Cover Stories: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

in

I know that everyone has read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, and I need to GET ON THAT! Because I know I'll love it -- I've heard her read from it, I've seen the reviews, it's a sure thing. And the cover? I think it's pretty timeless.

Here's Jennifer to talk about how it came about:

"I’ve realized I’m not all that visual a writer, so I’m always more than happy to let the pros handle this aspect of the process. Because it’s a love story, I guess I was just hoping the cover wouldn’t be too cheesy. I think I probably mentioned my aversion to seeing a photograph of the main characters… I tend to prefer graphic covers to photographic ones, and I never like seeing the characters too clearly – I’d rather let the reader come up with their own ideas about what they look like – but beyond that, I hadn’t really given it much thought.

"When I saw the cover, I absolutely loved it! It wasn’t final at that point, but the concept was just brilliant.  You could see the characters, but not their faces, and they were far enough away that it wasn’t the main focus. What I loved most was the title treatment, which gave it some quirkiness and really made that the focal point, which I thought was cool. I think we originally saw a second option with a red background (instead of the black), but we all quickly honed in on the black version and moved forward with that one.

"They were really enthusiastic about it, so I think they were happy I felt the same, and all my comments and suggestions were really just tweaks. In the original image, the girl had dark hair and was wearing a long coat, but in the story, Hadley has blond hair and it’s summer. And there were also a few too many frills to the title, so we suggested revising that slightly. But for the most part, I was just really pleased.

"The early image was used for the galley, actually (see the galley at right), just because of the timing, but they made all revisions I suggested for the final version, and I think it turned out brilliantly. The designer, Liz Casal, is a genius.  She’s working on my next one too, and I couldn’t be happier.

"I know it doesn’t always happen this way, and in fact, it hasn’t for many of my books, but in this case, the first concept they showed me was a knockout, so it was a pretty easy process all the way through. I think the original image of the couple was a stock photo, and then they manipulated it to make her blond and change her outfit just slightly.  The title treatment is hand lettered, which I love.

"I adore the cover. It’s romantic and cinematic and eye-catching, and I think it really captures the feel of the book, that sense of time slowing down when you’re with someone, and the way the rest of the world becomes a blur all around you.  It’s a great cover – I got really lucky!"

Thanks, Jennifer! I love that the detailed tweaks got made, and the final fonts are a total win too. Little changes do a lot.

What do you guys think of this cover?

PS-Here's a sneak peek at some of the international covers for this book. See the full covers on Jennifer's website.

Win-It Wednesday: My Life Next Door

in

I believe I have gushed about Huntley Fitzpatrick's My Life Next Door in various mediums, but here's the blog-gush: This book is so good! It's moving, it's heartfelt, it's family-filled, it's funny, it's sexy. I mean, it's sexy. And in a really sweet way that is so hard to do. Great characters, good pacing, believable situations and a cinematic summery layer, too. So well done! So that's why you want to win it. It can be yours if you enter below. Yes, I'm using a widget. Cool? I would also love a comment if you have one. I'm still old-school like that.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PS-This contest for my book and a ton of little beauty goodies is still going on... (4 more days!).

PPS-I've also learned about this one, which involves a trip to the Austin Teen Book Festival (Dreamy! I love this festival!).

PPPS-I can read all of your answers, but if you want to share your response, comment below! It's fun to hear what everyone's reading! Bonus entry for doing that.

Cover Stories: The Witch Narratives Reincarnation

in

I often talk to authors who have very little say in their covers, but today I'm hosting Belinda Vasquez Garcia, who had total control.  The Witch Narratives Reincarnation was featured alongside Unbreak My Heart in Kirkus, and I thought the cover was so incredibly arresting that I had to ask her about it. Here's Belinda: "In choosing my cover image for The Witch Narratives Reincarnation, I searched through stock photos. I was looking for a photo I had found on the internet and was using on my website at the time. In keeping with my covens, The Sisterhood of the Black Rose, this photo of a black rose with its leaves flung out like arms was so haunting (right).

"There are drops of blood on the stem, as though the black rose has been wounded. To me, this bleeding black rose represented Salia, my main character, a 3rd generation witch forced by her mother and grandmother to follow their paths. However, though I found this picture on various photo websites, it was not on any sites of stock photos that could be purchased.

"I was disappointed, but then stumbled upon a picture with an elaborately made up eye. Since Salia longs to be an opera singer, the dramatic effect of the eye was perfect. She is, also, half-Native American so the feathered eyelashes were perfect. And along the eyelid are a cluster of red roses. Salia practices red magic and is not yet a full-fledged member of the Sisterhood of the Black Rose, so the red roses were perfect. I then chose as close to flesh-colored as I could get for the back of the book cover and the bottom quarter.

"Also, the book is the first in a series, and I purchased other similar eyes for the other books to give the series a common look and feel.

"Mm, I have been told that my cover is eye catching!"

Thanks, Belinda! I was completely drawn in by this shot, and I'm glad to hear there are more eyes coming for the rest of the series.

What do you guys think?

Win-It Wednesday: Beauty Prize Pack

in

The fabulous Cynthia Leitich Smith is hosting an Unbreak My Heart + beauty giveaway over at Cynsations, so head there to enter to win:

a signed copy of Unbreak My Heart; a copy of Raising Eyebrows by Cameron Tuttle (a guide to your perfect brow); Marie Natie natural lip gloss in Red; Marie Natie natural lip gloss sample in Cotton Candy; Bumble & Bumble Pin Tin (bobby pins); Mad Grab Lip Balms; and nail tattoos!

Yay! US only--sorry! This package gets big/pricey. Back to international soon, I promise!

Cover Stories: Masque of the Red Death

in

Bethany Griffin is here today to talk about her cover for Masque of the Red Death, which is a twist on Edgar Allen Poe's gothic short story (cool!). The cover has atmosphere in spades. Here's Bethany: "I think that covers are the most exciting thing, seeing a visual interpretation of your work, and every time we've sold a foreign right, a part of me is jumping up and down going, Another cover! Another cover! But, I didn't have an image in mind as I wrote.

"In retrospect, I'm not sure that there was much discussion with my publisher, but one thing we did discuss during revisions was having some symbols for different groups in the story, because through a good part of the story evil is sort of amorphous, and since there are multiple groups vying for the city, it made sense to give the reader some visual clues. I think it was great editorial advice, and added to the story, but...in my mind I was picturing a more gender-neutral cover, perhaps using some of those symbols, so I was surprised when I got the cover, initially.

"I thought it was beautiful, but I wasn't sure about it. First, it didn't seem like it would appeal to male readers much, and though even the first draft was wonderfully atmospheric, and there are scenes in the marshes, the book is essentially about saving a city, so the setting of the cover threw me at first. Also, the color and style of the font changed later, into something really beautiful and special, but in the first draft, they weren't as striking, so I liked it, but I wasn't in love!

"We made some suggestions, but none of them worked. I suggested that the parasol be more tattered, and we suggested some sort of city outline in the background (and I'm going to agree that might not have looked good, particularly if it was worked in later) but I do like tattered things! But no, they had purchased the beautiful artwork for the cover, and I don't think it could be manipulated very much.

"In some ways I would say the final cover was unchanged from the first version I saw, but in fact the final hardcover is very different. The font color changed, and the font itself improved dramatically, and is really just beautiful. And the effects that were added, first the glowing depth that the ARC had, and then they left that and put embossed foil on the cover, and added in deckled pages...I am really pleased with everything about the book and the cover!

"I may not have been in love the first time I saw it, but now that the book is on my shelf, I'm definitely in love! I think the cover is very representative of how dark the book is, and that even aspects that I questioned at first, the parasol for instance, helps the reader see immediately that the book has a historical setting, the misty background is mysterious, and the red dress suggest glamour, all of which are a bit part of the book. I think the feel of it is just right, and the color, well, it's Masque of the Red Death! I know there are other books with red dresses (I own quite a few of them!) but red was the absolute right color for the dress on this cover.

"Oh, and another cool cover related thing that Greenwillow did was that instead of a trailer, they created an interactive book cover for the book. (Be sure to click for lightning and scroll over parts for creepy vines).

Um, that is my favorite thing in the world. An interactive book cover! What do you guys think?

Cover Stories: Torn

in

Stephanie Guerra's debut novel has a cover that really tells a story, especially when you look at the entire jacket. Here's Stephanie to talk about the process:

"I love the cover of Torn, because by some amazing coincidence, the model looks like the friend on whom Stella, my narrator, is based (see the picture of 'Stella' and me in high school, below right). I also like the model because I can see both Latina and Eastern European characteristics in her face, and Stella is biracial Mexican and Croatian.

"The art department used stock photos, and I’m grateful for the level of input they allowed. While I wasn’t consulted about the original design, I was given seven possible head shots to choose from, and asked for feedback about framing. The whole process was fun, collaborative, and stress-free.

"As far as the design itself (the close-up of Stella on the front is mirrored by one of Ruby on the back--see full jacket below), I feel it's perfect. Torn is about what it means for a woman to be a true friend, and what it sometimes requires from us. There’s a lot of YA romance in the marketplace right now, but when I was a teen, my friendships defined my experience more than my romances did. That comes through in Torn; there are men in both girls’ lives, but ultimately their friendship is deeper and more sustaining than their respective romances. I think the dual head-shots keep the spotlight where it belongs: on the girls.

"While I had choices around Stella’s headshot, the art department only offered one option for Ruby. At first I thought she looked scary (those eyes!), but now that I have the actual book in hand, I see that she was a good, dramatic choice. Ruby's character is fiery, and it makes sense that her image should reflect that intensity. The only quibble I had was that Ruby's red hair is a dye job, while the model is clearly a natural redhead. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things! By another stroke of luck, I met a young mother at a playground who resembled the Ruby model. I asked the woman if she’d like to act in my trailer, and she agreed (thank you, Michelle!).

"The cover came together fortuitously in so many ways that I feel a sense of peace that it’s just right. I even love the end papers. Maurice Sendak once compared the end papers of a book to the curtains of a theater, and I think it’s a great analogy. My end papers are a delicious, candy pink—not quite bubblegum, not quite cherry blossom. The pigment is rich enough that the color feels strong, but not shocking. Somehow it reflects both the estrogen and the edge of Torn.

"And now I could go on about why I love the type-face… but I have to stop somewhere. I’ll close by saying that as a lifelong book lover, it’s very satisfying to have my first book feel aesthetically right, and I’m grateful to the designers at Marshall Cavendish (now Amazon Publishing) who made it happen. Thank you!"

Thanks, Stephanie! Below are various headshots for Stella, below. I love the final pick! And check out the Torn trailer too. How cool that Stephanie found a real-life Ruby lookalike to use for the filming!

What do you guys think?

Cover Stories: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

in

Jennifer Echols has some great covers. (Remember the makeovers of her illustrated-cover books into photographic covers? Love that!) Her new book, Such a Rush, is no exception. Jennifer's here to share her latest Cover Story as part of her GCC tour:

"When the publisher asked me for my input on the cover, I told them a big sky would be good, but we would also need to see the characters Leah and Grayson to make it evident to readers that the book is a romance. They came back with two possibilities. One looked like the back cover, showing the small-town airport with an airplane overhead, except that Leah and Grayson were also lying in the grass. The other looked like the front cover.

"At first, I wanted the back cover, because I thought it conveyed the contents of the book better, but it was too sleepy-looking (see below right).

"I thought the front cover was arresting, but it didn’t make clear to readers what the book was about. But my editor really loved the front, as did the art department. They tinkered with the fonts until I got my beautiful flowy title, and I compromised by flat-ironing Leah’s curly hair in one scene in the book so she would 'match' the girl on the cover. I’m really happy with the results, and I’m grateful to my editor for caring so deeply about what I thought."

Thanks, Jennifer! Here's what I love: The way her hair sweeps in a way the matches the font of the title. Also: the almost black-and-white coloring with a pop of color for the title. And it's cool that the back cover got to tell a little bit about the small-town airport aspect of the story. Oh, and yay for writing straight hair into the story--so worth doing that for readers, I think!

What do you guys think?

Cover Stories + Win-It: Never Enough

in ,

Denise Jaden was here in 2010 to share the Cover Story for Losing Faith, and she's back on her GCC tour for Never Enough, which has a cover with amazing light! Here's Denise: "I didn’t have much in mind for the cover of this book. I feel like there are lots of things I wanted it to encompass, and because I don’t have much of an artist brain, I didn’t know how to do that.

