Comments on: The Crusie Theory of Cover Design: A Lecture

By: Lambie Pie

Lambie Pie — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 14:37:14 +0000

Yes, a lot of the covers are embarrassing, to say the least. When I bring a book home, the first thing I do is to cover it with beautiful solid color or parchment-looking cardstock. This keeps my reading private from the DH & kids and strangers in parking lots, and keeps my bookshelves from getting that Mardi-Gras aftermath look. Very zen. This goes for all my books, not just the romances.

However, I’m glad the books have colorful, evocative covers on them when they are in the bookstores.

By: Shriveled Away Jenny Fan

Shriveled Away Jenny Fan — Wed, 24 May 2006 16:09:54 +0000

New blog! We’re starving. Nourish us. Please!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 24 May 2006 16:09:17 +0000

Its a good question….every day i check and every day no jenny although im getting fairly addicted to the crusie mayer blog instead. But i want my jenny! Pretty Please??

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 17 May 2006 16:08:46 +0000

So are you gonna blog anything else? I’ve memorized this one.

By: Rinda Elliott

Rinda Elliott — Fri, 12 May 2006 16:07:14 +0000

Sci-Fi Fantasy covers are getting better. Thank God!

Great post!

By: Mel

Mel — Fri, 12 May 2006 16:06:42 +0000

Hi,
The first Jenny book i ever read was when i was fourteen and as a voracious reader of EVERYTHING i was lookin in the library and saw the cover. It wasnt my usual sort of book but the cover was bright and got my attention then the blurb on the back reeled me in. I read that book six times!! and it is still onew of my favourites ever.

By: Buffy

Buffy — Fri, 05 May 2006 16:05:59 +0000

Hate to say it…but I think there’s something to the cover thing.

By: Glo

Glo — Wed, 03 May 2006 16:05:23 +0000

This is one of my pet peeves with romance and chick lit. I’m embarrassed to carry around a great book because the cover screams something that isn’t true or honest. It also turns off guys who might really benefit from and enjoy the lit inside the cover.

Grr. Arrgh.

But when it works, it’s a joy. And marketing is just part of the world, right?!

By: sexmuse

sexmuse — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 16:03:57 +0000

Great post on an often discussed subject among writers.

Now on to the real reason I’m posting — I just sent the message below to your yahoo group on Bet Me being nominated as a Book of the Month on the Reluctant Nude web page. (Apologies but your fan mail is on the fritz?)

Hello — I just joined to post an announcement that Ms. Crusie’s book, Bet Me, is nominated for May’s Book of the Month at the Reluctant Nude web page of my site. The page is dedicated to celebrating plus-size beauty.

Generally, I notify authors directly, but it seems that the fan mail option is down on Ms. Crusie’s site and I wanted to give her fans a chance to vote before the May 19th close date.

You can find information on all of this month’s nominees at the URL below, as well as the vote link for Bet Me. The Reluctant Nude page itself is WORK SAFE, but some of the other nominees may be in the erotic romance category, as is the rest of the web site.

http://www.annvremont.com/reluctantnude.htm

There is a related prize contest associated with each BOTM contest period, so there’ an extra incentive to taking a few minutes to show one of your favorite authors that you’ve enjoyed her book.

Ann

By: the red queen

the red queen — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 16:02:29 +0000

Hi Jenny,
Your were featured, along with Bob, in an interview by Carla M. in March for “Chick Chat,” the newsletter I edit for Chick Lit Writers of the World. (Did you ever get a copy of that issue? I emailed it to Bob Mayer to share with you but never heard back from him.) If you want a copy, just let me know.
Anyway, your cover theory is so true. I pick my books by titles first, then covers, then blurbs on the back. God help the poor authors with back copy writers. *Tsk, tsk*
Lauren Baratz-Logsted once mentioned something about the incongruity of covers with the book’s actual story (i.e. some of the fluffier chick lit books get published in hardcover with “insightful” pictures, while the more literary chick lit gets stuck with bubble gum covers.) Go figure.
Anyway, if you have time, please stop by my blog (http://www.enterwonderland.blogspot.com and/or http://www.lovebitesforever.blogspot.com) and leave me a shout…or a whisper, whichever you prefer.

