Re: [h-cost] Book Covers
Slightly OT, but a friend of mine writes YA fantasy, and while her first few covers were a little dubious, she's really pleased with the designs for her upcoming book and for a new edition of another one. She says for once the cover pictures actually look like her heroines. Emily On 9/26/2011 4:41 PM, Monica Spence wrote: I, too, write romances, and I've been fighting the bodice ripper label for years. To me, bad book covers are on the same level as poorly done historical costumes or bad SCA garb. ( I teach Costume History on the college level and my husband and I are in the SCA, so I know from whence I speak.) There is a silver lining in bad book covers. That cover with the three limbs allowed Christina Dodd cover approval for her novels. Likewise, my friend Kristan Higgins got cover control when the artist put the wrong breed of dog on her book cover. Of course, it helps if you are a bestselling New York Times author. Other authors I know must rely on the generosity of the cover gods. :-) Some have really been blessed. Monica Spence -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Valerie Robertson Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 2:39 PM To: h-cost...@indra.com Subject: [h-cost] Book Covers Um, you guys know that bodice ripper is considered insulting by romance writers, right? Kind of like costume nazi among historical clothing researchers. And since I'm a published romance novelist (science fiction, so the clothes aren't a problem) and have been researching historical clothing for more than two decades, I feel qualified to make the comparison. As far as getting the dress correct on book covers, in 1993 Christina Dodd became infamous because of a cover that went to press with the heroine having THREE ARMS. If Avon, the leading US publisher of historical romances, couldn't get the number of limbs correct with all their editors and a full art department, do you really think they even care if the dress details are correct? For the record, the dress sucked; 14th century kirtle with bell sleeves gathered at her left wrist in a ruffle--yes, a ruffle--at one right wrist without a ruffle, and no cuff, gathering band, ruffle, or sleeve visible at all at the other right wrist. The hero is wearing a Templar tunic, or it might be a white tunic with a red Maltese cross on it (cue eyelid twitch). Of course, that book is a collector's item now and resells for hundreds of dollars, but still, they failed at counting to two. Got seams in the wrong place...visible zipper lines...wrong kind of lacing for the period...neckline that defies physics? Well, yes. Does she have two arms? Hey, it's all good. Valerie Robertson ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Book Covers
I have many friends in the industry. They all will gladly tell you that you have to make sure you have it in writing that you give final approval of the cover. It is an often overlooked part of the contract. Most of the folks I know have a few artist friends on retainer specifically for book covers. Grant it these are few and far between authors that do this but not every knows that can have it written up in the contract. Franchesca : -Original Message- : From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume- : boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Emily Gilbert : Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 8:19 AM : To: h-costume@mail.indra.com : Subject: Re: [h-cost] Book Covers : : Slightly OT, but a friend of mine writes YA fantasy, and while her first : few covers were a little dubious, she's really pleased with the designs : for her upcoming book and for a new edition of another one. She says : for once the cover pictures actually look like her heroines. : : Emily : ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Book Covers
I, too, write romances, and I've been fighting the bodice ripper label for years. To me, bad book covers are on the same level as poorly done historical costumes or bad SCA garb. ( I teach Costume History on the college level and my husband and I are in the SCA, so I know from whence I speak.) There is a silver lining in bad book covers. That cover with the three limbs allowed Christina Dodd cover approval for her novels. Likewise, my friend Kristan Higgins got cover control when the artist put the wrong breed of dog on her book cover. Of course, it helps if you are a bestselling New York Times author. Other authors I know must rely on the generosity of the cover gods. :-) Some have really been blessed. Monica Spence -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Valerie Robertson Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 2:39 PM To: h-cost...@indra.com Subject: [h-cost] Book Covers Um, you guys know that bodice ripper is considered insulting by romance writers, right? Kind of like costume nazi among historical clothing researchers. And since I'm a published romance novelist (science fiction, so the clothes aren't a problem) and have been researching historical clothing for more than two decades, I feel qualified to make the comparison. As far as getting the dress correct on book covers, in 1993 Christina Dodd became infamous because of a cover that went to press with the heroine having THREE ARMS. If Avon, the leading US publisher of historical romances, couldn't get the number of limbs correct with all their editors and a full art department, do you really think they even care if the dress details are correct? For the record, the dress sucked; 14th century kirtle with bell sleeves gathered at her left wrist in a ruffle--yes, a ruffle--at one right wrist without a ruffle, and no cuff, gathering band, ruffle, or sleeve visible at all at the other right wrist. The hero is wearing a Templar tunic, or it might be a white tunic with a red Maltese cross on it (cue eyelid twitch). Of course, that book is a collector's item now and resells for hundreds of dollars, but still, they failed at counting to two. Got seams in the wrong place...visible zipper lines...wrong kind of lacing for the period...neckline that defies physics? Well, yes. Does she have two arms? Hey, it's all good. Valerie Robertson ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
