This is always fun.
Every year I go there and sigh over all the beautiful and excellent covers.
Alternate Reality is always breathtaking. I get envious. The paranormal folks get the best covers. Why? Why? Why?
Then I head straight for the Worst Covers of the Year. Because there is great snark involved.
I sympathize with the authors, but I can't help myself.
Anyhow. Forbidden Rose is in the 'Two Cover' category which delights me because I think that is a beautiful cover.
The information given about artist is limited to -- Artist: Cover Art by Lott Reps; (They are here.) Cover photo by Shutterstock; Cover design by Springe Design Concepts LLC (Penguin Group, USA)
I love that stepback cover on TSL.
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| Stepback by Judy York |
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| mass market cover by Judy York |
Alan Ayers, here, did the trade Spymaster's Lady cover. Judy York, here, did the mass market Spymaster's Lady.
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| The Alan Ayers trade cover |
I hadn't known about this before! Just voted. It was fun seeing all the different covers. I nearly spit out my tea on the Worst cover category. Some of them are lewd, some are ugly and some are just plain weird. I hope that never happens to me.
ReplyDeleteYou don't know this contest?
ReplyDeleteOh. Oh. Go back and look at former years. It is a Great Treat.
I just did!
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it but all the worst cover winners look like self published books. Note to self - if you self-publish, Get. A. Real. Artist.
I'm not a fan of the wedding related covers, actually. I like it better when cover images seem timeless, not related to one moment in a lifetime.
"Big Spankable Asses" (2007) ???!!!???
I'm not in favor of 'wedding dresses' in general. But this recent triology by Nora Roberts has just beautiful covers -- and those are three wedding dresses.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends entirely on the cover. Anne Gracie's latest book had the heroine in her bridal gown on the cover and it was just beautiful. Other covers have just been so-so. I really enjoyed the cover contest this year because I buy e-books and have just realized I was cheated out of the extra picture on the "two cover" books in this format. It was nice to see what I was missing!
ReplyDeleteOh yes. Accidental Bride. Beautiful cover. Though that's another of the 'scratch my head and wonder why' titles.
ReplyDeleteHistorically speaking, wedding dresses weren't necessarily white in 1800. I think they only started being customary after Queen Victoria was married in a white dress.
But that's just off the top of my head . .
Jo Bourne said "Historically speaking, wedding dresses weren't necessarily white in 1800. I think they only started being customary after Queen Victoria was married in a white dress."
ReplyDeleteYes, I think you are exactly right. In the case of the book cover I am sure it was an instance of "give the people what they expect" for a bridal gown. Most people browsing books probably don't know when the tradition of a white wedding gown began and would be confused or dismayed if the "Accidental Bride" didn't look like their idea of a bride.
I remember being so upset when reading the "Little House" books that Laura Ingalls Wilder married Almanzo in her serviceable new black gown. Even sensible Ma had quoted to her-
“Married in white, you will have chosen all right. Married in grey , you will go far away. Married in black, you will wish yourself back. Married in red, you’ll wish yourself dead. Married in blue, you will always be true. Married in pearl, you’ll live in a whirl. Married in green, ashamed to be seen, Married in yellow, ashamed of the fellow. Married in brown, you’ll live out of town. Married in pink, your spirits will sink.”
I think blue was popular for weddings for a while (probably because the it's one of the few colors the rhyme allows.)
Talking C16 to C18 -- and never having done any research on this -- I think green was considered unlucky. because green was the fairies' colour.
ReplyDeleteSomeday, if I have a chance, I'll do some research on this. Not now, though, when everyone is still hey-go-mad about weddings.
I had never seen this contest before. What fun! I voted in most categories except the Worst because I honestly could not pick just one. The one I kept leaning towards, though, was Coming Clean, with the couple stuffed into front-loading washer. Between that image and the title...cough.
ReplyDeleteBut then there was the BDSM cover; couldn't tell exactly what I was looking at there. And the nekkid guy with the silver hair. And...
well, like I said. Hard to choose. [g]
Did you go back and look at the Worst Cover winners for other years?
ReplyDeleteI have loved this contest for so long. I think this used to be part of AAR. Not sure whether it still is.
I get so worried about the folks on the Worst Covers. And yes . . . especially the ones trapped in the spin cycle.
THis blows my mind because Judy York is married to one of my art professors from college and I've met her and when we went to their house for a photo shoot for class, we got to meet her and she went into a little bit how she works.
ReplyDeleteShe's really cool.
I have corresponded with her briefly about the cover. She IS cool.
ReplyDeleteSee her here, incidentally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79j7pIopDGM&feature=player_embedded#at=10
In the Middle Ages, I believe green was considered the color of love. Funny how the fads change.
ReplyDeleteP.S. How do I find covers from previous contests? I looked all over that site and couldn't find a link.
ReplyDeleteHi Beth --
ReplyDeleteThe other contests are at:
http://www.covercafe.com/contest.shtml
Well worth browsing through if you have some spare time. The 'worst' covers are so funny to read, and the best covers -- some of them are just lovely.