The Cover Tease

[Writers Plot]

posted by Lorraine Bartlett

Pretty soon (this week?) my first published cozy mystery will be listed on Amazon. The world won't stop revolving--you won't even be able to pre-order it (that happens a few weeks later). But it's a BIG deal to me.

I'm not certain how soon after the announcement they upload the cover, but that's the next BIG step. A few weeks ago, my Writers Plot collegue Doranna Durgin shared her Cover Glee over the reprint of her very first book DUN LADY'S JESS. It's beautiful--and after seeing that, I can't wait to see my next two covers--something that should happen within the next month or so.

In the meantime, I've had a cover tease. A third-hand cover tease at that. My agent reported that my editor had seen a sketch of my cover and that it was "charming." She also told me where to see a sample of the artist's work. "Charming" is a perfect descriptor for this person's (I'm assuming it's a woman--but I may be wrong) work.

It's supposed to be a street scene. Since my book concerns a bookstore (and the series has tentatively been named "the Booktown Mysteries) that's a good choice. Berkley Prime Crime commissions wonderful covers, so I can't wait to see what they come up with.

On the other hand, Five Star, my other publisher, relies heavily on author input for their covers. They also heavily rely on stock photography. For Murder On The Mind we (me and hubby, a former graphic designer now a cartographer) suggested two scenarios: a deer with a target and a phrenology head (and instead of labeling emotions, to use the word "Murder"). They ran with that one, which, I think would've worked with one head but instead the designer went with four. In fact, my then-agent was horrified. She said, "It'll never sell books!"

Actually, she was wrong. I did an unscientific survey with both the suggested deer cover and the phrenology cover and women overwhelmingly chose the "heads" over the deer. "I'd never buy a book where a deer was killed" they all exclaimed, despite the fact no deer were injured (let alone killed) during the course of the book. And during my many signings I got many compliments on the cover. Go figure!

We only suggested one cover idea for DEAD IN RED, the next installment in the Jeff Resnick mystery series. A red, high-heeled shoe and bloodied hands are integral to the plot. The beauty is, stock photography would work just fine--albeit Photoshopped. (As this prototype was. Go ahead, click on it--it'll grow bigger--the better to view it.)

Having the covers means promotional things can start to happen. Bookmarks and Postcards can be ordered. The covers will go up on the website(s) and blog(s).

They'll feel like REAL books.

Go ahead, publishers--tease me.

I can take it.