With books, first impressions (no pun intended!) count. If you’re just browsing, as opposed to looking for a favourite author name, it’s the cover that catches your eye first.
What appeals to romance readers? Photos or paintings? Figures or faces? What makes them want to pick a book out and read the blurb, or flick through the pages?
I’ve been slightly put off by some of the portraits used for Jane Austen books because they don’t fit my image of a particular heroine. But that’s because I’ve already read the book and know the characters well – and I’ve still bought the book!
That’s an example of what doesn’t appeal - I find it harder to say what appeals. Some covers are simply more attractive/intriguing than others, or they remind me of favourite places/holidays.
Let’s have your thoughts, ladies (and gentlemen?)!
I love going into bookshops and just browsing and looking at book covers. Its interesting how different genres have the same type of cover (saga’s and misery memoirs spring to mind first). I’ll dig out what I like best in a cover and post shortly.
Jenna
Books covers – fascinating subject! The saying goes ‘don’t judge a book by it’s cover’…..but many of us do. That’s why the marketing people spend so much time and therefore money on creating the image which they think will appeal to the target sales group. However, in my opinion, they often get it wrong ;0)
Like Juliet, I find it easier to say what I don’t like rather than what I do like. My pet hate is cheesy romance novel covers – muscle bound, bare torsoed hero towers over simpering heroine with background of threatening skies and sinister castle! In fact, someone else thinks they are awful – they have ‘re-imagined’ the artwork
http://www.worldoflongmire.com/features/romance_novels/
LOL at some of those covers – and the captions!
Have to say I agree about the muscle-bound men etc on book covers, a complete turn-off for me too (love the link though!). Also, it’s interesting how the same book can sometimes be marketed so differently for certain markets – UK/US etc.
I’m not keen on heroes/heroines being portrayed in detail on book covers – figures are OK, but faces are a no-no. I think most readers have an image in their mind of how a character looks and, invariably, they never quite match up – at least not for me.
It’s not easy to say what attracts me to a book, photos or paintings are both fine, but hopefully something in keeping with the content of the book, e.g. – an historical novel shouldn’t look too modern. Something colourful with a clear and punchy title will always catch my eye.
Hi Sal, good to have your input! I quite agree about how differently the same book can be marketed. And I’ve heard of a couple of instances where a book has been given a cartoony ‘chick lit’ cover when the authors haven’t meant it to be that genre.