When prepping this post, I debated whether to title it “cover love” or “cover candy” and the candy factor won out. A good cover really should be as delightful as a big box of chocolates! It should “pop” in industry lingo. Cover art is my favorite part of publishing. When that much-anticipated cover file arrives in my inbox for the first time, I always say a prayer before I open it, hoping for the best. To be honest, I’m crazy about some of my covers and not so crazy about others, but I do appreciate the hard work and thought that goes into each, even if the finished product differs from the image in my heart and head.
Recently on Pinterest I came across a pin that says:
The title to a work of writing is like a house’s front porch… It should invite you to come on in. (Writer’s Write, Angela Giles Klocke).
A good cover should invite you to come on in, too. Thankfully, my publisher, Revell, has a terrific art and marketing team that takes covers very seriously, knows a good cover can sell or sink a book, and follows cover trends closely. Currently, historical romance covers usually show the heroine front and center in a period-appropriate dress with a background setting true to the novel. Though some may tire of this look, it continues to dominate the market.
Last winter I had the privilege of participating in the cover shoot for my sixth novel, Love’s Fortune. I was thrilled to be able to meet the model chosen as Wren Ballantyne, my heroine, and actually see/touch the period costume. The shoot took place in a historic building in Seattle on a wintry day. For several hours I watched the camera and film crew (a cover trailer was also done that day) set up in the studio. A huge green screen was erected as the backdrop for the model who was, for an hour or more, in hair and make-up before being dressed in an 1850’s gown and readied for the camera.
Brandon Hill (here is the link to his Facebook page where you can see more photos) is the photographer/designer for all of the Ballantyne series covers. He’s a very hands-on artist who is as personable as he is skilled, thus the invitation for me to come into the studio. Though only one photograph is needed for the final cover, Brandon takes hundreds of shots to capture just the right look. In this particular series he added movement and a sense of life by bringing in a fan to give the model a windblown look. I was surprised at how relaxed the shoot was, how long it took, and how much everyone seemed to enjoy being there. Clearly, Brandon Hill’s passion for his work shines in the images he captures. He’s at work on many covers for both the inspirational and secular markets and has a terrific website and blog if you want to look.
Do you have a favorite book cover in the Ballantyne series? A favorite cover you’ve seen elsewhere that pops for you? What cover trends would you like to see for historical romance novels?
*All images http://brandonhillphotos.com/
Robin Lee Hatcher
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Hi, Laura!! Thank you for that beautiful and interesting post!! Such an appropriate title as beautiful covers truly are candy – candy for the eye.
Book covers are one of my favorite things – I love looking at those with rich colors and don’t think the covers of historical romance could get any better than to have those beautiful dresses to gaze upon. I love the quote you included in your post – beautiful covers do just that for me: invite me to come on in.
Such a treat that must have been to sit in on the cover shoot for Love’s Fortune!! Brandon Hill truly is a “master” at his work – the Ballantyne series covers are my favorite of your covers, they are all beautiful. I love the Fall background on “Love’s Fortune”, the sun in that of “Love’s Reckoning”, and the beautiful blue sky on “Love’s Awakening” – the dress on each is magnificent. But I have always been drawn to the cover of “Love’s Awakening”, the color of the dress and the model’s porcelain China doll complexion and features mesmerize me. Another of my favorite book covers was also done by Brandon: Julie Lessman’s “Dare to Love Again”, the beautiful model and the rich burgundy of her hat and dress just “draw me in” – it is my favorite of her book covers. Revell has published many books with beautiful covers that I love.
I’m joyfully anticipating the release of “Love’s Fortune” and know that it’s beautiful cover will draw me into the pie’ce de re’sistance of the beautifully inspiring story of Wren Ballantyne. It’s my prayer that until your eyes can no longer see and your hands no longer hold a pen – God will continue to give you those beautiful stories of inspiration, and the love of writing them, that are music to my heart and soul just as the covers are “candy to my eye”. Thank you, Laura!!
Bonnie, SO thankful for your gracious words and your heart for cover art! It was a joy to wake up this morning way over here on the west coast and see you’d already been sharing:) You’re the very best kind of reading friend. You’ve brought up some wonderful aspects of cover art – those rich colors, the costumes, and the mastery needed to bring a cover to life.
