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I can honestly say that I’ve never had a bad cover. Bethany House has a phenomenal Art Department, and I’ve been blessed with some truly wonderful covers. However, when I first saw the cover for my e-single novella, A Cowboy Unmatched, I was a little confused.
You see, in my novella, the heroine Clara is 9 months pregnant. Nowhere in the story does she sport the svelte figure of the lovely cover model seen to the right. Now don’t get me wrong . . . I like the cover just fine – artistically. But it just didn’t fit the story. I’d been hoping to get Neill Archer, my hero, on the cover, but as you can see from the collage below – my publisher wanted each of the e-singles to have the same basic brand.
I mentioned my concerns to my editor, and she told me to give it a little spin. “Think of it as the happily-ever-after version of Clara, post-baby.”
Being the glass-is-half-full type of person that I am, I willingly went along with this strategy. However, I did have fun poking a little fun at the cover with my fans when I first debuted the picture on Facebook. One of my friends came back with this clever quip:
“It’s amazing what a good corset can do.”
How fun is that? I loved it. We all got into the spirit of things, and pretty soon I was signing Clara up to do some modeling for the 1891 Montgomery Ward Catalog – “Just had a baby? With our high performance corset, no one will ever know.” You know she would be sure to boost sales with such an awe-inspiring testimonial. Ha!
This is my final Archer Brother tale. I just couldn’t leave those men behind without giving Neill, the youngest of the bunch, a good woman of his own. I included a more detailed description at the end of the post.
So now, I’d love to hear from you.
- Does it bother you when a book cover doesn’t match the story?
- How would you spin Clara’s exceedingly flat tummy to make my e-single cover work?
A Cowboy Unmatched by Karen Witemeyer
Tired of living in the shadow of his older brothers, Neill Archer leaves the family ranch, determined to prove himself his own man. After two years of doing everything from laying railroad track to driving cattle, he’s nearly saved enough to purchase his own spread. While passing through a small town in the Texas panhandle, a handwritten ad literally falls into his lap during the local church service and convinces Neill that God is steering him toward his next job.
There are two things Clara Danvers cannot hide—her grandmother’s Comanche blood and her hugely pregnant stomach. After her husband got himself shot cheating at cards six months back, she has worked hard to make the shabby cabin he’d left behind truly hers. But there are some things a pregnant woman can’t repair, and a leaky roof is one of them. When a handsome cowboy shows up at her door with a tale about a nameless woman hiring him to fix her roof, she’s suspicious but desperate enough to let him work.
Scarred by the men who have failed her in the past, Clara is forced to trust the stranger when danger threatens her child. Neill might prove to be an able protector, but can she trust him with the battered remains of her heart?
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I don’t think you’ll find a better spin than: “It’s amazing what a good corset can do.” Works for me! (The spin, not the corset, alas. LOL!)
Count me in the camp with those who can’t STAND it when the cover doesn’t match the story. (And I hear that from my readers all the time!) I’ve always been thankful that usually at the time I first see the cover, there’s still time to change the story to match. I’ve changed heroines’ hair and eye color, rewritten back cover copy, and written entire new scenes in books, all in the name of making the cover match the story inside the book.
Wow, Deb. That’s a lot of change to match the cover. I’ve written in the dress my heroine wears on the cover into the story several times, but I’ve never had to change hair or eye color. Counting my blessings…
Deb, recently I changed the hair color of my heroine from black to blond to match the cover. Then they changed the cover because they discovered the graphic had been used on another Christian novel, and the new graphic had a heroine with black hair so I had to change it all back again. Most of it is a simple search and replace, but then there are those troublesome references that you have to search for more diligently.
I think I would be a bit upset if my cover didn’t match the story. Especially if the person’s face was not at all what I had in mind. I mean, you’ve been working on the story for a long time, so you definitely have a good picture (in your mind) of what she looks like… Then the girl on the cover looks nothing like what you expected. I don’t know… That’s what would bother me the most. But maybe I’m just too picky? 🙂
That’s the one nice things about having heads cut off on the covers. Ha! I can still imagine the face looking exactly as it did in my mind. 🙂
I think if I had been reading an actual pages book, where I saw the cover every time I picked it up, it would have bothered me much more. However, reading on my Kindle, I only ever saw the cover at the time I purchased the ebook. Having said that, I will say that what would bother me more about the representation of Clara on the cover is not that she isn’t pregnant, but that what you can see of her isn’t even remotely Native American. And I’m guessing that lovely outfit the cover model has on is way more fashionable than anything Clara owned or would wear during her daily life. Okay… I’ve had my say. I’ll be quiet now.
You’re right, Dana. While Clara did dress like a white woman and wear her hear up like her mother had shown her, I doubt her hair would have curled like the cover model’s does. I pictured it very straight. The model does have nice cheek bones, but the skin tone is definitely European.