Warm regards,
Lauren D.
Editor, “Chick Chat”

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 16:01:38 +0000

I also bought the British copy of ‘Welcome to Temptation’ because of the happy, curvy blonde in red on the cover. She looked sexy in a way that all the carefully posed models on covers usually don’t – I think it’s something about the way she seems to be almost flying cheerfully upwards.

I have the dreadful ‘Getting Rid of Bradley’ cover as well. If I hadn’t already read ‘Temptation’, I’d never have picked it up. And another of your books has a dark pink cover with a huge slab of chocolate. I have read it three times now, and each time I have gone on a chocolate binge part-way through. No more realistic junk food on covers!

By: Shoshana

Shoshana — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 16:00:40 +0000

You know that little chorus to the side saying, “blog! Talk to us! Blog!”
Well, this is the Official Recruitment Comment for the next chorus.
We are now taking auditions!

By: Shiloh Walker

Shiloh Walker — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 15:59:31 +0000

I think covers are going to cause authors to scratch their heads for a very long while. Possibly forever. They have gotten better, though.

The one thing about most chick lit looking covers, your cover is most likely going to be individual.

Original is important~it seems like you see the same dude on the vast majority of romances any more. Dark haired, mysterious, gorgeous… and on every other cover, it seems. I’ve also seen a couple of books lately where the photo of SAME woman is on the cover of totally different books. SAME pose, SAME corset, SAME hair…

By: Cai Stephan

Cai Stephan — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 15:58:48 +0000

Thank you! What a great blog entry.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 15:58:08 +0000

German covers are generally awful and loveless!

As for your books, I like the original cover of Welcome to Temptation best. Just saying.

By: micki

micki — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:57:15 +0000

*Great* lecture! You are not only a wonderful writer, but a super teacher!

You have that art background that lets you say why a book cover works and why it doesn’t; I think a lot of writer types don’t have that visual expertise. Can you recommend some good books to help a word-person develop some right-brain artistic sense?

Love, love, love it!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 15:56:34 +0000

What about the ‘author quotes’ on book covers? Cathy noted that an ‘outstanding cover will make me pick up a book by a writer whose work I haven’t read before.’ I admit it might make me look at the back, but I am always curious to see the quotes from other authors on the cover.

For instance, this afternoon I picked up a book by Nancy Martin (I think that was her name) and it had a quote from none other than Jennifer Crusie on the front. I have to admit that often seeing an author favorite talking about a new title may make me pick it up, espeically a favorite.

Are authors asked to submit quotes? Do you actually read those titles (no disrespect intended) or do publisher require them of you?
Just curious.

By: AgTigress

AgTigress — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 15:55:52 +0000

I like the camouflage ‘under-cover’ of Don’t Look Down a lot – especially the alligators.

By: cathy

cathy — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 15:54:17 +0000

I started reading Jenny when I bought Crazy for You. I take it with me on vacation to read if I get homesick!!!!! I re-read books all the time. I have favorite authors and always buy their books regardless of book covers, but an outstanding cover will make me pick up a book by a writer whose work I haven’t read before.

By: Samantha

Samantha — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 15:53:41 +0000

Very nice lecture on the cover…. As a possible future writer, I took many mental notes and I thank you for taking the time to teach us something new. I did pick up one of your books (“Getting Rid of Bradley”, very nice one, by the way) because of the cover. I wanted to know why the blonde was laughing hysterically, but now that I think about it, I’m not sure the cover fit the story itself. With all the drama she goes through in the book, I don’t really see a good reason why she would be laughing and (seemingly) having a good time. But I could be wrong since I first read that book a few years ago (oh, and by the way, I’m 19 now. I guess you can say I was a little young when I read “Getting Rid of Bradley”, but I like your books partially because of the romance factor. My name is Samantha, and I’m a romance fiend :everybody answers “Hi Samantha”: =o]). But anyways, since I read that book, I have been hooked on you, and now I’m determined to buy every book you plan to release, regardless of cover, because you are just that damn good. ) Have a beautiful day!