Like you, my favorite of Julie’s covers is Dare to Love Again. When I was in the studio, the dress for her model was on the rack as they were shooting it the following Monday so I was able to put my appreciative paws on that dress! But alas, that gorgeous hat was nowhere in sight! Revell really does have an inspired/inspiring art team. Love your comments about LA and that china doll quality Ellie has. Well said! They really captured the ladylike look of her and I do so love her hair! The period gown is really appropriate, too.
So glad you’re ready to meet Wren Ballantyne. She might be my favorite of my Ballantyne heroines, perhaps since she’s from Kentucky and has such an un-Ballantyne reaction to her circumstances:)
Thanks so much for sharing the joy of cover art. You make it all the more special, Bonnie!
P.S. Shared post!!
HUGE thanks for sharing, Bonnie!
If I had to pick a favorite of the three, it would be “Love’s Awakening”. All three are beautiful. I, too, love cover art. A few of my favorites from this year are “The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn”, “The Pelican Bride”, “Trapped”, “The Butterfly and the Violin”. You are right, covers should be a front porch of sorts; inviting the reader to relax and enjoy!!!
Rebecca, So good to see you here:) It’s a real treat hearing what “pops” for you. Glad Ellie and LA do that for you. I do think it captures her personality and the story very well. Your favorites of the year are some of my mine, too. The Butterfly and the Violin and The Pelican Bride are especially dear to me as I had the privilege of endorsing them. Glad you like the porch quote! Thanks for brightening up the blog this morning – love your comments!
It’s a joy to have you guest blog here, Laura! I thoroughly enjoyed your post. I’m endlessly interested in cover art and I think your Ballantyne books all have terrific, evocative, striking covers. They’re rich in color and each one conveys a lovely and thoughtful kind of seriousness. Of the three, I suppose that Love’s Reckoning is my favorite, but it’s almost too close to call!
Becky, Likewise, it’s truly a JOY to see you here bright and early! Bless you for that! Glad you are a kindred cover art spirit. I never get tired of looking at new covers and seeing what the CBA or the ABA has for us. I’m thrilled you have a heart for LR/Eden’s cover. I have that one framed and hanging in my office. YOUR covers are among the finest contemp covers I’ve yet seen. Very fresh, inviting, and romantic. And I must say, HUGE congrats on your recent win! I saw that on Pinterest and was overjoyed for you. Well deserved, my friend!
Hey Laura — thanks for this inside look into book covers. I find the whole publishing process fascinating so I was drooling over your pictures. How fun to get to go to a photo shoot!!!! I love the continuity in your series book covers. They really mesh together. Love the movement in them too, though the heroines are standing — they feel so alive. Can’t wait until Love’s Fortune hits the bookstores!
Kav, Wonderful to see you here! You say it so well – the whole process is fascinating, yes, right down to the drooling part:) You hit upon the key element of these Ballantyne covers – that living sense of movement, thanks to the fan and that blowing hair. It really makes something static spring to life. Since this is my first series and I’m moving back to standalones next, I’m curious to see just how different that next cover after the Ballantynes will be. But for now I’m so happy you’re ready to meet Wren! I do believe my next post should be about reviews and spotlight YOU! Thanks for your heart for books and for the incredibly well done reviews you write.
Cover art, one of my favorite topics. 🙂 It’s so much fun to see behind the scenes of a cover shoot. If I had to choose, I would say Love’s Reckoning is my favorite of the Ballantyne series. I love the colors, the background, and the first glimpse of Eden. Her gentle spirit is captured so well in the model’s face. As far as trends go, I’d love to see more heros grace the covers of historical novels. I think of Jody Hedlund’s A Noble Groom–loved that cover!
It was fun seeing you here today, Laura!
Gabrielle! I was so hoping you’d come over:) You’re so right about LR and Eden’s spirit therein. Somehow they captured that feel of both heroine and book. Interesting hearing about your wish for more heroes on the cover. I’ve often thought that, too. I really hoped that Silas would be on the Ballantyne covers, even in a faint profile on the back. I’m still hoping for that in my next standalone.
You’re so right about Jody’s cover and ANG – truly refreshing to have a hero grace the cover as it’s so unusual in a girl-in-period-dress sea of them. He’s quite the man, too;)
I’m sure you’re dreaming of your own covers. Can’t wait for that! Thanks so much for being here today.
