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Hot or Not? by Sara Humphreys

What is it about the cover of a book that makes you pick it up? For me it's the mixture of hot, sexy and dangerous! I'm not going to lie...a cover with a drool worthy man on the front definitely grabs my attention. However, he can't just be standing there all by his lonesome. Nope. To stand out in the sea of books, that cover has to have more than just a gorgeous set of abs. In fact, it doesn't even need a naked chest to be hot. It has to tell me, as the reader, what kind of a story I am getting.



For example, I love the covers for Lori Handeland's Nighcreature novels. They are sexy, edgy and have an air of mystery but the best part is that they actually match the story inside. Her novel Marked by the Moon is an excellent example of a cover that didn't have a naked chest but was still sexy, mysterious and intriguing. (Also an outstanding book that you should definitely pick up!)




It makes me crazy when I read a book that doesn't match it's cover. That is not hot. I know, I know. It probably shouldn't bother me but it does. I always feel cheated somehow, like I was tricked into buying a book that I wasn't really getting. Which is why I was very nervous when I was waiting patiently (okay, not that patiently...more like checking my email every day) for the cover of Unleashed. Sourcebooks has such gorgeous covers for their novels, many of which you can see here on the blog, so I knew it would be beautiful. The reader in me wanted to be sure it would really reflect the story. Well, I was not disappointed!

First of all, I can't believe how perfectly they nailed Malcolm and that graphic of the golden eagle is fierce! Even the blue is perfect. The whole thing reminds me of the ocean and since the setting is at the beach, it's right on the money!


Last week I was totally surprised to get an email from my editor with the arc cover for the second book in the Amoveo Legend series, Untouched.


Seriously. I sat and stared at my computer screen with my mouth hanging open like a large mouth bass for about five sold minutes. Not just because it's sexy as hell but because the design team at Sourcebooks completely captured the feel of this book. It blew me away. The guy is Dante and that panther is both ferocious and provocative. When I saw these two covers, all I could think was that if I was in a book store I would most definitely pick these up.


So how about you? What is it about a book cover that's hot or provocative? What makes you pick it up or click that 'buy now' button?



Comments

  1. Sara, I'm picturing those framed and hanging above your desk...but then if they are you'll have to work blindfolded!
    Great post...hot covers, yes! First thing I notice when I'm drooling in a book store.

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  2. I always like a pretty cover (I write historicals). I like the woman's jewelry to be stunning and her dress to be something I would want to wear. I also like covers that are kind of funny--like maybe there's a little joke going on with the cover and when you read the book, you get it.

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  3. @Carolyn, I think I may just frame them :) I like the way you think.

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  4. @Shana-Agreed! It's all about the dress and the jewels. Love your covers, btw!

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  5. I'm with you--let the cover show ROMANCE, not merely skin, which is a tall order. I'm very fortunate the each of the covers Sourcebooks has created for my books does that beautifully.

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  6. I write historicals, too, so I tend to be drawn to historical covers. I adore the ones that have beautiful, sweeping, richly-colored gowns. Since my writing is a little on the darker side, I gravitate toward anything with a sense of danger or mystery as well. I also like suggestive poses more than full-on skin. :)

    The "dreamy" quality to some of Sourcebooks' covers is eye-catching as well.

    Like you, Sara, I'm super excited and nervous about seeing my first cover.

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  7. @Grace--SB does a fabulous job! Loving your covers :) They fit perfectly.

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  8. @Tracey--SB does have a lovely dreamy quality to their covers. I like suggestive for historicals but for the paranormal genre I do like it edgier. When is your release date with SB?

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  9. I like the covers when the heads are cut off because sometimes you have these great bodies and then the face throws me off cuz it's not quite what I had imagined. I like bold colors and crisp images. Carolyn's covers rock even with the characters heads on them hahaha ;-) Covers sometimes don't matter to me and then there are times I am walking the aisle in a bookstore and pick it up just because the cover jumped out to me...

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  10. @Cinful- (love your blog name btw) I agree. Carolyn's covers rock as hard as her books! The headless chests do leave it to the imagination of the reader. I do like that...flexibility. Thanks for coming by today :)

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  11. Wow, hot cover, Sara! Loved it! Absolutely frame-able!

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  12. Sara, thanks for asking. A Lady's Revenge comes out in April 2012, so I'm hoping to see a cover around Nov/Dec. :)

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  13. @Terry--Thank you. Your covers are always fab and they sync perfectly with your books...which I loooove.

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  14. @Tracey--SO exciting!!! Untouched comes out then too. :) I'm very happy for you and I'm certain you'll love your cover. Sourcebooks design team seriously rocks!

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  15. I literally sat and stared at the cover of Unleashed... yes, yes I did:) This is my first time seeing Untouched and... WOW! Both are definitely poster-worthy:)

    SB never seems to disappoint in the cover department and I'm always excited to see what the latest will be. CONGRATS Sara and all other SB authors on your wonderful covers and releases.

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  16. @yadkny--Thanks so much for swinging over. It's great to hear that other folks were captivated by the covers as well. I hope you'll love the book inside of it as much. SB is a stellar publishing house. A class act all the way.

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  17. Love your covers, Sara, and they really speak to your books in a powerful, intriguing way. My favorite covers are the ones with a dashing, sexy hero gazing into the heroine's eyes, telling her with his expression that she is the only woman he'll give up his wild, wild ways for.
    Amelia

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