The Joy of a Great Cover


Here in writing land, it's been a rather harrowing week, but not without its blessings.

Chief among them is the fact that I'll about ready to send in the manuscript of THE SALT MAIDEN (Love Spell, Dec. 2007), a book I've loved working on. Also, I received via e-mail both the lovely (and decidedly creepy) cover art and the back cover copy, which once again proves that my editor has a real genius for encapsulating a story in a manner sure to entice readers.

The cover art can make or break a book. Along with the title, it often what compels a reader to pick up your novel from among its competitors, but the back cover (or cover flap) book description, in my opinion, is what really seals the deal. Most people don't realize it, but very few authors control their own cover art or write their cover copy (since it's a highly-specialized form, more like advertising copy than writing a novel). Titles, too, are often changed, and other than squawk and suggest alternatives, there's not much most authors (unless you're, say, J.K. Rowling) can do about it. So getting to keep my own title, getting pretty much exactly (only better) what I suggested for the cover, and ending up with copy I love is like hitting the Trifecta. It's a victory that keeps me rolling past the speed bumps this job has to offer.

In case you're curious, here's that copy:

THE SALT MAIDEN

Deep beneath the desert lies a woman’s body, mummified by salt, abandoned by those who ought to seek her. With her rests a secret that someone will kill to keep buried.

Devil’s Claw

It’s a barren wasteland, the dead center of nowhere, and the last place Dana Vanover wants to be. But it’s also the last known address of her missing sister. Determined to locate Angie, Dana won’t be deterred by suspicious rednecks, snakebite, or even the grim prognosis of Sheriff Jay Eversole: no woman could survive more than a week alone in the burning heat of Rimrock County . But the endless sands aren’t the only thing hotter than the chili served up in the Broken Spur cafĂ©. Despite small-town dirty politics, a deadly car chase and a dangerous paternity search, Dana and Jay can’t keep their hands off each other. In the least populated area of the country they’ve managed to find love. Now all they have to do is stay alive long enough to uncover…

The Salt Maiden


Comments

Joni Rodgers said…
Gorgeous cover. And a great manuscript. A very good feeling about this one...
Anonymous said…
You just keep grabbing me in, Colleen!! The blurb sounded great,but the cover is AWESOME! I'll have a hard time waiting 'til December..... why do you do this to me?!?! LOL!
Thanks, Joni & Ingrid!

And Ingrid... sorry about the torture, but I'm a suspense writer. I can't help myself. VBG!
lady macleod said…
Well done. Great cover, I would pick it up. Good luck.
Thanks for stopping by, Lady Macleod, and thanks for the kind words on THE SALT MAIDEN's cover!