Interesting post about the covers and I like associating it with a front porch…sitting on porch with family or friends in the summertime and the fellowship is so sweet…I like the way he added light to his subject -I thought it really caught the eye well. I have enjoyed reading your books, always glad to stop in when I see your name listed..
Paula, So thankful for your gracious spirit and comments. You’re so right about that sweet fellowship and front porches. That’s one of the things I miss most about living in the south, perhaps the reason I was drawn to this quote. You mentioned something so critical to these Ballantyne covers – the use of lighting. Brandon Hill would applaud you:) The sky plays a significant part in the tone of the books and each cover. They’re not clear blue but a bit stormy yet the model is highlighted so well. Thanks so much for being here. I always smile when you pop up!
Hi Laura my Dear Sister ! You know I am so patiently waiting for this to show up in my mailbox. I love cover art, I majored in art and business. Its fascinating to see how the covers come about and to see photo shoots of the models chosen to be on the cover. Also how colors come about due to a dress or things on the cover. Love it !!! Your so wonderful !
Hugs
Linda
Good morning, dear Linda! so interesting to hear about your own artistic background:) You’re so right about the dress being the focal point and springboard for the colors in the cover! Everything does revolve around the color of the dress, at least in this series. You have a good eye for detail:) SO happy you’re ready to meet Wren and travel to Pennsylvania. You’re a gem!
Love’s Reckoning is still one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen, with all golds and oranges and browns. While each is lovely separately, they are stunning when put together! As a set, I think they’re really hard to beat.
Another trend popular among historicals is the “headless heroine” type – where she is turned away, or her head is cut off from the eyes up, or some such. While I do not approve of excessive use of this in wedding photos, I actually like it on book covers. My mental image of the characters’ faces rarely lines up with the cover art anyway, so not seeing the whole face allows my imagination more rein. The Colonel’s Lady is one of my favorite in that regard, but besides being gorgeous, I love that locket dangling from her fingers that tells a story all on its own, even before reading the text. I would like to see more small details like that – a hint of intrigue, even if we don’t yet understand its significance.
Rachael, So happy you like those Ballantyne covers:) I know that some think the first too dark but it really is representative of the book. And it may be my favorite of the bunch, too. Yes, side by side they seem to shine even more than when separate.
I’ve thought a lot about those headless heroines! Glad you mentioned that here. I’m glad TCL was one of those. Like you, the heroine rarely matches my mental image either. I prefer to leave the heroine to the imagination! You caught that hint of mystery with Roxanna’s locket so well:) It speaks to the intrigue in the novel and the significance of that locket dangling from her hand. I remember my delight when that was done! Here’s hoping for another stunner of a cover this next time. It’s in the works right now:)
Bless you for joining in, Rachael. You’re always such a bright spot!
Hi Laura love your post. Did not know of this blog until now. Love, love all your books. I love Love Awakening cover the best. Cannot wait for release of Loves Fortune. I know it will be non stop reading for me as all the other books you have written…keep writing fast for all of us who look forward to your books. Have you started on the next book yet….
Ellen, Oh my! Your very kind words inspire me to keep writing ~ as fast as I can! THANK YOU. So glad you enjoy my books. Can’t wait for you to meet Wren. She is quite a character. A world away from gentle Eden and ladylike Ellie;) Glad you like LA the best of the covers. It has a really different feel than the other two in the series. I HAVE started on that next book. In fact, it’s finished and I’m about to turn it in to my editor. The funny thing about publishing is that authors are usually 3 books ahead of readers. When a “new” novel hits shelves, they’re finishing another and then beginning yet another. At least that’s been my experience. So it will be fun to revisit Wren through your eyes when she appears. So glad you’re ready to read! I hope her story blesses you!
I’m glad this blog is no longer new to you and you find some treasure to read among these lovely authors who call it home!
I absolutely loved the cover for Captured by Love by Jody Hedlund!
Hi Gail! YES, I just saw Captured by Love on Pinterest! So glad you like:)
Love this peek inside cover making, Laura! It had to be so much fun to be part of it. 🙂
Your covers are always beautiful, and I love how the setting and colors reflect the tone of the story within (which is always superb!). My favorite of these three, though, is probably Love’s Reckoning. The colors immediately catch my eye.
