Into the Fire

I don’t know about your views on the covers of books, but as a writer of novels, covers are very important to me. As a reader of novels, they are equally important because the cover design tells me something about how the look of the book represents the story inside.

I don’t know how long it’s been going on but recently I’ve participated in a few cover design surveys. With only the blurb to go on, there are three covers to choose from, to vote for or against. In other words which one do you like the best and the least, etc. You are also invited to leave a comment at the end regarding your opinions of the covers. I find them enjoyable.

Being the “self-publisher” of two novels, I have been an active participant in the designing of the two covers of my books. A wonderfully handy, innovative, intelligent, and creative computer geek friend of mine helped me convey the design I wanted to the first outfit who published Hope Of Glory. He used a real photo I provided of a Thoroughbred we trained isolated from a win picture, so the cover definitely tells you what to expect from the story and gives you one side of the “glory” spoken of in the title.

The second experience with my upcoming novel The Famous One was a little different. This group asked for my idea but told me I would receive two distinctly different designs to work from, and from these I had “x” amount of designer time to work out the final cover. Although a different approach than I had imagined, it was easy to abandon one of the designs and begin the suggested improvements to the other. And, surprisingly, it took very little work to arrive at its present cover. And I like it. And it’s important to me to have had a hand in it, so to speak. It’s also very cool to have someone else catch your vision for the cover of your book, down to the fonts used, the colors, and even the “message”.

Lately I’ve seen some covers on novels from different publishers which were very close to the same, and I wondered how that happened. In fact, one of the novels is just about to debut with a cover very similar—nearly identical—to a novel which was nominated a couple of years ago for some writing awards. ??? And the color schemes and artwork in a series of cover designs from different houses also have a strong resemblance. Again, how does this happen? I can’t imagine it being intentional, but neither can I imagine one house not being aware of the covers depicted on their competitors’ offerings. And even beyond that, I can’t imagine the graphics artists involved in the designing of one house’s books coming up with identical designs down to the color schematics and people portrayed even using public domain graphics. Anyone know the answer(s) to this?

A cover is important to me in selecting a novel to read. If the blurb is effective in getting my attention, the cover better match it in appeal. I won’t categorically declare that if I don’t particularly like a cover, I won’t buy the book, but if there’s a choice of equally desirable blurbs, the one with the best cover wins my money.

Maybe you don’t feel the same. How important is the cover of a novel to you?

Father, you have given such enormous talent to so many and yet every gift you give is equally enjoyed when employed by your people to bring blessing to you. Thank you for your imagination which so far outweighs and outshines the finite minds of men. May anything I create via your inspiration be a blessing to you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

*Please continue to pray for Kristy Dykes.*