Lots of people ask me how much influence authors have on their covers. The truth is (at least for me) not a lot. I have raised a few objections now and then and have always been patted gently on the head and told to leave these things to the experts and while I’m at it, go home and write another book.
I have arrived at a place of zen surrender with The Cover Issue (tho’ I still voice my objections, to the amusement of the Powers That Be). Now when the publisher sends me a cover image, I can look at it with a little more detachment than I used to.
Unless I adore it. Then I get very, very excited.
Like I am right now.
WINTERGIRLS will be published in the United Kingdom by Marion Lloyd Books of Scholastic UK in January 2011. Here is the cover.
Wintergirls cover
This is very strong, strident–as it should be. Good job, UK publishers!
Great cover! I have to say, even though the US hardcover doesn’t seem to tell you anything about the book, it is my favorite. But the UK always has good ones.
i think the cover looks amazing! =)
congratulations on everything you’ve achieved!!!
That’s awesome. It’s eye-catching and true to the book. And no headless girls or random body parts to be found!
Wow. Really wow. NOT what I was expecting. Incredible!
Wow. Very intense cover for a most powerful book. Congratulations!
I love the upper portion most. It gives wonderful insight to the book, without having to read the flap. All in all, it is dynamic!
Wonderful cover. UK, what took ya so long to publish this AMAZING novel?
I love it- eye catching to be sure. I like the idea of a text-based cover, because it doesn’t interfere with anyone’s mental picture of how the characters look.
Wow! I love the U.S. cover, but this one really hit me. Thanks for sharing!
Spectacular! This cover is completely unique and totally intense. Your UK readers will absolutely love it!
I like the original cover better. But then again, the UK publishers did this God awful re-covering of Philip K Dick’s Ubik. It was so garish. Glad I bought the version before that. That said, covers do help with the selling or non purchase of books.
I really like that this cover doesn’t flinch from the subject matter at all.
Really shocking and attention-grabbing. At first it put me off, thinking it will be picked up as a how-to for girls who want to hurt themselves. Then I realized that just might be a good thing.
I have a copy of the paperback that I picked up at Costco a few weeks ago, I’m looking forward to reading it and have set a summer reading goal of 40 pages a day, so I should be getting to Wintergirls soon.
I love the cover. I almost want to buy a copy and have it shipped to me in Canada. But I’m moving. So buying more books to pack and drag across the country is a bad idea. Maybe when I finish moving. *ponders*
I like this one. I’m kinda “meh” about the US one….this one’s striking and draws you into the story.
it must be so frustrating to have other people decide what goes on your books, though. I remember your talk at the library where I work–you showed the kids the cover for Twisted and they didn’t like it any more than you did. I’m still shaking my head over that one….”hey, it’s called Twisted! here’s a twisted pencil! kids in school use pencils! GENIUS!!”
Hehe this book cover looks SO UK, which is charming in its own way. I prefer the US cover more, not because there is a face on it, but because the fonts and the colours are just overall better. Though, they both portray completely different perspectives on the book. Covers are powerful things and they’re becoming more influential towards buying/not buying a book.
Not always, it don’t.
It was busy with paperwork. Ha ha ha
SO UK? What are you talking about? Oke, I get what you mean. I see covers like this all the time in the UK young adult sections. They bore me. The US one, for me personally, draws me in a lot more, but then again, I am a very visual person. Even though I like words, it seems like a lazy and easy to produce cover. I get that the words on the cover have some sort of meaning to do with the book, but I still find it really lazy and ‘blah’.
Yeah, covers do help selling to a certain %, but sometimes not if you have already fallen in love with the author. Also a case in the Penguin Literary Classics series. All the books in those are like this: