A book by its cover...
When I look at my Amazon Author Page, at least I can say that I like what I see, namely the covers. I commissioned the three individual titles of THE MCCONNELL CRIME SAGA series out to Book Cover Café, run by Anthony Puttee in Australia. In each case of those three (BLOOD SACRAMENT, THE 4TH MANIFESTATION, and STILL WATERS), I sent him a written description of the picture in my mind. What a fine job he and his staff did, in my opinion, and reasonably priced, too! The cover for VISITATION RITES is a picture I found on a website after searching for "desert road" under Google images. I contacted the website owner and asked if I could use it. He said $75 and it's mine, so deal! I was thinking less expensive and ready-made for the Kindle cover of THE MCCONNELL CRIME SAGA omnibus series. There's a site called creativeparamita.com run by a young lady named Paramita. I feel that I simply must plug her work and site. If there's a writer reading this, and you're interested in a professional-looking-but-inexpensive cover, she's great to work with!
But this topic makes me wonder about covers and their role in attracting potential readers. If all readers were like me, all books would be plain brown paper. I usually read some of the book, regardless of the cover, and make my decision. I have a copy of CATCHER IN THE RYE, and the cover is red. Just red with the title and author, J.D. Salinger, in yellow. I know...This title is so well-known that it doesn't need artwork for the cover.
The cover of many of the top 100 books in any given period at Amazon are of various shirtless guys with six-pack ribs and super pecs. I'm toying with the idea of using that motif for the covers of my books. Who cares that the plot, the characters, the theme have nothing to do with Fabio? Maybe the Folger Library should try that. THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: On the cover? Fabio with his flowing blond mane, shirtless. Maybe holding Yorick's skull, maybe not. Who cares? Or for A.P. classes...THE NORTON INTRODUCTION TO COLLEGE LITERATURE: On the cover? Fabio with his flowing blond mane, shirtless. Holding nothing but the attention of the high school girls taking the course.
Man, I've got myself worked up now. I'm going to the gym to work on my pecs and biceps! Wait...If Woody Allen had six-pack ribs, super pecs, and killer biceps, he'd look like Woody Allen with six-pack ribs, super pecs, and killer biceps.
Never mind...
