I agonize over my cover choices. The popular book covers of today mostly have pictures of real people. While some of those covers are absolutely amazing and I LOVE them, there are many that I don't care for at all. I don't like to see a picture of a real person on a cover because it sets an image in my mind of how they look and I like to picture the characters in a book in my own imagination, the way I think they look.
I chose to go with animated covers. I fear this makes my books look juvenile sometimes. I get comments about my covers all the time. In particular, for Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle. Some people LOVE them and some people HATE them! You can't please everyone, all you can do is please yourself!
In the end, that's what I decided to do. Every single person I asked for advice about my covers gave me a different opinion. I realized that I needed to make the decision. I wanted eye catching covers and I felt the animated images were definitely eye catching! Also, I write clean romance and if my covers look different, then I felt that they spoke to the content inside. They are different from your average romance novel.
That being said, I'm still on the fence with my cover for Joshua's Folly. To be honest, I LOVE the old cover. I LOVE the new cover too, but I LOVE the old cover a little more. The problem is that now that I've gone with animated covers, I feel like all of my covers should match and be animated. Keep with the theme!
Tell me what you think!
The old cover:
The new cover:
Now that I look at them side by side, I realize the new cover matches with my new Taylor Dean Books theme and it's the right choice. But, I'd still love to hear your opinion.
Makes me instantly think of the Beatles Album Yellow Sumarine, so seventies.
ReplyDeleteBut in a lovely way, like the silhouette of the girl and boy.
The old one is interesting, but:
I find the font choice is unfortunate, for one they clash with each other (IMO) and the font for the tile is just - I don't know, too familiar, looking to eBookish.
The picture is fun in a way, but in a rahter nondescript sort of way I'm afraid. I doesn't tell me much and neither does it really animate me to find out what the story's about.
So, yeah.
Great new cover. :)
Thanks so much for your input! My daughter does my covers for me and she does a great job! That's why the new one looks good! (and that's why the old one looks so bad--it was just me messing around on my computer)
DeleteI appreciate your opinion. Thanks!
I like the old one best. All of yours are animated and just one that is realistic would be nice. I think everything about the old one is great. I like the real look about it. I like the new one also but I like the old one better. Seeing as all of your books are animated covers would it hurt to have one that is a realistic look. I love it and I would go with it. But in the end it is your decision and you have to like what you are doing. But I do like the old one just a tad better though. It would catch my eye if I was looking for a book. But I would also take a look at the new one. There is just something about the older one that I love. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your opinion, Linda. It does make me stop and re-think! I always love hearing from you! I think I probably need to stay with the animated covers, (consistency) but I'm just not sure as of yet! Thanks for your help!
DeleteHi! My name is Rachel, I unfortunately had never come across your books before today. I found your site on the Kindle giveaway and I LOVE your animated covers. If I am being honest, I like the new cover better. The old one reminds me of a free Kindle book (not that there is anything at all wrong with that, I download free books constantly) and I think the new one looks very professionally done. The other thing about the old cover is that to me it implies that it is a totally different type of book than what you normally right since, as you said, it's not consistent. Besides all of that, I just like the new cover - just a feeling it gives me, I guess. Your daughter is very good at what she does. All of your covers make me want to pick up a copy, without even knowing what they are about, and start reading them right now. However, I am kinda stuck with free books right now due to my current circumstances. If I am ever in a place to be able to buy books again, I promise some of the first ones I buy will be yours. I am not into the steamy stuff at all and good, clean romance is hard to find. I truly look forward to being able to read your novels someday!
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel! Thank you so much for your comment. I LOVE to hear from readers! I'd LOVE to send you a free ebook. Just choose which book you'd like to read, and send me an email at taylordeanbooks[at]gmail[dot]com. All I ask in return is a review on Goodreads and Amazon! When a reader expresses a great desire to read my books and also expresses a love for clean romance, I can't help but respond! I'm glad you like the new cover for Joshua's Folly! I look forward to hearing from you!
DeleteThis is so funny (not really haha funny) but I just went on Goodreads to add your book "I Have People" and after I put it on my "Want to read" list, I clicked on your author name and I already had Sierra and The Middle Aisle on my "To read" list from when I entered and lost your Firstreads giveaways for those books! I just thought that was kinda funny. Anyway, I just had to stop back by to say that. Thanks!
DeleteWow that is so generous, thank you! After I get my daughter fed and bathed I will decide which one and send you an e-mail! Thank you so much!
DeleteThat is really funny, Rachel! It's the wonderful thing about Goodreads; you always have a list of what you want to read and you don't have to remember it! So glad the Giveaways caught your eye!
DeleteI love the new one! Super cute and I would be more likely to reach for a book with that kind of cover on it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maddie! I'm so glad to hear that! The feedback helps me tremendously! Great to hear from you! Hope you're doing well! Miss you!
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