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The latest trend in covers--pretty female backs/side of face showing (usually with an intricate tattoo somewhere), with a sword/stake/weapon in one hand--is nice but I'm getting confused with whether I read the book already or not. Especially when there are so many urban fantasy series coming out lately. I'd look at the cover and try to remember whether I've seen it or bought it, and then put the book back on the shelf because I wasn't sure. And of course, when I'm home, I'd forget to check. Repeat vicious cycle.
When they put out a spate of covers that look so similar (like the matchstick running couple with the car headlight in the background), after a while, my brain seems to shut down and my eyes sweep over those books and I tend not to want to read them. Is it psychological? I know what the marketing department is doing by putting out visual similarities like that, but it reminds me of the ice-tea trend. Remember there were freaking 1001 fruity-type ice teas when Snapple was the craze? I like my ice tea, so of course I bought them to try. Some were good and some tasted like they stirred in 10 lbs of sugar in a four ounces of water. They were all packaged to sort of look like Snapple too, with funky labels and names for the tea.
Then, after the initial interest, my brain shut down and when I went to the store, my hand just automatically reached for...the good old-fashion ice tea staple I usually had before the craze. And after a while, those new tasty sweet stuff disappeared. Trend over.
Remember the cover trends of just one body part? The muscular arm with the tattoo, for instance?
I am now going to make a prediction. Next: Sexy tight asses in skimpy briefs/bikinis with tattoos on one cheek. ;-) Oh, and next to a hand holding a stake/gun/sword, so you know what genre it is. Heh.
What cover trend do you remember? Date yourself!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Uber Kick-ass Heroine Has No Front
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Auguri per una felice giornata di ferragosto......ANGELA
The gothic novels....dark covers, a house/castle/mansion with one light on in a window on top of a hill and a TSTL heroine running around in the dark with a candle. LOL
Leilani
When I was too young to read my mom's romances, it was Fabio. I just recall seeing Fabio or Fabio-like men everywhere. After a while, I couldn't really tell if it was Fabio, especially since I wasn't supposed to be touching my mom's books! (Hehehehe... little did she know I was reading some of 'em on the sly!)
At the time, the men on the cover with the bosomy women all looked like they had long honey blond hair, chiseled jaw, a big slab of a chest and brawny arms. Oh yeah, a perpetual tan too.
I don't recall exactly, but I think it was the late 80s.
Incidentally, one of the books I read in secret was Linda Howard's. I still recall the hero's name, Max Conroy - a Brit corporate shark who couldn't resist a quiet blonde with pretty brown eyes.
No comment on the covers. I liked Western romances for a while...
Fern, Ah yes. Max. He ranked as a bad boy for me. Of course, you had to read an earlier book to see the nice side of him. Persistent devil too. LOL
Tiny little pictures and HUGE titles! Wolf and the Dove etc...
Monique, the intriguing Rome Matthews? Yes, I'd always wanted to read his story but couldn't find the title. Maybe now would be good time to revive the search. Max and Claire's story is one of my all time fave Linda Howard stories.
One of the cover trends that I liked was in the early- to mid-90s. It was the abbreviated cover with the title and author's name in fancy script and another page beneath it with a montage of pictures. My fave were always the Amanda Quick titles. They had terrific artwork.
leilani, Fern, Monique, Sara,
I'm going to bring your examples up into my post today so we can continue our discussion and expand the list! Thanks for these!
The white guy in Indian costume on a horse and carrying off the scantily clad women!
The Regencies with the characters in the middle of some soiree.
Those paintings by Elaine Duillo? and Pino for historical romances. Gorgeous, but their styles were so distinctive and they were everywhere.
Hi Kath,
I'm trying to remember what Elaine Duillo covers look like. Let me google.
Those "white guy in Indian costume" covers are staple fare for Cassie Edwards historicals. She's your favorite author, isn't she? ;-)
Kath,
Okay, I just googled Elaine Duillo and yes, those covers were beautiful and distinct. I remember them now!
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