Selena Robins, Author

Welcome Nancy Lauzon, author of the Chick Dick Mysteries. Don’t you love the series name?

Nancy will be sharing her thoughts on book covers, something I know she is passionate about.

She has also generously offered to run a CONTEST. THREE LUCKY PEOPLE will each win one one of her fabulous books in the Chick Dick Mysteries. If you love mystery, comedy, intrigue and romance, you’re in for a real treat.

CONTEST DETAILS BELOW:

Take it away, Nancy.   .   .   . (Please note: the covers shown here are Nancy’s NEW covers, not the ones she is discussing)

Good quality book cover art is absolutely crucial to a writer’s sales. Or as fellow blogger Chuck Wendig puts it: ‘Make sure your cover doesn’t suck a bag of dicks.’ I apologize for the rough language, but there’s just no better way of saying it.

Early in my career I published three novels with a small press publisher. For months prior to their launch dates, I roamed the aisles of bookstores and studied the covers in front of me, to find out what was selling.  I discovered what I liked and didn’t like. I had a vision for my novels.

I was assured by my publisher that she had an artist who did her covers, and he was very good.  She felt, in fact, that her covers were such high quality, they set her books apart.

The first cover wasn’t bad, but only because my niece, who is in graphic design, conceptualized the look, and the artist’s final rendering was based on her idea. I didn’t like the font he used, but I kept my mouth shut. Even though I was allowed to give suggestions, the cover was not in my control, and the publisher’s choice was final.

For Novel #2 the publisher suggested a photograph of a man and a woman on a motorbike. I liked it. But then the artist added a rainbow. It looked hokey and cheap. I hated it, and asked him to deep six the rainbow. I still didn’t like the font.

By the time Novel #3 came along, I was wary. I discussed with the artist what the book was about, some key themes and concepts, and I sent him examples of fonts and graphics on other covers he’d done that I liked.

He ignored me, and sent me a very dark cover, with what looked like a bright, red testicle on the front.

Yes, a testicle, that thing that hangs between a man’s legs.

It was his version of an orchid.

I flipped out. I was ready to rip up my contract. I told my publisher that if she didn’t do something I wouldn’t lift a finger to promote the book. That I would deny it was mine. She calmed me down and assured me she would change it. I think even she knew it was too hideous to show the public.

The cover I ended up with was better, but not great. He did some kind of underwater thing in a very dark blue – the guy loved anything dark- and again, used the exact kind of font I hated. He probably did that just to piss me off, since I wrote him a rather nasty email.

Suffice it to say, the whole experience made me decide not to renew my contract.

Because the truth is, people do judge books by their cover.

If you want something done right, do it yourself. So I hired artist Lisa Desimini whose work I love, and re-released all three books with new covers. They’re whimsical, quirky and fun, and reflect exactly what’s under my covers.

They’re fabulous, don’t you think?

SELENA ROBINS’ REVIEWS  of the Chick Dick Mysteries