Yes! It actually bothers me quite a bit when the covers don’t match the story. I have this thing about covers, though. Before I start a new book I almost always sit and examine the cover. I love seeing the little things the designers include that most people may not notice and I just think they are lovely. 🙂
Hmm . . . I’m not sure I can think of a way to spin it, that y’all haven’t already come up with . . . . Nope! No useful creativity is coming to mind this early in the morning.
Thanks for sharing with us!
Hope you have a great day!
~Sarah
Hi, Sarah. Those little details make all the difference. On my first book’s cover, A Tailor-Made Bride, the hero is actually stepping on the hem of the heroine’s dress with his dirty boot. It’s a tiny detail down at the bottom that I didn’t even see at first glance, but it is so perfect. It contrasts the two characters so well with just that little touch and hints at the conflict and sparring to come. I love those details!
I confess a good cover can easily be the tipping point to deciding to read a book, but it is frustrating when cover does not match the story. Perhaps this is how Neill views Clara through his googly eyes of love. But then, would you need a second image along side it of how Clara sees herself? Beached whales really don’t belong in cattle country . . . Fatten up that longhorn and bring it to the foreground?
Maybe we should stick with the corset idea.
LOL, Rachel. I like the “through the eyes of love” spin. I think I’ll keep that without the beached whale. Ha!
And, yes, I am one of those readers who judges a book by it’s cover all the time. If the cover doesn’t pique my interest, the book will never get picked up and examined further. Sigh. So unfair.
I have to admit that I didn’t really pay attention to the cover, when the book downloaded. I do look at the front cover, but it isn’t the cover that attracts my attention. Generally, it is the back-cover that I tend to focus on. Does the story sound interesting to me? Do the descriptions of the characters, although scant, cause a desire in me to read the book? These are more important to me than anything. Also, if it an author that I have read before, I, generally, just make note of the title and either download from the library or B & N. My other go to would be to check out the audio or download from audible (if I have a credit) and get ready to listen.
As much of my reading, especially when school is in session, is audio, the covers don’t really matter. It is the mental visions that entrance me. Also, all of my actual reading, not listening, is done through electronic means, I rarely see the cover, except to open the book and as the apps are so small, I can discern no differences.
I would agree that this cover, given that I had read the book, prior to downloading it, does not fit with Clara and still I didn’t think about it, until you pointed it out. My mother would say I am not very observant, and at times, she is correct. The cover does not make or break the book for me, nor does it really determine whether or not I will read it.
Now, what would Clara say, if she saw her picture? “Neill, you saw me at my ‘worst’ and now here I am at my ‘best.’ Any regrets?”
Dora – You bring up a really interesting point. With more and more readers moving to digital formats and even audio ones (I LOVE Audible.com!) are covers becoming less important?
For authors I love, I have to admit that I don’t care what the cover looks like. I’m buying it. But when I’m browsing, even on Amazon, covers still have an influence on me. My eyes go to the historical covers first, then the ones that imply romance, then skitter away from the ones where not enough clothing is involved (eek!), to come to rest on the stories I love best. Then, like you, it is the back cover copy that sells the book (or not). I could find the most gorgeous cover in the world, but if the story blurb doesn’t engage me, it gets skipped.
Thanks for getting me thinking about this is a new way!
I love pretty covers and if there are people on them, I expect them to look like the characters inside. But I don’t think I would have given this cover a double-take after learning she was pregnant. After all, pregnancy is a temporary state, so the cover can easily be post-pregnancy or even just how she sees herself or how Neil sees her.
So true. Although after having three babies myself, I’m afraid the weight gain isn’t always temporary. Sigh. I’m still carrying around an extra 20 lbs. that never left after my third baby was born. Where is that heavy-duty corset when I need it???
I love the new cover! like you said the corset always helps but at the same time form the little info you have about who she really is it sounds like she is woman who is outside all the time taking care of her ranch as best she can do. So that also gives us a picture of fit pregnant woman. Im glad you had the cover changed.
The cover wasn’t really changed – when the singles were released, they each had their own new cover as opposed to the red cover that existed for the collection as a whole. It is actually very difficult to get a cover changed. It is a big expense to do the shoot and redesign over. Like Deb talked about, many times it is easier for the author to tweak the story enough to match the cover.
Since Clara’s pregnancy was at the heart of the story, I couldn’t rewrite that, but I think the happily ever after spin works well enough. And you are so right, Clara was very active during her pregnancy. I see her as one of those fit pregnant women who look basically the same as always, just with a little basketball bulging under their shirt. Alas – I was never lucky enough to sport such a figure while pregnant.
