Hi, Jo here. I've been thinking about book covers a lot recently, for a range of reasons. Covers are important, because they do affect our purchasing of books, but also sometimes our relationship with a book. The cover can form part of our expectation, and continue to influence us as we read. Of course with e-books covers can have less influence as generally once we start to read we'll never see the cover again.
But let's think of dramatic examples. I love Terry Pratchett's work, and I'm sure it would always have found its huge readership, but would it have become popular so quickly without the brilliant cartoonish covers?
Typepad is doing odd things with images, which is a shame when I'm doing an image-based blog. Onward! With apologies.
To look at historical romance, there was a time a while back when covers for humorous ones had a cartoony or cut paper cover, which was very effective at telling readers what to expect, especially as most of us like humor. I'm not sure why they didn't last long.
The look continues in Britain, especially for Julian Quinn, who of course often includes light humor in her books.
Does anyone remember the cut paper covers? I'd say they were about 12 years ago, but I could be way off. I'd love a title so I could look for some.
Of course long ago historical romances were known for the clinch. That was their brand. It told us all what to expect.
Not necessarily the exact content of the book, but the type of book. As for content, in My Lady Notorious, the heroine's hair has been shorn and the hero is a slender guy who tells her he's prettier than she is! Oh, and it takes place in November, when such a tryst is extremely unlikely. But the book sold well, because as the saying now goes, it did what it said on the tin in all ways that matter.
At the same time, traditional regencies had fully dressed couples wooing, or occasionally a heroine alone, but sometimes with odd expressions!
Then, if you remember, we had the "thingy covers." Clinches went out of fashion and covers had author, title, and something. Or sometimes just author and title. With or without objects the covers told the reader little about the book, and were sometimes downright mystifying. Julia Ross's delicious book is rather more confusion than Illusion.
So that was abandoned, to most authors' relief, and the wheel turned, generally for the better. We had people back, and sometimes they looked a bit like the people in the book in approximately the right costume. But then, the lady's clothing began to slip.
At first it was only a shoulder, but soon the historical romance brand was a woman's naked back. Why, I can't fathom, but it must be working. And yet, perhaps the backs are beginning to retreat. In favor of...? What new appealing cover looks are you seeing?
I've kept my heroine's clothes on on recent covers, and now Wench Joanna's newest cover has a completely dressed hero. Could this be a trend? I'd like to think so.
Part of the reason covers have been on my mind is because I've been working on a new cover for An Arranged Marriage, the first of my Company of Rogues books. I really loved the original paperback cover, perhaps more than any other cover I've had because it captured Nicholas, Eleanor, and their complex relationship.
When it came to e-publishing it, I couldn't find any image I liked and had to make do with something that wasn't right. It bugged me. And then I found the right image, and now the cover is a homage to that original. You can see all the AM covers here, including a meaningless thingie.
I'm happy. And to celebrate, I updated my video about the Rogues. You can see it here.
What's your opinion on covers for historical romance? Do you remember them for decades, and if so, what were the high points and low points in your opinion?
Has a cover ever made you grab a book without any other reason? Have you held onto a battered copy because you love the cover?
Has one turned you off a book you were thinking of buying?
What would be your ideal "brand" for historical romance? Or will you simply always go by author?
I'll give a copy of Forbidden Magic -- the one with a very good cover -- to one commenter. Have at it!
Jo