Monday, February 9, 2009

Oh Brother.. Covers.. :)

Caution: Covers obsession ahead. My amazing publisher, super creative designer, and I are in the midst of choosing the final cover for CHANGE UP, the second book in the SCREWBALL series due to drop this spring. :) I feel so incredibly lucky to be a part of the process. 

The framing and the fonts will look exactly like SCREWBALL, except the color is blue instead of purple, and the inside pic differs to fit the feel of the book. 
I was wondering.. 
  
Do you like simple covers with objects like the TWILIGHT series? 
Or do you prefer people on the cover like BLISS and my current read, WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED? 
If you like people on covers, do you prefer headless models like the PERFECT FIFTHS and VIOLET ON THE RUNWAY? 
I used to be a simple object cover lover, but lately I'm liking headless models. And I loved the BLISS cover. Actually, I'm liking a huge amount of covers right now including all of the above. ;) 

Have an amazing day, everyone! 

31 comments:

PJ Hoover said...

With all the humor associated these days with headless models, I'm shying away from these, too.
I have to admit, Bliss is a way cool cover.
I can't wait to see the final product (and of course to buy the final product) :)

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, PJ! :) Thanks.. Bliss is a great cover. I was completely haunted by it and kept referring to it while I was reading the book.

PJ Hoover said...

Ditto! That is exactly what it was. I kept going back and looking at it.
Now that is power.

Diana Dang said...

I am more attracted to a picture cover like Gamer Girl. =)

But, I like headless models out of the three you displayed there.

Casey Something said...

I prefer objects or headless, personally. I like to imagine the characters all on my own. When there is a picture on the cover I find myself flipping to it constantly to view the character or to figure out who it is. It's almost distracting!

Dru said...

I like simple covers that gives me a hint of what's inside. I like the Bliss cover.

nadine said...

I like the simple ones. I think it's really great if it doesn't have to do much to grab your attention.
ex- Sara Zarr's Sweetheart

Unknown said...

I HATED the cover for Bliss--it looks so cheesy to me.

I really like the Twilight covers, especially because they used the theme and color to tie the entire series together. I love it when series of books match--it really bothers me when a book in a series doesn't look the same as the others. (For example, I have to buy all the same kind of covers for Narnia, even if the ones I started out I can buy cheaper in a different cover; or if I start a series in hard cover, I have to end it in hardcover).

I'm cool with headless models--it makes it easier for me to imagine what they really look like. Although I'm more of a fan of the blurred face (like in Wicked Lovely) or the turned head (like in A Great and Terrible Beauty).

And reading back over this, I realize how compulsive I really sound!

Anonymous said...

I'm not big on the headless ones. I prefer the simple covers or the ones with people (complete with heads).

I just got "What I Saw..." today and quite like the cover. And I can't wait to read it! :)

Amy said...

I love simple, uncluttered covers. I'm not big on seeing faces, but people don't need to be headless. I really liked Alyson Noel's cover for Cruel Summer. It had people, but you only saw their backs.

Unknown said...

i like landscape or location covers. like a park with an empty bench and a bunch of trees or something like that. no headless people. :)

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Shari! Check out the first page too.. It has a different pose of the cover. Great cover and book.

Hi, Amy! I forgot to post that one.. It's a goody. And the EVERMORE cover is amazing.

Hi, Virginia! The SCREWBALL series designer loves you. :)

Alyssa Goodnight said...

I very much liked the cover of your first book ;), and I think I'm a simple covers kind of girl. That said, I love The Luxe series of covers. Good luck!

Keri Mikulski said...

Thanks, Alyssa! Simple covers are certainly getting the thumbs up. :)

Anita said...

Objects, headless or rear view...let the reader figure out what the character looks like, I say.

I've never read Bliss, but I wasn't at all attracted by the cover.

Have you seen the cover of THE ACCIDENTAL DEMON SLAYER? I bought the book solely on the cover (have never done that before or since, and I don't usually read paranormal romance, which is the genre the book falls in).

Adrienne said...

I think the Twilight series covers are clever - very eye-catching. I think the headless models can go away.

Justin The Teen Librarian said...

Not sure if this answers your question but...

What I LOVE about the Twilight series is that all the covers look very similar yet are different in their own unique ways. The colors and layout of each cover is similar and I think this really makes the series visually appealing to readers. I myself know that if a series has a cohesive feel to it, I am more likely to be interested in it. I hate it when I have a series of books, CD's, or movies and the design of one part in the series doesn't fit in with the others. In that case, I do EVERYTHING I CAN to get a copy of that book/cd/dvd that matches up so everything can look all nice and pretty.

I might be crazy and this just may pertain to me but I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in.

Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...

I like all kinds of covers. haha! I like the ones that are most unique or really catch the reader's eye. Good luck on your new cover!

Anonymous said...

While I like most of those covers (and I love yours), I don't like the "headless model" art, unless it's specifically relevant to the book, and then I better get that relevance in the first few pages.

As far as which type of art I prefer, I want to cover to represent the book, to have a strong connection to the theme, characters, and motivation of it.

Once covers get to "brand" style or "niche" style, I get turned off.

Melissa Walker said...

Hey! Great timing. I just posted your cover story on my blog so we'll see how commenters over there are feeling. Sorry it took so long to get up, but glad it's during your #2 cover idea time!

PS-On headless covers, I do GET why they want to do them. I never really want to see a girl's real face as the character--I want to picture her in my mind...

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Diana! Gamer Girl is a good one. :)

Hi, Lapillus! I agree. But, sometimes if the head cover is good, I like it. :)

Yes, I agree, Dru. Love simple.

Not compulsive, Beth.. I think you're right.. And it shows how important covers are. And I agree books in a series have to match. :)

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Anita!! Thanks for the recommendation. I will definitely check it out. I heard of the book, but I'm not picturing the cover. :)

Hi, Adrienne! Yes, I agree about the TWILIGHT series. :)

Hey, Justin! I agree I like simple and the same, but different. :) I know what you mean. I feel the same way about series books. They have to match on my shelf.

Me too, Kelly! Thanks. :)

Keri Mikulski said...

Thanks, Devon! Yes, the strong relevance is important.

Hey, Melissa!! Thanks for posting my cover story. What wonderful timing. And yes, I agree and I think we're going with either the headless model shot or something simple with models (backs to us) in the background. :)

Thao said...

I like simple covers like yours and covers with people with head cut off : )

Barrie said...

Can I be totally non-committal and say I love a cover that matches the book?

Angela Ackerman said...

I think all of those covers are great, but I think theres power in covers that draw attention to something symbolic like the twilight one.

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Thao! Me too. :)

Sure, Barrie! I feel the same way. :)

Yes, Angela.. I know exactly what you mean. :)

Beth said...

i noticed the other day at borders that covers DEFINITELY affect my will to pick up a book. and yes, the cover does have to match the book. you can tell what type of book it will be by looking at the cover- if it will be dark, girly, silly, serious, old-fashioned, typical, mythical- you get my drift. and i agree about the series fitting together- im not sure you should have people at all, since the first book in the series didnt. it ruins the continuity. hopefully u get a lcuky break and find a cover thats just as perfect as the screwball cover was!

Lenore Appelhans said...

I like striking, graphic covers. The headless ones were cool at first but are getting old.

Sheri Perl-Oshins said...

I don't think I like people covers, necessarily. I like objects. Simplicity. Something maybe odd or mysterious. Landscapes... things like that.

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Beth! Thanks.. Me too. :)

Hi, Lenore! Me too - I like them all. :)

Hi, Sheri! My problem is I like ALOT of covers. :)