I did have a completely redone cover one time, but it wasn’t because I didn’t like it – it was because Wal-Mart didn’t think it would sell as well. My publisher was happy to listen to this major retailer and sprung for an entirely new cover shoot. The results were wonderful. Stealing the Preacher is much better for the change.
Fun post today, Karen! 🙂 My vote goes for the corset comment too—so funny.
And speaking of corsets…I cannot imagine living in the days when those were worn – – the very thought almost makes
me feel queasy! YUK…. 🙁
I prefer the covers to match story details too, and agree that an enticing cover is a selling point for me on purchasing the book. Being a big fan of Bethany House books, I do love their covers. (Of course, their authors are pretty awesome too) 😉
Patti Jo – I went to workshop Cathy Hake did one time about corsets. She actually brought enough in varying sizes that we could all try one on. They were amazingly comfortable. Great back support. My posture was immediately improved. Of course, we were just sitting and listening. Not bending to try to pick something up off the floor. No running. No actual work to accomplish. As long as you don’t lace them too tight (to get those ridiculously tiny waists) they didn’t seem too bad. One side effect she mentioned, though, was that they could actually weaken a woman’s back since the corset held her up all day, her own muscles could atrophy. I found that really interesting. I think I’ll stick to my 21st century undies, though. 🙂
I actually like the cover and look forward to Neil’s story!
I personally prefer the characters to match the description from the book. Bethany House has some great book covers though.
P.S. My pre-order of Full Steam Ahead should arrive by this weekend. Very excited to start reading it.
I certainly can’t complain about any of my covers. Thanks, Janelle. Hope you have fun with Darius and Nicole. Watch out for exploding boilers! 🙂
I love that moment when I discover the cover in the story! As much as I like my Bethany House cover for Miracle in a Dry Season, when I first saw it all I could say was, “Peaches? But there aren’t any peaches.” NOW there are. It’s worth a little rewriting or creative license for a gorgeous cover!
So true, Sarah. And that cover is GORGEOUS! I would be happy to add a few peaches as well. 🙂
The cover for me is a huge draw – – even with the advent of Kindles, where you’re not seeing the cover every time you return to the book, I still like the cover to match the contents. I find myself sometimes stopping while reading the story – mark my place – then go back to the beginning to look at the cover – and look at the artistic details – then go back to the story. A book I just recently finished by Tamara Leigh – “The Longing” – – just had a cover “redo” and it really captures the essence of the main characters – – so exquisitely romantic – – it made me sigh just to look at the cover. I realize with your heroine not having that “hour glass figure” – but wanting to stay true to character may call for a little more imagination – – like just shoulders and above – – or two hands reaching for each other – – something other than a “profile” shot – there’s lots of ways to say “romance” other than a Scarlet O’Hara 19″ waist – LOL. Please don’t get me wrong, I think all the photos are beautiful – – but maybe the art department needs to let your story stay as is – – and they get more creative to fit a photo to the your story instead of the other way around. Just my 2 cents. And I’m looking forward to the release of “Full Steam Ahead”!!
You are so right about there being many ways to portray romance on a cover. Some of my favorite book covers don’t have people on them at all. Some have gorgeous old English estates, or compelling nature scenes, or a masculine object paired with a feminine one – like dusty cowboy boots with a bouquet of wildflowers drapes across the toes. Christian historical fiction seems to be heavy in the cover model department, but there’s plenty of room for variety even there.
I’ve also changed my character to match the cover!! I’d rather have her match than confuse readers!
Me, too, Tricia! 🙂
I loved A Cowboy Unmatched! It was wonderful and SOOOO worth the money at just $1.99. I really like your cover. I agree with your editor — this is the happily-ever-after version of Clara. It’s actually fun to get a chance to ‘see’ her looking like this. It’s like an epilogue in a photo. 🙂
I love that idea, Becky – An epilogue in a photo. That’s perfect! 🙂 And so glad you enjoyed the story!
I hate to admit that a book cover can make me want to read a book or not. The more enticing the cover, the quicker I will choose to read the book. Of course, I have read books that have gorgeous covers but then the story inside doesn’t live up to my expectations at all. By the same token, I have read books where the cover does not appeal, but the story is fabulous. Goes to show, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
But what really annoys me is when the cover is very contemporary and the story is a historical one. Throws me right out of the story, especially if I am reading a paperback and see the cover every time I pick up the book to read.
Karen, your covers have always been gorgeous and I can totally buy the post-baby theory for this one. 🙂
Thanks, Renee! And I agree about the historical feel. If the cover doesn’t say “historical” to me, there’s a good chance I won’t even pick it up.
Sometimes for both just depends on the story.
I love Neils story! I got A Match Made in Texas for Christmas last year and almost freaked out when i found out it was about Neil. The Archer brothers series has become one of my favorite series! I keep going back for more!
I cant wait till your next one comes out! My birthday is in June so ill have a nice birthday present!