What's in a cover?

Hi Everyone! Danica Favorite here, and today I'm talking about covers, and what's in a cover. I always have people ask if I get to design my covers, or how that happens, and today I want to share a little about that with you as I share the cover for my April release. :)

When it comes time to put together a cover, our editors ask us to fill out an Art Fact Sheet. In my opinion, it's just a few notches shy of torture, but it's necessary for the artists to come up with the concept. I give them three scenes that happened in the book, sending example pictures of what the area might look like, what the characters look like, and even the poses the characters might be in. I share a summary of the story and important themes. Then, the cover artists get together and look at what other books they have coming out that month, and they put it all together into the cover. Months later, they give me a peek, and I have the opportunity to tell them if there's something they need to change. However, at that point, it's really hard to get too much changed.

I've always been really pleased at how my covers come out. And, to be honest, the characters are always much better looking than I envisioned them. I'm really terrible about picking out people, what they look like, and deciding what they're going to wear. So I love that the art department does such a great job!

A reader commented that she thought it strange that it's a shotgun wedding, but they look so happy in the picture. Here's a little secret for you: they're happy in the end! That's what I love about writing for Love Inspired Historical. I hate sad endings, so I love that I know what I'm going to get!

Do you have more questions about the cover process? What do you find appealing about my latest cover? Share your thoughts in the comments to be entered to win a copy of Shotgun Marriage.

Here's a little more about the book:
 

Conveniently Wed 
Forced to wed to protect their reputations after being trapped overnight in a mine, Emma Jane and Jasper Jackson's marriage is one in name only. Resenting the choices taken from him, Jasper's determined not to lose his heart. But it's not so easy to stay distanced from his new bride when a gang of bandits abducts them both.

Other young women might be ecstatic to land Leadville's wealthiest bachelor. But Emma Jane would rather have Jasper's love than his family's money. A true bond with her handsome husband seems impossible…until their ordeal leaves Emma Jane caring for an orphaned baby. In reach now is the one thing neither expected—the chance to turn a convenient marriage into a forever family.

About Danica:

A self-professed crazy chicken lady, Danica Favorite loves the adventure of living a creative life. She and her family recently moved in to their dream home in the mountains above Denver, Colorado.  Danica loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily ever after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps are what refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of all of Danica’s stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun.

You can connect with Danica at the following places:

Website: http://www.danicafavorite.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danicafavorite
Instagram: https://instagram.com/danicafavorite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanicaFavoriteAuthor

 

Guess what appeared on my front porch?

By Debby Giusti

Busy with the final rewrites for my next Love Inspired Suspense, I wasn't thinking of my August release until three boxes showed up on my front porch last week.  I quickly hauled the cartons into my kitchen and carefully cut through the tape so I could open the lids and peer inside.  

Of course, you've probably guessed what was in the boxes!  Copies of THE COLONEL'S DAUGHTER, my tenth book and the third story in my Military Investigations Series.  The two larger boxes each contained 48 paperbacks, while the smaller box held three books in the new large-print, trade paperback size. 

I had sent the Art Department a number of pictures of military quarters to give them an idea of what I would like to see on the cover.  Fort Rickman, the fictional Army post I created for the series, is located in Georgia, but the set of quarters I envisioned as I wrote the story is identical to a house at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where I had lived in my youth.

Not only did the Art Department provide an accurate rendering of the quarters, they also captured a feeling of suspense and intrigue, and added the heroine at the window as a bonus.

Love Inspired is celebrating their 15^th anniversary in publishing. Congrats to the editors and staff, and a special thank you to my editor, Emily Rodmell, and the Art Department.

What do you like to see on covers?  Did you ever buy a book just because you liked the art work? Do you prefer still life covers or ones that depict the hero and heroine?

Happy writing! Happy reading!

Wishing you abundant blessings,

Debby Giusti

www.DebbyGiusti.com

www.seekerville.blogspot.com

www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com

THE COLONEL’S DAUGHTER

By Debby Giusti

UNDER SIEGE

A ruthless killer is targeting the families of soldiers in a U.S. Army colonel’s brigade. Special agent Jamison Steele, of the Criminal Investigation Division, vows to stop him—because this time, Jamison’s heart is involved. The colonel’s daughter, the woman who loved and left Jamison without a word, came face-to-face with the murderer. Protecting Michele Logan means constant surveillance. And solving the mystery of the serial killer’s motive requires asking Michele the questions she least wants to answer. Questions that may lead them both into a deadly trap.

THE OFFICER'S SECRET, book 1, and THE CAPTAIN'S MISSION, book 2, are still available in paperback or e-book.  Order them here. 

Book Covers do make a difference.

Hi Everyone, Kim Watters here. Today I wanted to touch a bit upon book covers and how they can make a difference in sales. In between projects for Love Inspired, I've been putting my back-list up on the Kindle and Nook. In the beginning, I hired one of my former husband's students to do my book covers because I didn't know what I was doing. They were okay, exactly what I'd asked for given the pictures I'd sent the girl. But these stories weren't selling. Okay, it wasn't like I was promoting them around or anything, but not one sale for two of them. I figured it had to be the covers.

(I can't find the original cover for Evergreen but it was just a park bench.)


Fast forward a year later, and with more research and knowledge under my belt, I knew that had to be the problem. The stories were good, but if you can't hook them with a cover that screams pick me up, you've lost a sale. (I'd love to know how much Harlequin spends on this type of research-just the accountant in me.)

So I downloaded gimp and taught myself how to make covers. It took quite a bit of time and lots 0f trial and error but I'm pleased with what I came up with. I don't think the art department at LI is going to be calling any time soon, though. As soon as I changed the covers, I started getting sales. The first covers did not portray the essence of the romance in the stories. I hope I've changed that.

So what do you think? And what do you think of the covers Harlequin does for us? Inquiring minds want to know.