Monday, August 20, 2007

Cover image scandal averted?

Remember this post, in which I expressed surprise at the bare belly on the cover of the large-print hardcover edition of my second inspirational romance novel?

As per my contract with Harlequin, I was to receive three copies of the book "if available." Rather than leaving things to chance, I ordered a copy from Amazon. It arrived today, and was I ever surprised when I opened the box and saw this:

Yep, they changed the cover.

I'm not entirely certain that the new cover represents progress. If you'll click on the pic to make it larger, you'll notice that the heroine has lost her wedding ring--and the hero's still not wearing one.

I can't help but wonder if sales are being hurt or helped by the fact that Thorndike's website is still showing this as the book's cover:



Listen, folks. I just write the books. Don't blame me for the covers, okay?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like someone at Thorndike is not up to speed - I thought part of marketing was to show a "true" picture of the actual product if they are using graphics. Showing a different cover would almost qualify as "false advertising" at least in my opinion. Though I suppose its probably a good thing they changed the actual cover before product shipped.

Katie Alender said...

You should head to the local bookstore with a Sharpie and get that man a wedding ring! ;-)

You know, it took about a year after our wedding for my husband to get his ring sized. Before that it would just fly off at the least appropriate moments. Perhaps this is what happened to your cover model.

Brenda Coulter said...

You should head to the local bookstore with a Sharpie and get that man a wedding ring!

Ha.

Seriously, I don't know what's up with these covers. I'm just glad they wanted to print the book, because now it'll be in libraries "forever." (It's my understanding that paperbacks are pretty much finished after six people have checked them out.)

Margo Carmichael said...

How discouraging that they leave off the rings. Interesting mindset, there.

Great cover, otherwise! Congratulations!

D.R. Cootey said...

Interesting that they don't have rings. Could reflect "modern" sensibilities.

My youngest daughter lost my ring two years ago. I just lived without it. I was still married. I was still attached. It was just a band of metal, right?

Well, recently I was at an event with my family and a very charming, young woman in her 20's began chatting with me. Very warmly. Right there in the same room as my wife. When my wife came up to join the conversation and I introduced her, the young lady's eyes grew wide as beach balls and she became very awkward then quickly left. Both my wife and I were puzzled about that conversation until the next day.

Right after work my wife picked me up and off we went to do errands. I slyly said to her that I had figured out what was wrong with that young lady the day before and patted her hands on the steering wheel with my left hand - my ring finger slightly higher than the others. There was no ring. My wife's mouth opened almost as wide as that young lady's eyes had. We've been married 19 years. It has been some time since another woman took interest in me. I bought a ring the very next day.

I know. It really has nothing to with your cover dilemma but writing it helped lift my spirits. I was just musing about how clueless I was about the importance of the wedding band when I read over your blog.

I think the new cover isn't great, but it's better than the sensual one. Glad they changed it. Congrats on the new book.

~Douglas
-=-
The Splintered Mind - Overcoming Neurological Disabilities With Lots Of Humor And Attitude

Hope Chastain said...

Odd. Hmmm. Well, at least you made hardcover! It's odd they didn't give you an art sheet to fill out for it, though! Maybe they care more in the paperback than in the hardback???

Brenda Coulter said...

Thanks, Margo.

Douglas, I'm assuming it was sloppiness rather than "modern sensibilities." This is, after all, a romance novel that celebrates traditional family values.

Hope, I had nothing to do with this publisher. Didn't even know about the book until it was a done deal. Thorndike Press simply bought the reprint rights from Harlequin (Steeple Hill Books), who has no interest in what Thorndike decides to put on their covers.