Carol A. Spradling, author

CarolASpradling · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:42 pm Post subject: Eye catching

What type of book cover do you prefer?
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Carol
www.CarolASpradling.com

cale · Citizen Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 134 Location: Illinois

I like the one's that accurately protray the characters. Not that I envision those models as the people in my mind, but I love artwork and I love when it captures an intense, passionate scene. But I want it to be realistic too, sometimes they can be scantily clad and look ok, but to me it looks too cheesy, and just trying to show off how buff the male model is. I also like when it looks like a painting and not a photograph, or a computerized painting.
Here's an eBay link to my favorite KEW book cover: http://cgi.ebay.com/Flame-and-the-Flower-by-Kathleen-E-Woodiwiss-1995-J_W0QQitemZ360000367281QQihZ023QQcategoryZ377QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I've posted this before but here's a link to a really excellent cover artist:
http://www.romancebookcoverart.com/

CarolASpradling · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:27 pm Post subject:

Hi Cale,

These portraits are excellent. Thanks for sharing this artist with us.
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Carol
www.CarolASpradling.com

Jeanne · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:39 pm Post subject:

I never liked romance book covers with the characters although Everlasting is very nice. I always thought the characters on romance covers looked cheesy. I prefer nothing or something maybe with a picture of something else. Carol, I like your first book cover. Much more appealing to me but maybe most people like the characters on there.I would ask your publisher what is the best way. The book cover is so important.
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Jeanne · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:43 pm Post subject:

It is really not the woman that bothers me on the book cover. It is of the man on the book cover. They just don't appeal to me. Thats all. Please don't put Harrison on the book cover of BBH. I want to imagine him the way I see him in my imagination, lol. I think I voted wrong. I would like to see items that are important to the plot.
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Don't cry if you have lost the sun. The tears won't permit you to see the stars.

cale · Citizen Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 134 Location: Illinois

Items, would be my second pick, but they have to be involved with the story, like in Carol's case, the tricorne. I hate a book with just flowers or some stupid crast or design on it, that's so boring. Not that it has anything to do with the book, but it's the artist in me that is attracted to something with more substance.

Jeanne · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 3:36 pm Post subject:

I think something too sort of like Everlasting is really nice though. It has the woman on there but no face. Maybe something like this would be nice. Maybe put a man on there with no face or something along these lines. Maybe the two brothers together since they are equally a part of this book. I don't know.
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Don't cry if you have lost the sun. The tears won't permit you to see the stars.

CarolASpradling · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject:

Hmm, you guys have brought up some good points and I agree with your thinking. With that in mind, I'll ask for your input. I am allowed to request certain things on a cover (this by no means means I will receive it.) Any suggestions on what I should request? I would like the cover of Bound by Honor to tie in with Cost of Freedom, since it is a sequel. BBH ends with the Boston Tea Party. Any ideas?

Oh, congratulations Jeanne, for making 'citizen'!
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Carol
www.CarolASpradling.com

cale · Citizen Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 134 Location: Illinois

I would stick with something like what you have. For series books you don't want to have the covers look drastically different. I'd just reccommend the same composition, but with maybe different colors, like red and the yellow gold color so it's in keeping with the patriotic flavor, and then different object in the center.

Was just searching the internet, maybe use like a musket or something from the story. I haven't read it yet but is there maybe a special trinket between the couple or something that could really be specific to your story. For maybe the last book in the series you could just do the American Flag in the center, so it shows the progression of the war and America as a nation thoughout your story.

Jeanne · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 9:50 pm Post subject:

I believe as Cale. Stick with the series. I would maybe go with the red (as in British) and the blue (as in continental army) Remember there are always two sides to every story and different points of view especially in a Revolution. Not all the people here wanted to become independant of the British. There were brave souls on each side. Maybe put a British hat and a colonial hat or something of that sort. But the red has to be known that it is British and not red for American. Just a suggestion.
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Don't cry if you have lost the sun. The tears won't permit you to see the stars.

CarolASpradling · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 1:24 am Post subject:

Hi Jeanne and Cale,

These are the things that I was thinking. I like the idea of a musket. I looked at istock photos and saw one with a soldier (only half of his chest was shown) holding a pistol at the ready.

Actually, for COF, I did ask for a red cover. The cover artist worked very hard to give me what I asked for but she didn't feel the red worked as well as the blue. I'm anxious to see what she has up her sleeve this time. I'm sure it will be fabulous. I will definitely gather all the suggestions I can and pass them on to her.
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Carol
www.CarolASpradling.com

Jeanne · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 2:20 pm Post subject:

The musket is good. I am intrigued by revolutionary war weapons. James did a big project on it once. (Well, I did most of it) I got to learn about weapons from both sides, meaning British and American. I don't think that you should put anything about the Boston Tea Party on the cover though because you mentioned it is at the end of the book. This would be like giving away the story sort of. I'm wondering where you would get pictures to put on there and if there is a copyright on pictures. But I think they can be drawn. I don't know. Enlighten me Carol, on the process!!!
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Don't cry if you have lost the sun. The tears won't permit you to see the stars.

cale · Citizen Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 134 Location: Illinois

It looks like the tricorne and the "document" are higher quality "clip-art" ype images, that wither don't have a copyright, or rights to those images were bought by Carol's publisher. My mom works for a newspaper so I kind of know how images can work. The same goes for commercials. Have you ever seen cheesy comercials (diet loss, and money lendings are infamous) where you see the same clip of people dancing, or walking on the beach, etc., those video clips work the same way. Carol, you'll have to let us know if that's how it works.
I think I might have trouble with my covers if I ever get published. I can be particular, and I'd lvoe if they would just let me paint it myself, but I doubt that would ever happen.

CarolASpradling · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:11 pm Post subject:

Cale and Jeanne,

I've worked on the info for the cover art today and have incorporated your suggestions. I'll send it to my editor tomorrow, who will send it to the artist. I'll let you know as soon as I know what the outcome is.
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Carol
www.CarolASpradling.com

CarolASpradling · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:13 pm Post subject:

Cale,

Some publishing houses give the author no say for the cover, but it never hurts to ask. If you've had something especially made, I would definitely mention it.
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Carol
www.CarolASpradling.com