I’m heading to PA in late August. Hopefully I’ll have my copy of Love’s Fortune by then so I can bring it with me. Can not wait to read it!
(BTW – Cover Candy is the perfect title for this post!)
Brenda, We seem to be kindred spirits in cover art:) I think LR will always be special to me because it was the first of the series. It will be something of a shock to return to standalones after this! I’ve grown to appreciate the particular Ballantyne look:) So interesting to hear what makes a cover pop for you. Truly, covers are art and everyone seems to appreciate them.
Oh, how I wish I was going to PA in your suitcase! Maybe you can Flat Stanley me;) I wish you a wonderful time and travel mercies aplenty. And I will try to hurry Wren up! She would love to go with you – or maybe NOT as the storyline suggests, lol… Bless you for being here!
The Ballantyne Covers are all stunning. My favorite remains Love’s Reckoning, because I of how much I adore Eden! The model just captures her beauty and innocence so perfectly, and the colors remind me of a beautiful fall day. But they all are gorgeous. They are some of the most stunning covers I have ever seen. A beautiful cover to match your beautiful writing. I am waiting with much anticipation for Wren’s story!
I have always loved the covers of Julie Klassen’s books and the covers of Lisa Bergren’s Grand Tour series are lovely. I just hope publishers realize how important covers are to a story, and keep up the level of quality we have been seeing lately.
Emma, I so hope pubs follow your very insightful words about maintaining the level of quality you and other readers have come to expect. Bless you for that! Love your heart for Eden. She is perfectly portrayed right down to her posture and her hands. I love her lace shawl, too, something that is better appreciated when enlarged. Since these are fall releases, it’s been fun having two of them with an autumnal theme:) I had wanted Wren’s cover to be a snow scene and Brandon, bless him, did that! I’m going to be sharing that cover with you soon on my website/journal. I think you’ll like:) But obviously, this fall cover won out.
You’re so right about Julie’s and Lisa’s covers. Truly historically rich and inviting and so worthy of the stories within.
Thanks bunches for being here. Great to start a summer morning off with you!
Laura, how incredible! I believe Love’s Reckoning is my favorite cover, too. They are all beautiful though. Thank you for sharing behind the scenes! I had no idea real people were used.
Shelli, So happy you’re here and chiming in about cover art:) You’ve mentioned something many people don’t know, yes – that real people are used for these covers. I don’t know about all covers but Revell and Bethany House do bring in live models. I think it gives covers a truly lifelike feel and a sense of movement, etc. It was certainly a treat meeting the lovely model who posed for Wren.
Glad you have a heart for Eden and LR:) I do, too. Thanks for your gracious comments. So appreciated!
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” might have been applicable to a richly, handsome bound book in the 1800’s, but not today! If a book has an attractive cover (that matches the physical descriptions in the storyline), along with the story living up to the summary on the back cover I call it a home run!! Because books are becoming a luxury in my world, I personally judge a book by the author, publisher, storyline, personal recommendations and not by the cover. I’m anxiously anticipating the release of “Love’s Fortune”. In this case the beautiful cover is just a lovely extra for me. Just a little P.S. to the authors on this site, I’m changing my source of purchasing books. I’m going to start buying my books from a source that allows me to give feedback. I was purchasing my books from a brick and mortar Christian book store, but that does not allow me to give the book feedback that encourages others to purchase it. Little by little I’m coming in to the 21st century!!!!
Mary, Wonderful to see you again! I am smiling at your “coming into the 21st century.” How often I have felt that way as I am so tech-unsavvy. I’m thrilled you’ve found a way of encouraging others (and authors themselves) about books. It really is important and often a ministry all its own. I imagine your feedback is first class!
I’m very thankful to have you as a reader and friend. I hope/pray Wren’s story is worth the wait and her cover is true to the book for you. Your opinion really matters. Thanks for taking time here today. I imagine Idaho is quite bright and sunny this time of year – and August only one day away!
LR is my favourite cover of the series.
And Lori Benton’s covers, of Burning Sky and The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn are gorgeous.
Trends?
Buckskins.
Whaaaaaaaaaat?