Book Covers Part II **edited

I’ve been spending months contemplating my book cover, trying to imagine it, anticipating its design and feeling like a four-year-old who asked for a unicorn for Christmas.

I did post something recently about covers I love.

I thought I’d also post something about covers I do not like. I mean, really not like. I mean, “I do not like them, Sam-I-am. I do not want them for this novel. I do not care how hard they grovel.”

I may admire the writing found between the covers of these novels, but these designs are a HUGE hard pass for me, and I would not want to see them used for ‘A Cruel Light’ as I don’t see these jackets having anything to do with my novel’s voice.

So these particular covers would get a no vote from me for my Annora Garde Mystery which has been described as an ‘intoxicating mix of art, murder and buried secrets, perfect for fans of Simone St. James’:

Big hard pass from me. What is the point of this? Door frame, bold coloured title, white font for author’s name and a floor. Yeah, no. But it did work well for this author and her story.

I am seeing so many covers with trees. I had thought I wanted a cover like this. Until I realized its an overused trope. Trees, forests, paths through forests, women running down a path through a forest, women standing in a forest, a forest at night, a forest at twilight… so I’d sooner not have a cover that features trees.

I’ve actually seen booktubers complain about the overuse of artistic font.
I do believe the trend will die soon. I don’t see this working for my book cover

Pink. I do like pink for romance novels. Yeah, I know, it’s popular for thrillers.
Don’t care. Bell bottoms were popular too, once. How did that go?

Ripped/Damaged-looking covers? No.
My book is full of descriptions of classic art and Canadian painters.
As a reader, I would not want to buy a $40 hardcover book that looks
like my cat hated on it and used it for a scratching post.

Abstract art that is not related to the story. If the book is about an abstract artist, I do think this cover could work. But I also wouldn’t want to see fingerpainting on my book cover, either

Well dressed and distressed. No, thank you. My MC would see this in a bookstore and bark a laugh. As far as the jacket goes, I take my cues from her.

Rough collages that look a bit like a stalker was trying to threaten someone. I really don’t like this approach at all.

I will say that it would be impossible for me to show all the covers I have seen on books and loved. Even twenty of the biggest libraries in Canada could not contain the number of books with gorgeous covers I have admired.

Now, I recently had an idea for a cover element that I am hoping the publisher and designer will be able to use and that will be included on the finalized version of my book. (They are giving it a go! I am grateful that my desperate plea was acknowledged.)

My cover reveal should be happening sometime in the next month or so. I’m hopeful that the cover echoes my story in a small way and will both intrigue and delight my readers.

Hopefully, I will have some good news to share soon.

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I also forgot to mention the bizarre trend of flipping the orientation of a cover so that it is turned sideways. Yeah. No. Not for my Gothic-mystery-romantic-suspense-thriller. However, I’d love this idea for a poetry collection or my literary fiction.

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