We all know this is the first #IWSG Wednesday and now this is the first time I’m going to show off the cover of my new book, Shattered: A Story of Betrayal and Courage. I’m giggling, so it’s good there’s no audio accompanying this post.
I fell in love with this artwork. If you notice in the upper left, there’s a hidden image and it’s just subtle enough to be foreboding, but not eerie. Something’s going to happen in this book, and it has to do with that image and the girl in profile.
Since I’m fascinated with book covers, I’ve read some articles about what makes a good book cover. Here’s a quick list of what I found.
A book cover should
- grab people’s interest on a first look
- make people curious
- relay information about the book so that potential readers will open it and see what’s inside
- focus on one main idea and not put in every little detail
- appeal to the readers the book’s intended for
- be unique AND OF COURSE
- encourage potential readers to buy the book
I think this one meets the criteria, but I’m really close to this project, so give me your opinion.
And now for the monthly #IWSG post
October 6 question – In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language?
The awesome co-hosts for the October 6 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pitt, J Lenni Dorner, Cathrina Constantine, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Mary Aalgaard!
This is an interesting question, and I think it’s a tricky one to answer. My first thought when I read it was “I won’t write about anything that I’d be ashamed to put my name on.” But maybe that’s too vague. That doesn’t mean I’d avoid edgy topics–in fact, I’ve done the opposite; it just means that if I do tackle a topic that’s controversial or taboo, it has to be for a very good reason–perhaps to open that topic for discussion and expose it for what it is. Sometimes exploring the darker side of things in our world can help to weaken or even eliminate it.
Since I write a lot for teens, I’ve chosen to write about things that they’re experiencing and having to deal with: loss of a parent, abuse, cutting, injustice, homophobia. If they see a character navigating these treacherous waters, perhaps they’ll recognize that others are going through similar difficulties, and that will give them hope of managing to do so as well.
As to language, anything that legitimately tells a story so that it sticks with the reader is okay with me; however, that definitely doesn’t mean I’m up for gratuitous swearing. That turns me off in any storytelling medium. Again, because of the category of fiction that I write, I choose to stick with cleaner language and find better ways to develop “skanky” characters. Their behavior is often the most vivid way to show the reader their true nature.
I’ve answered this question on the IWSG Blog Post today, but with a different angle. Hope you’ll stop by and check it out. This question should produce some interesting answers for October, so visit the blogs and read what our members think.
Quote of the Month: “Some people say, ‘Do not judge the book by its cover!’ People can say anything they want to say, but for me, the cover does matter.”
― Toba Beta, syfy writer from Indonesia
Toi Thomas says
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Congrats on your reveal. It is a cool book cover.
I like your points about drawing the line. Good quote too.
Christine Rains says
Fantastic cover! It’s definitely eye-catching. I agree with you about the edgy topics, and how it is important to develop characters in ways that aren’t so blatant like excessive swearing.
Stephanie@Fairday's Blog says
Awesome cover! It really does catch the reader’s eye and makes us think about the story and what it is about. The hidden image builds curiosity too. Great job! You must be so excited. 🙂
Bookworm says
Congratulations on the book cover, it’s eye-catching and I like the font. I try not to judge a book by it’s cover but I feel like the cover is art important.
Interesting question for the writer’s group as well. Happy reading this week.
Victoria M. Lees says
What an intriguing cover, Lee. Seriously, I’d be curious enough to read the whole story. I believe the cover fits the title and the blurb. Bravo!
Patrick Hatt says
Ashamed to put name on it? Pffft too crazy to be ashamed here haha
Great cover too!
Diane Weidenbenner says
I love the proposed cover for your new book. Thanks for the check list as well. It will be helpful should I ever become published. Your blogs are always encouraging to me. Thank you for your participation in the IWSG. It keeps me going and I appreciate your time and energy.
Michael Di Gesu says
Hi Lee,
Love the cover, especially the image. I agree with you, too. MY second novel is about a taboo subject and yes, they are definitely needed so teens realize they are not alone in this tragic or intense situations. Looking forward to reading it! Congrats again!
JQ Rose says
That cover is powerful and creates curiosity about the story inside. And yes, you do take on tough topics in your books. Don’t stop. Great books for teens. Looking forward to reading Shattered!
Jeff says
That’s an amazing cover! As for language, I think people trying to write edgy stories who overuse crude language are being lazy. That said, at times it is needed. I can’t image writing convincingly about grunts in a war without such language. I mean, when I hit my thumb hard with a hammer, I probably won’t say, “that was painful.”
diedre says
Fabulous cover!
Sarah Foster says
Congrats on the cover! It’s gorgeous!
Mary Aalgaard says
Great answer to the question. I agree. Some topics are tricky, but get educated on them. Also, AWESOME cover! Can’t wait to read it.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Hi Mary! Thanks for taking the time to read my post and for commenting.
Abby Harding says
“Sometimes exploring the darker side of things in our world can help to weaken or even eliminate it.”