"With my first novel, I was told I would have time to make some suggestions, but then it never came up again. With this one, the cover was not mentioned until they had a final version to show me.

"I really love my cover, but to be perfectly honest, the girl on the cover doesn’t look like either of the main girls in my novel. I was a little bothered by this initially, but I must say, I think they’ve chosen a picture that covers a lot of the themes and fits the tone of the book. The image is a stock photo, which is fine with me. I hope that one day one of my novels will have a live model, but this photo works so well with the tone that I don’t think one was needed for this. I really think the people in the art department at Simon Pulse are masterful!

"I did mention my concerns over character congruity. We discussed it, and eventually both agreed that capturing the tone of the book is more important.

"The original version said 'Title Here,' because my book did not yet have a firm title, but otherwise it is exactly the same, with an added tagline.

"I’m thrilled with the cover overall. I think Simon Pulse does an amazing job with covers, and I really think mine is eye-catching in its final version."

Thanks, Denise! It bugs me when the cover model doesn't resemble a character, but I agree with you that the tone is most important. I have to say that I love the light play in this cover. The branches almost obscured by sunspots, the green tones with blue title font--lovely.

What do you guys think?

PS-Denise is holding a contest on her blog for four boxes of great books! If you comment here, you're automatically eligible to win. HOORAY.

PPS-Check out the trailer!

PPPS-Last week's Win-It Wednesday winner of Tara Altebrando's latest is... Brianna! Send me your address, B.

Cover Stories: Eve by Anna Carey

in

I'm a sucker for bridges. And running. And flowing hair. So the cover of Eve? Kind of up my alley. Here's Anna Carey to talk about the cover of the first book in the Eve trilogy (the second, Once, is out this month!). "I had a vague sense of what the book might look like. The name--Eve--conjures so much. We all know Adam and Eve, and there's so much imagery associated with their story. Originally I saw the cover as having a lot of lush greenery. I sometimes saw a pale girl lost in the forest. It's funny, the book trailer captures a lot of those original images and ideas that were left behind as the cover evolved.

"The designer asked for a list of images or words that appear in the book. I can't seem to locate that list, though I'm 99% sure the designer came up with the bridge idea, which I love. It's hard to go back through your book and decide which imagery is meaningful and/or metaphorical--so much of that is folded into the manuscript unconsciously. I'm pretty certain all my suggestions were fairly basic. Thankfully she didn't put a wall or a cluster of trees on there. I don't think it would've had the same effect.

"There were so many amazing covers in this process, I've thought of framing them and hanging them on my wall. So much goes into finalizing the cover--publisher's approvals, comments from sales and marketing teams. The team went through several different options before getting it just right. So when I did see the cover I loved it, but I wasn't sure if it was FINAL FINAL, so I didn't want to get too attached. Side story: One of the covers involved an underwater photo of a girl in a white dress. She was kicking her legs, the skirt blooming out around her. It was gorgeous, but thankfully we didn't use it--it would've been too close to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer or Imaginary Girls. (See those covers at right).

"The actual image didn't change at all. But when I had the physical book in my hands, it was so much more beautiful than I could have imagined. You can't tell from the picture, but the sky is actually much darker, and the book jacket has a metallic sheen to it. The hardcover beneath the book jacket is black, with gorgeous, metallic green type embossed on the front and spine.

"The image of the girl was shot by Merisa Okic, a photographer. She does some really interesting, evocative portraits. You can check out her work here. I wonder if you'll guess which model is the real Eve...

"I love the cover, and owe endless hugs and thanks to Elizabeth Clark, the designer. What first struck me was the sky, how it fades from green to blue to purple. I like that there's something beyond the bridge, though you can't quite see what it is. It's almost as though everything is covered in fog. I hate to admit this, but I didn't originally connect the bridge on the cover to the very famous bridge featured at the end of the book (I associated it more with the first bridge in the book, which is inside the compound walls). So much of this book, and this series, is about crossing thresholds. It's about going places you never thought you could go, and becoming a person you never thought you'd become. To me it seems fitting that the girl on the cover is crossing over, headed for the unknown."

Thanks, Anna! I love the details you've mentioned, and I also really like how the font makes the three letters flow together in the title. And, the girl's stance/movement reminds me of the original cover for Nancy Werlin's Extraordinary, which I also loved.

What do you guys think of this one?