Seeing a cover for the first time is like meeting a blind date. You hope for attraction to strike. You look for something to spark your interest and inspire a positive impression. When I get the email from my publisher or my indie cover designer, I’m filled with a mix of excitement, hope, and anxiety. A picture is worth a thousand words (or 90,000 in the case of my novels), and this one image needs to convey my main character’s personality and hint at story elements in a way that compels a reader to click to learn more.
Early in my career, I had little to no say over my covers after they were designed, but with more experience and a proven track record (and my agent’s great contract negotiation skills) I now have a chance to give feedback before a cover is finalized. This is such a boon. This particular cover went through several iterations before we landed on a final product that made everyone happy. The designers are absolutely amazing at what they do and were able to implement my suggestions admirably.
Just from this little glimpse, you can learn that my heroine is a bookish lady. Exactly the impression I wanted to leave. Jane Cowan is a shy parson’s daughter who much rather be reading than interacting with others, unless those others were under the age of 10.
Jane meets a pair of adorable young runaways at the Albany train station – runaways who just happen to have a very single father. Since the train station plays a pivotal role in this initial meeting, we chose to feature that setting on the cover.
Drum roll please . . .
What do you think?
Wooing the Wallflower is Book 2 in the Secret Society of Spinster’s series, and it will be releasing next February. It’s up for preorder now.
Here is an early version of the cover that I decided to change.
I didn’t particularly care for this model. I did like her updo and glasses, but everything else just felt slightly off. Also, while she is a parson’s daughter and the church plays a major role in the story, I was afraid having the church as the backdrop made her seem too pious or holier-than-thou. My agent actually worried that the image might portray the opposite, that she was skipping church to read her novel. The book she is holding felt wrong too. Even though this was a stock photo, it felt a bit fake somehow.
Anyway, one of the other designs that they had already been working with included the train station, so we had a great starting place for a new vision, and I’m so happy with the way it turned out in the end.
What attracts you to a book cover?
Good morning Karen! I do like your newest cover. As I have mentioned a few times, I’m an artist. So, yes, I like the look of the cover, but many times it’s the blurp of the story that pulls me in. But, as they say,”You can’t judge a book by its cover”, however, it helps to have a visual! I know, because I’m a visual person. Show me what you mean. I’m hands on more than an intellectual.
I also like how the train station and her reading a book describes what the book will entail.
Many blessings to you and much success on this book. I haven’t looked yet. Is it an KindleUnlimited?
Thanks, Tracy. I’m sure your artist’s eye picks up a lot of those story details from a well-made cover. This book is one with my traditional publisher, so I don’t think it will be in Kindle Unlimited. It will be available as an e-book, in audio, and print.
The emotion that a cover shows or I start to ask questions, I wonder why the cover shows a particular item are things that pull me in.
Yes! It’s always good when a cover stirs questions and entices you to learn more!
On a book cover, I look for a character(s) and the background of the setting. I love historical fiction, so I can look at the cover on a book and immediately tell if it’s the genre I’m looking for. Covers are very important to me.
Excellent point. The cover should let a reader know at a glance what the genre is. Like you, I’m a big historical reader, so the clothing is a big identifier.
Beautiful cover.
Love a pretty dress on the FMC and a relevant background.
I’m a sucker for a pretty dress, too. That might be part of the draw of historical fiction for me. Those dresses!
Something picturesque, not cartoonish. Typically, a very appealing background. Maybe some animals drawn in, a couple interested in each other, with their clothes completely on.
Animals do lend a nice touch, don’t they? I’ve had several horses on my covers, and a wolf on one, but not much else in the animal department. I may need to look into adding that at some point.
The background behind the person usually catches my eye.
That’s interesting, Rhonda. My eye almost always goes to the person first, but if there is something interesting about the background, that certainly helps draw me in.
I like covers that don’t have people on them, though I have to say I do like the one you went with! I like scenery more, as I like to picture the people for myself. And, some books that say the heroine is petite usually do NOT have a petite heroine on the cover. She usually looks like she’s average height, or closer to the hero’s height. Since I’m petite, that matters! Unless the hero is shorter than usual, we are NOT going to come up to his shoulder in most cases. The cover that always surprised me that it drew me to it was the original cover of the first issues of This Present Darkness. Totally not my usual style of book!
I hear you on the petitie heroines, Trudy. Being on the shorter side myself, the top of my head falls just shy of my husband’s shoulder. 🙂
I like the first cover and I love the title. Sounds like a fun book to read.
Thanks, Naomi! Hope you enjoy it when it comes out next February. 🙂
I like covers that look real not cartoonish. Real people and very normal looking colors. The colors and the background don’t look washed out.
There has definitely been a trend toward animated covers. I like some of them, but I do prefer a photographic cover, espeically for historicals.
A photographic photo with a beautiful background.
Those are some of my favorites, too.
Hi, I like your new cover alot more than the first one you had picked. I love that there is a little more going on in it and I especially like the model more and how she is dressed . Great choice on the new cover I love it!! Your book sounds like a Great read. Have a great day and rest of the week.
Thanks, Alicia! Yes, I like the model much better in the final version. She looks softer and kinder, which fits the character.
Oh my goodness Karen! I totally squealed when I saw the cover! It’s perfect! I was so excited to see a heroine have glasses! Finally! I’ve had to wear glasses since I was 5.
I can’t wait to meet Jane in Wooing the Wallflower. The cover department knocked it out of the park! Jane has a sweet warmth & innocence about her. I love the pale pink & the fact that her hair is down. I’m sure ladies in that day always worn it up so I like that she’s possibly bucking tradition.
Can’t wait to have book 2 in my hands…let the countdown begin.
Thanks, Emilee. As a fellow lens-wearer, I enjoy having a bespectacled heroine too. 🙂
I agree a cover is very important that’s the first thing I look at and then the title of the book. That’s how i decide if I’m going to read that book. Know that said I just love this cover it’s perfect. It totally catches your eye with the train in the background and her reading a book. Coloring is nice as well, nothing to bright. Definitely sound Like a great book, can’t wait to read this book.
So glad you like this one, Sandy. I really liked the lighting, too. You can feel the warmth of the sun shining on her. 🙂
Having people on the cover.
There’s something about those people that make the book more relatable, isn’t there? 🙂
Love the new cover. Personally I prefer the realistic covers, not the cartoonish ones. Yours are great, both the first and the new one. They make me wonder, what is that person thinking?, just what is going to happen? They peak my interest.