Yes! This, 100%. Sometimes the icky has to be told, because it’s the truth, and because naming it takes away a little of its power. (Like Rumpelstiltskin, haha! 😂)
C. Lee McKenzie says
Oh, yes. Peel away that darkness and let in the light. Thanks for such a great comment!
Kathy says
The cover is GORGEOUS!!!
Great answer to the question! I’m realizing I took a very limited scope of it in my answer and only thought about sexual content and swearing not about edgy and difficult topics. I definitely would tackle real life difficult topics but I don’t think I could write gory violence or explicit sex scenes.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Answering these questions is always interesting. After I write and publish mine, I think of all the other ways I could have written my response. Too much to include in a single post. I love that we get to sample so many other people’s answers and stimulate our brains with their take.
Glad you like the cover, Kathy.
Yvonne V says
LOVE the cover, Lee! So exciting.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Hey! My favorite YA writer and good friend. Thanks for chiming in.
Liz A. says
That is a great cover. Congrats.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thank you, Liz. Your opinion is most welcome and appreciated.
Diane Burton says
What an awesome cover! I like both your answers. When we write for the YA audience, we have a responsibility to be careful. Not preachy.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I’m so glad you mentioned the “preachy” part of all this. That is truly important. I’m glad the cover was good for you.
Bish Denham says
Wow, Lee! Great cover!!!
I believe I’ve read all of your books (in one form or another) so I think I can say you tackle difficult topics with grace and sometimes even humor and without getting down in the sewer.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I have shared a lot of writing with you. You’ve held up admirably. 🙂 Glad you like the cover. That’s important to me.
L. Diane Wolfe says
That is a gorgeous cover.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thanks, Diane!
Carol Kilgore says
LOVE your cover! The cover isn’t the only thing I use to decide if I want to buy the book, but it is the first thing I look at. I like your answer to this month’s question. Everything within the story has to fit the story.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I do gravitate toward “good” covers, but, like you, I read a bit before I make my decision. Thanks for reading the post, Carol!
Natalie Aguirre says
I agree that you have to watch your language when writing for teens and younger kids. I love your cover! It’s intriguing and really gets me wondering what your story is about. Congrats!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Keeping the language and the action appropriate, yet interesting is one of the biggest challenges when writing for young readers. Glad the cover intrigues.
Sandra Cox says
That cover is stunning. A definite thumbs up.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Great! Thanks for letting me know.
Jemima Pett says
Ooh, that’s a beautiful cover! So stylish, so moody!
I’d be loving it and caressing it for hours if it was my book 🙂
I think the language etc is all about whether it’s gratuitous or not. And if it is, and it gets in the way of the story, I quit.
Jemima
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thank you, Jemima. It seems we both are walking around hugging books these days. Another congratulations on your latest!
I’ve been known to quit books for that very reason.
Olga Godim says
Wonderful cover. It sets the edgy mood before the reader even opens the book.
C. Lee McKenzie says
The artist must have listened. He/She got it on the first try.
Sonia dogra says
Sometimes exploring the darker side of things in our world can help to weaken or even eliminate it.
Makes so much sense!
Great cover Lee. Best wishes!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Shed some light where there’s darkness and watch what happens.
Anna says
The cover is awesome. I don’t blame you for being proud. I know I would be.
In regard to topics, I think shame and blame are something young people feel deeply. Anything that can address it and ease their suffering is okay with me.
Anna from elements of emaginette
C. Lee McKenzie says
You’re so right. As teens we internalize so much and if there are stories that show others are experiencing that same thing, it might help someone get through some of those growing pains. Hope so.
Sherry Ann Ellis says
That is such a cool cover! I love the hidden image. You might miss it if you’re not looking closely.
C. Lee McKenzie says
It will be interesting to see how readers relate to that obscure image.
Lee Lowery says
Fabulous cover! And I do think cover art is important.
I’m with you on the gratuitous swearing. I think it says something about the quality of a writer’s work when we can set a tone or character without constantly resorting to vulgar/crass language.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Yes. There are so many interesting ways to capture characters. This has been an interesting question this month.
Thomas Anderson says
Hi, Cheryl-Lee!
Your cover is firing on all cylinders, dear friend. In the early 1980s, as I prepared for the second phase of my career, that of a TV entertainment producer and director, I studied the art and techniques used by directors of big budget music videos that were popular on MTV at the time. Scenes of glass shattering in slow motion were often used to illustrate someone’s life erupting and unraveling. Those accomplished directors knew there is a certain beauty in chaos. Water spilling and splashing in slo-mo was another familiar sight for the same reason. At times, the two were combined. A large glass pitcher filled with water was shown dropping to the floor and shattering, sending shards and ribbons of water outward from ground zero. In the 1983 film Flashdance, a large quantity of water falls upon a dancer, exploding from her face and body and spraying in every direction in a stunning back-lit moment on screen. I bring all of this trivia into my comment because these techniques have been proven effective in arousing a viewer’s interest and stirring their emotions. Your cover is equally compelling. It catches the eye. It has beauty and artistic merit, even though the flying bits of glass illustrate upheaval in the young woman’s life. I love the dark, dramatic profile composition with its subtle, almost monochromatic color scheme. Everyone judges a book by its cover, and rightfully so. The way I look at it, if the author is smart enough to get the cover right, chances are very good that what’s on the inside will also be of high quality and worth the investment of time and money.
