They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but how many people buy a book for that very reason? I'll tell you, it's a lot. Like, everyone!
So, it's extremely important that the cover of a book exhibits what's inside. You wouldn't want to be enticed to buy a romance, the cover showing two people gazing longingly into each other's eyes, only to find that what you're reading is a horrific true crime mystery.
When designing my latest book in the Viola Valentine paranormal mystery series, there were lots of things to consider. The book features a mysterious spring — perhaps the very Fountain of Youth that Ponce de León searched for, — time-traveling and the 1918 Spanish Influenza, and a rash of UFO sightings in the Florida Panhandle. But how to showcase these elements in one small rectangular space?
The first incarnation of my "Ghost Fever" book cover had a UFO in the upper lefthand corner. We loved what our graphic artist Josh Coen created but would it confuse the readers? We decided to simplify and moved the spaceship to the back cover for the print edition.
Then, I heard about an Amazon study where cameras were used on study participants to follow their eyes as they studied a series of book covers. The study found the participants loved the small details in book covers as much as the main characters. In fact, maybe more so.
So the UFO came back. And now he sails through a permanent spot of Viola's Florida sky.
What do you think of my latest book cover? I would love to hear your thoughts.
"Ghost Fever," by the way, comes out Oct. 26, 2021!! But don't worry, I'll let you know when that happens.
I like the colours and I do like the UFO in the upper corner.