Cover Story

We have made it through "The Blizz" (as my friend, Katie, called it), and the sun is shining.  It's one of those frightfully freezing days, but the sun helps me not feel like I'm trapped in an underground tunnel thanks to the snow filling half my windows.  But enough about the snow.  Let's talk book covers!  I always like when authors show the different incarnations of their book covers.  Dana Reinhardt showcased about twenty different covers for her latest novel, The Things a Brother Knows, when I saw her speak at a conference recently.  My upcoming novel, Don't Stop Now (coming June 7!) is going through its own changes.  Here are the three so far (although there have been more; these are the same ones the public has seen.  I'm  not allowed to show the incomplete ones):

This was the ARC of the book.  I think it's cute, but I wasn't sure if it was show stopping.  Plus, it's the wrong car.  People can get worked up about that type of thing.

This was the cover that made it into the Spring catalog.  I like the lettering and shadows, although there is no exclamation point in my vision of the title.

This is the ALMOST finished version that has made its way onto Amazon.  I've been told there will be some changes.  I'm hoping the "friend or boyfriend?" goes away because I don't think that's really the point of the story.  But I know sales has a huge influence on book covers these days, and they don't always care about the content of the book vs. what's on the cover.  I LOVE this one, though.

Next week I'm finally going to post an interview I did one hundred years ago with the brilliant art director, Rich Deas.  He has lots more to tell us about the cover designing process.