We all have our happy covers. Give me a cover with a dog or a cat on it, and I’m saying “Awwww” before I know anything about the book. If it’s print, I’ll pick it up to read the back cover. If it’s digital or I see it online, I’ll click on the cover to read the blurb. It’s hard for me to resist cute eyes and a furry body. Like this one:
Obviously some of us like to see covers with men on it. And no furry ones, as you can see here:
Or sensual and evocative covers:
Or beautiful and atmospheric covers:
The covers for my new series, Miracle Interrupted, are firmly back in the cute cat and dog category:
There are others that I don’t have room for, like the graphic covers of Misty Evan’s fun Witches Anonymous stories or the hard-to-put-in-a-box cover of Lying Eyes by Amy Atwell. What kind of covers make you want to click on it or pick it up?
I’m giving away a digital copy of my newly published Must Love Cats to one commenter. I’ll announce the winner’s name here on Thursday.
Congratulations to Janet Kerr for winning a digital copy of Must Worship Cats!
I’m a sucker for dog covers which is why I love my Better Than Dessert cover.
Next up and tied are mountains or water related covers.
Then simple, evocative and haunting. All those should reflect a major theme within the book.
I don’t care so much for covers that have heaving bosoms or couples clearing depicted and in a clinch.
Casey Clifford`s last blog was …A Much Needed Vacation
Casey, I love your cover for Better Than Dessert. Other than pets on a cover, my tastes go all over the place. I do love Michelle’s newest for her next book, The Emperor’s Conspiracy. Gorgeous!
And Michelle’s cover for her new book would fall under my item #3 simple, evocative and haunting–reflecting something of the overall theme.
Casey Clifford`s last blog was …A Much Needed Vacation
Casey, Michelle’s cover matches her writing! That’s why her editor finds the best covers for her.
Edie, I love your new covers!! I generally read sexy and dark, so that’s the kind of cover that attracts me the most, but I also appreciate the lighter ones that are a little different and fun, like Stardust Miracle!!
Virna, I have the best cover artist. Thank you!
You aren’t the only one who likes sexy and dark covers. A lot of the bloggers here have those covers. When I looked at your covers, it was hard to choose. The Shades of Desire caught my eye. Great choices of color in it that match the title.
Edie, great covers for your new series! I like fun, quirky covers as much as I love dark, gritty ones.
Sometimes I’ll buy a book just because of the cover, and for me, the book doesn’t become *real* until I see the cover art for it.
Misty, sometimes the dark, gritty ones seem too alike. The ones that stand out are amazing.
A good cover will definitely make me want to find out more about the book. Yours are very good. Your own and Samhain. I love your new one for Soul Protector.
I love cover art that gives some indication of the story… I love the quirky ones as well as the beautiful ones with dresses… not too fond of the headless ones…
Cate, I feel the same way about the headless ones. Sometimes it works. Other times it’s just odd.
I too will buy a book if I like the cover. It is one of the first things that draws me to read a book.
Janet, me too! It’s either the cover or someone told me about it.
Hi Edie,
I love your new covers – they are very apt for your new writing direction.
For me, it’s hard to say ‘what’ I like or don’t like about a cover but my tastes are usually instant and strong. If I don’t like a cover – I will not buy the book.
Dale Mayer`s last blog was …Update on my books in progress!
Dale, I’m so happy to have Laura for my cover artist! She is so good. I love this new look.
Your covers are so distinct. You and your son do an amazing job on them.
While I don’t always buy a book based on the cover, a good cover definitely doesn’t hurt! I like covers that really reflect the book and the characters. Some of the more “stock” covers don’t jump out at me as much so unless I know the author’s name or someone recommended it specifically, I may never really check it out. I would click on each of the covers that you listed above, in order to find out more about the book.
Amy, books recommended by someone are very much more likely to get my attention, too. Now I have to many writer friends, I’m mostly buying their books. I’m lucky that my friends are wonderful writers.
I like provacative covers that evoke an “oh, my,” from me.
Karin* Tabke aka Harlow!`s last blog was …CAPA Winner!
Karin, you’re not the only one. Provocative sells, especially when it’s well done.
