Hey everyone,
You know the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?”
Ha! We all know that’s impossible. Everyone judges a book by the cover. In my opinion, the cover makes or breaks a book. Not only does the cover attract or distance a reader, it also impacts how an author feels about their book. A perfect cover will make the author proud and happy. A cover that misses the mark can create tension with the publisher and distance the author from their own work, making it hard to be excited.
I have had the delightful, humbling, terrifying, and astonishing experience of seeing my books in print. Three out of four times (2 books, 2 different editions and publishers), the covers were amazing. I felt that the covers truly represented the context and feeling of the book. The design, font, and text placement were strong and compelling, radiating emotional content and intrigue.
However, one of the covers, shown below, fell flat. It didn’t represent the book at all, in my opinion, and in the opinion of one Amazon reviewer. It didn’t match the cover of Due Date, the first book in the series. It didn’t grab anyone’s attention.
Unfortunately, I had little recourse and had to live with it. In fact, most publishers give authors very little opportunity to participate in the creation of the cover for their book. I knew that this cover would not attract readers. I also knew that I could not promote the book with that cover. I didn’t feel excited to see my book in print. I wasn’t excited to share it on social media or parade it in front of my friends.
Now, I’m happy to say how pleased I am with the covers for my books. Niki Lenhart, the cover artist for Paper Angel Press, has done an amazing job with the covers for Due Date, The Stork, and Treasure Hunt. I love the silhouettes and the backgrounds. I love the font and the text placement. I love the colors. The covers have energy.
The new covers make me proud of my books. I’m excited about them. I’m happy to share them with friends and promote them to the world.
That’s it for today — just some thoughts on book covers and magic.
Until next time,
Nancy
Nancy Wood 