Fiction Writing and Other Oddities

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Would you buy this book?

Book covers and cover art are so important! When I walk into a bookstore or even browse online, the first thing that catches my eye is the bookcover. It's what makes me pick up a book and read the blurb. And then read the first paragraph. And then buy the book.

Without a good cover, chances are that most readers will never bother to read the blurb unless it's an author they know and love already.

So I'm very, very interested in what draws in a reader. I've got a historical mystery coming out in the next couple of months, so I'm particularly interested in covers at the moment.

What do you think of this cover?
It's for a historical mystery set in 1815 and features a spiritualist accused of murder.


In 1815, an inquiry agent, Mr. Knighton Gaunt, is asked by Lord Crowley to attend a seance with the express purpose of revealing the spiritualist as a fraud. The seance ends abruptly, however, and during the turmoil, Lord Crowley dies. Gaunt is left to investigate not only fraud, but murder. Suspicion turns first to the spiritualist, Miss Prudence Barnard, but as Gaunt digs deeper into the twisted history of the guests at Rosecrest, he discovers more deadly secrets.  Inevitably, long-time friends turn against one another as the tension mounts and Gaunt is challenged time and time again to separate fact from fiction.

What do you think of the cover?

What kinds of covers attract you? I'd love to read your comments and suggestions, so be sure to let me know!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Yes, I would pick up that book to read the blog on it. What caught my eye on that book.... the smoke from the candle. If it hadn't been for the smoke, I don't think it would have caught my attention... it would have just blended in with all of the other books on the shelves. Now, that I have read the blog, I would certainately read the book!!

Thank you,

Sandy Voyles Campbell

Amy said...

Thank you so much! That's very helpful to me. I agree about the smoke--that is what makes it interesting. At least to me.

Linda Kage said...

That book cover is what made me scroll down and read this blog too, so YES I would totally buy this book, if for no other reason than to have that cover in my library. I LOVE IT!!

Amy said...

Thank you Linda!
I'm so glad to hear that :)