I like how you write about real issues facing teens. That often requires you to go dark and reveal ugly truths to keep it real, but your young readers expect nothing less. They won’t buy a book if they suspect you don’t feel them or that you are sugar coating their reality.
Congratulations on green lighting a winning cover that will surely pop in the marketplace and generate buzz. Have a wonderful month, dear friend Cheryl-Lee!
C. Lee McKenzie says
This was a brilliant comment on so many fronts, Shady. I didn’t realize or remember the significance of the shattering ice or the splashing of water, but I do remember the excitement in Flashdance now that you remind me. You’ve validated this cover!
I may sneak back to your place this afternoon and listen to more of those foot-tapping songs! Elvis can’t be topped, can he?
Elephants Child says
I really, really like your cover.
Gratuitous and explicit violence will cause me to walk away. Gratuitous anything really. Either it belongs or it is a lazy attempt to entice readers.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Absolutely. Whatever is in a story must deepen, enhance, advance. Thanks, Sue and glad you like the cover.
H. R. Sinclair says
The cover is awesome! I saw the figure, very cool, adds intrigue.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Yay! The covers getting some good stars. Thanks, H.R.
Jacqui says
I too love the cover. I missed the image in the corner but you’re right–it’s subtle but intriguing. Best of luck with this book!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I admit to missing that corner image the first time around. Thanks for good luck wishes. I’m storing those up.
Carrie-Anne says
Your cover is awesome! I love the color palette and the mood it evokes. The book cover trend I most dislike is the headless person, particularly if it’s a headless, hairless bare chest, and even more so if it includes a crotch shot. Why is that supposed to make me want to read the book or think it’s an original story?
C. Lee McKenzie says
Laughing here, Carrie-Anne. I couldn’t agree with you more on that one.
Hilary Melton-Butcher says
Hi Lee – I hope my comment went through … it was positive! Cheers H
Hilary Melton-Butcher says
Hi Lee – love the cover … that’s so brilliant – definitely a keeper! I like simple language – but do understand other things happen … take care and excellent news re your book – cheers Hilary
C. Lee McKenzie says
Got both your comments, Hilary. I’ve been having the same problem on other blogs today. I think Mercury’s in retrograde or something, so mechanical difficulties are to be expected. I guess those difficulties have spilled over into the tech side of things.
I’m so pleased you love the cover.
Patricia Josephine says
That is a great cover. I love it. What’s funny about book covers is since I started dabbling in making some of my own and downloading fonts, I now recognize fonts and stock photos and where they might have come from.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I envy good designers. I wish I could do that job.
Tyrean says
Your book cover artwork is beautiful, haunting, and intriguing. It definitely draws the eyes in and has layers of intrigue. I’m impressed!
Congratulations on your book!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thanks so much, Tyrean. Let’s hope the story continues that intrigue.
Yvonne (@Fiction_Books) says
I really do try ‘not to judge a book by its cover’, but in today’s crowded marketplace that is becoming so much more difficult. A book needs to grab my attention and make me want to pick it up off the shelf to read the premise and only an eye-catching cover is going to do that! The cover of ‘Shattered’ really does tick all the boxes!
I didn’t think that anyone used the word ‘skanky’ these days, as when I do let it slip occasionally, I tend to get some very strange looks. I guess that somewhere, some group or other will have deemed it to be not PC!
A great post and Good Luck with the book 🙂
C. Lee McKenzie says
The compliment on the cover coming from an avid like yourself is wonderful. Thank you for it, and you’re so right about having to stand out from the crowd in any way possible.
As to “skanky”…I’ll have to experiment using it in a conversation and see the reaction I get. I’m scratching my head over how that could possibly become not PC. But then I think just anything is up for the Non-PC label these days. 🙂
Pat Garcia says
Hi,
I’m just going to address your cover. It is truly marvellous and the sense of suspense shines through the book cover. Great job.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thanks, Pat. The artist got this one on the first try. I was so happy.
Loni Townsend says
Great cover, Lee!
I’ve always thought you’ve tackled topics with care and understanding, coming out the other end with something that the reader can connect to.
C. Lee McKenzie says
That’s a great compliment, Loni. I appreciate it so much.
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
That is an awesome cover!
Swanky – such a cool word.
C. Lee McKenzie says
🙂
Jemi Fraser says
LOVE the cover! It’s eye-catching and intriguing – perfect!
It’s an intriguing question this month for sure!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I’ve been reading the other answers and find they are very similar. Loved your list. It was perfect.