, I admit I haven't seen any.
They put cats on "cozy" mystery covers; it's a hallmark like the clinch in romance.
But as for romance? Horses.
It doesn't attract me, but it doesn't dissuade me.

[AgTigress]

I dislike probably 75% of the covers of paperback romance novels, so if I paid any attention to them when deciding what to buy, I would never read any of the stories. The authors and publishers should be glad that some of us don't pay any attention to the cover art!

Covers are *packaging*, and ultimately, however important they may be in marketing terms when a book is first published, they are ephemeral, and always tell us more about marketing trends at the time of publication than they do about the book inside.

I have just, for my own amusement, looked up and 'catalogued' the different covers of a 1950s Mary Stewart novel, both UK and US editions, original hardback and subsequent paperbacks, over the last 50 years. I found 11, plus a couple of German editions. There may be well be some that I missed. None of them tells one very much about the book, though some are more evocative than others, but they are immensely informative and interesting about trends in popular art and advertising, and about the disparity of taste between the UK and USA.

:-D

[Sherrie Holmes]

Besides Pino, one of my favorite cover artists is Elaine Gignilliat. She has a nice photo essay on how she produces a book cover here: http://www.romancebookcoverart.com/

She's one artist who does try to get her historical costumes right.

[Sherrie Holmes]

Forgot to mention that after you get to Elain's site, scroll down to "Elaine creating a book cover."

[kay]

Yes, I have other things to do today.

Horses: I vaguely remember in the 70's women running down hills with horses chasing them.

I think it is pretty obvious that a book cover is not the deciding factor in purchasing a book, it's mostly the author. Although, I will admit that badly drawn cover art is a deciding factor in purchasing a book of an author I know nothing about, because in the back of my mind I'll be wondering if the writing is as bad as the cover. Now, that's the drawing itself not the concept.

[Patricia Rice]

AgT you are entirely right that cover art is a form of advertisement affected by the current market. Which is why everyone is constantly trying to figure out what the current market wants.
Thanks for the link, Sherrie. I'd forgotten that site!
Horses have always been a big seller in the romance world, although I would have thought it would appeal more to teen girls.

Unfortunately, Kay, way too many readers don't know author name and buy because they picked up a cover that looked like something they might like. Most will also check the back copy and read the front or back pages before deciding, but it's getting them to reach out and pick up a book that's the trick. Imagine walking through Walmart with a screaming kid in the basket, looking for something fun to read...

And I've been reminded to remind everyone that I am attempting to keep a daily writer's blog over at patriciarice.blogspot.com. Of course, now that I've said this, I'm taking off for the weekend! But come by when you can and make me feel guilty if I haven't posted anything. "G"

[Beth]

No overtly sexual poses, please! I have avoided buying books by my favorite authors whose covers show suggestive poses or half-naked. Why? I carry these books to work and to the gym!
NO ONE will skim through and decide the writing is too...too..you know. But passers-by will peg me from the covers. There's no explaining that there's a great story to go along with the steam.

[Susan Wilbanks]

"the ones that really bug me are the ones where the person's face is hidden."

I *like* covers where the person's face is hidden because, as I think I've said here before, 90% of all cover models do nothing for me--they're just blandly handsome and not my type. Cut the hero's head off or show him with his back turned, and I can imagine him as MY idea of a hottie!

Beyond that? Like others, I like historically accurate images and nothing so explicit or raunchy that I'd blush to read it on the bus or in front of my coworkers. Most of whom happen to be clergy, since I work in the Spiritual Care department at a hospital. Beyond that, it really depends on the book.

I liked Mary Jo's cover for A DISTANT MAGIC even though I'm normally not a fan of floating heads, because the head was subtle and there's also a tall ship. I'm a sucker for tall ships and will walk across a bookstore to pick up any book that has one on its cover. Other than that, I'm having trouble thinking of a recent romance where I just LOVED the cover. I liked the one Janet Mullany got for THE RULES OF GENTILITY (http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Gentility-Janet-Mullany/dp/0061229830/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-3262831-0342003?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188513332&sr=8-1), and I thought Luna did a nice job with EYES OF CROW (http://www.amazon.com/Eyes-Crow-Jeri-Smith-Ready/dp/0373802587/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-3262831-0342003?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188513380&sr=1-1) but that's really more fantasy.

Oh, and none of these three are romance, but if you want me to keep looking at the cover and smiling to myself as I read, just put a man in uniform with a sword on it:

http://www.amazon.com/Jack-Absolute-C-C-Humphreys/dp/0312358229/ref=ed_oe_h/105-3262831-0342003?ie=UTF8&qid=1188513534&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Sharpes-Honour-Richard-Adventure-16/dp/014029435X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-3262831-0342003?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188513595&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/War-Knives-Matty-Graves-Novels/dp/1590131045/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-3262831-0342003?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188513643&sr=1-1

Three very different looks, but they all made me happy. I'm just a sucker for a man with a sword in my fiction, I guess...

[Amanda]

I tend to avoid the covers with two lover's clawing at each other...now I'm an addicted romance reader and darn proud of it, but something about two people canoodling on the cover turns me off!

Go figure.

I prefer shadows of people, bright colors, scenery and animals. More interesting I suppose. You know the book has romance, so show me what else the book is about.

[Jaclyne Laurin]

When people are on covers I don't want to see their faces! Why? Because I really want to imagine what the characters look like from the author's description and NOT from the cover artist imagination.

It often happens that a hero is described as a blue eyed, brown haired man inside the covers, but the picture is of a guy with sandy blond hair and brown eyes. It bugs me.

I also don't think the dog & cat theory is accurate. I'm not attracted to those at all. I do like horses by themselves or with a rider in Cowboy gear, à la Linda Lael Miller. Another thing that attracts me is a picture of a castle or a hunky Highlander.

I liked the Mystic Guardian cover, but I wish the man's face could have been blurred.

Lisa, I really liked your Scoundrel and Rascal covers. Same for Jo's To Rescue a Rogue and Lady Beware.

[Patricia Rice]

Wow, ships and swords, YES! For books with ships and swords in them, at least. "G" I'd rather picture my own heroes, too, but so many people lack the ability to do that. Makes it tough for the art department to find a combination that pleases everyone, as we've already proved!

I think we need to aim for the "feel" of the book. I'm just not marketing genius enough to make those kinds of suggestions. Ah well.

Now I have to go find someone familiar enough with French history to tell me if this latest rag passes muster...