The cover being the first thing that catches my eye, I find it really important to make it look appealing. Beautiful and atmospheric ones are just my type, but I will choose a cat-cover anytime over them… perhaps this might be the first sign of my future crazy cat lady-self.
Dori`s last blog was …Once Upon a Time
Dori, so nice to meet another cat lady! And not all of us are crazy. Yet. lol
I LOVE your new covers, Edie!
Cynthia Eden`s last blog was …Katie Reus has DANGER NEXT DOOR (and a giveaway!)
Cindy, my cover artist is amazing. She used 4 images for the Stardust Miracle cover. Thanks!
Edie, I love your new covers! Thank you for posting them as well as sharing so many of ours — that was sweet of you
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For me, the covers I’m drawn to are the ones that I think thoughtfully portray the story within. I love beautiful colors and gorgeous shirtless men and adorable animals, but what I really love is when I see a cover and then read the first few pages and realize that the image matches the novel’s tone.
Marilyn, absolutely! Of course I love the cover for A Summer in Europe. (When my friend’s granddaughter is 13, I’m buying it for her. She loved it so much!) But I love the covers for Double Dipping and Any Given Sundae as much. They’re perfect for the tone!
And, thank you! We both got lucky with our cover artists.
Edie, what fun to see a bunch of covers–it’s like a trip to a bookstore! I am one of those readers who will try a new author if the cover attracts my attention. I love covers that are flirty, fun and fresh. From there, I need the “blurb” to match my expectations based on the cover. I rarely bother to read a few pages, I just dive in and buy and hope for the best.
Amy Atwell`s last blog was …Which eReader Device Should I Buy?
Amy, you are so brave! I usually check out a sample before I by. By the end of the sample, I know if I want to read it or not.
And it is cool that we have so many books here at Magical. I’m glad you’re writing again so we can have another of your covers up soon.
Those are great looking covers. I like covers with bright colors.
BN, I love bright colors in covers, too.
I guess bright, lush colors will catch the eye, but the covers I look for are the dark, gritty ones … usually if they have the heroine in fighter mode.
Not all that keen on cartoon covers, and what was it with the flowers about ten years ago? Those were ridiculous!
Love your covers, Edie. You’re right … your artist is amazing and seems to catch just what you need.
Liz, if you ever need a cover artist, mine will do dark, too. She’s amazing with every genre. Look what she did to Dragon Blues.
I agree about the flowery covers. I never liked them.
I’ll take covers with animals over men on them.
I always pick up a book with a cat or dog on the cover. My second favorite covers are those with beautiful scenery like Marilyn Brant’s A Summer in Europe. Love that cover.
I love that title Edie “Must Worship Cats.” Worship is a great choice of words. I think that sign is posted in my house.
Beth, I’m in Naperville with Liz. I read her your comment and she laughed. I think we knew that about you and cats. Me, too!
And don’t get me wrong. I like a hot guy on a cover, but often times my idea of “hot” and what they put on covers isn’t in sync. But cats or dogs are always cute. Can’t go wrong.
Beth, covers with hot, shirtless guys tell me that the book is going to have a lot of heat. I want more than that in a story. So the books that I buy with those covers are usually by authors I know.
Same here with the cats or dogs.
I am a bookaholic
It does not take much to make me take a closer look at a book.
I like modern, whimsical covers the most though. Bright colors, flirty images…books that look fun to read.
Cynthia Shepp`s last blog was …Elle Casey’s New Adventure (as Kat Lee)
Cynthia, it sounds like you’re my kind of reader. I like bright colors, too.
Edie, you already know how much I love your new covers. Laura, and you, rock! And thanks for including my cover. I love it. My editor tells me a lot of other editors wanted that cover for themselves, when they saw it.
Lisa Latwick, who designs my covers, is a genius.
Michelle Diener`s last blog was …Temptation Bookstore Signing
Michelle, your covers are amazing! I love all your covers, especially the one for The Emporer’s Conspiracty. One of the best I’ve seen.
I like me some cats, too, Edie, and bright colors, and I like the flowers and cartoons, too. People not so much, no matter how good they look.
Liz, I like cartoons, too, and bright colors catch my eye.