This is part 1 of 2 on covers.

Covers are a source of joy and angst amongst authors. Initially for me it was definitely the latter. Every time I got a spec sheet to fill out, anxiety levels rose high. What if I got it wrong? Would the book stop selling? Would I appear on those lists of hated covers?

I know, I know. I was over-estimating my own importance. However I did learn a valuable lesson. If you (the author) don’t like the cover, you are going to have to live with it for a very long time. However when you have the artistic and visual flare that I have, i.e. none, covers are difficult. Let me highlight some of the issues.

Describe your main characters. 

In the early days that was easy. Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki. What do you mean I can’t have pictures of them on my covers? I’m sure the cover artists (actually mainly the lovely Reese Dante) were rolling their eyes. “I’ve got to find a 6ft 1″ and 6ft large number of inches depending where you read alternatives? From the stock photos? Are you kidding me?”

Here are some of my ‘non’ Jensen and Jared covers.

Then, as time moved on, I started to get a wee bit more adventurous with my pairings. Liam and Sam from The Isle of… Where? weren’t based on Jensen and Jared at all. One yummy model and another yummy actor. Yet I can’t help feeling… Perhaps I have a type.

One of my main problems is that since the J2 days I don’t ‘see’ my characters. I ‘feel’ them. So asking me what they look makes me go ‘eeeeek’. I have no idea what eye colour the MC is, or what their hair looks like. It was much easier when it was Jensen and Jared.

Describe the mood of the story

Angst, angst and more angst?

As I’ve got more experience I’ve realised I love simple covers the most (less to cock up). This is still amongst my favourites.

I saw this photo from talented Joem Bayawa and wanted it as mine. In this instance he and the model were playing with different moods. It fitted my paranormal story perfectly.

The Sky is Dead is my only illustrated cover but again it is simple and for the my visualisation of my characters, just perfect.

And finally, I never thought I’d get two wonderful covers, so different but so right, for the same book. But I was very lucky.

I guess happy shiny people aren’t really my thing. But I love these covers and I don’t grit my teeth every time I see them either,