I have posted once or twice *g* about contemporary covers on historical novels. So this will be an easy contest… give me your thoughts on dressing up historicals in contemporary clothing.
Or tell us about a book you bought expecting a contemp and getting history. Did you like it? Did you put it aside for another day? If it upset you what did you do? Throw it? Return it?
OR just cuz I am such an easy girl, give us a title of a historical with a contemporary cover.
Post until Sunday June 10 @ midnight CST. The winner will win a brand spanking new copy of TO LOVE A SCOUNDREL by Kristina Cook. Donated to the blog by Kensington aka the book is not signed.
But!!!! If you want to wait until after RWA in Dallas, Kristina has oh so nicely agreed to sign it for the winner. Good Luck! (hell I just gave you three answers right there *g*)
I like the contemporary covers for historical novels. Reading the back tells me its historical and the front looks cooler to me than the usual historical covers. Example of a historical with a contemp cover – Lord Sin by Kalen Hughes.
Dressing up historicals in contemporary clothing would be confusing, but I tend to read back blurb and a couple of pages of the book before I buy. Therefore, I would be aware it is historical before I pay.
What, can’t they find enough contemporary stories for those covers? LOL. Just goes to show, don’t buy a book solely by the cover, which I never do, always read the back blurb and some of the inside to be sure what it’s about and something of interest to me.
I wonder if it’s because of the current craze of “sex sells” – show as much skin as possible, forget the genre! LOL
I’m a traditionalist. Match the cover to the era. I don’t mind a “more contemporary” look- as in, not an old school bodice ripper cover. I think lovely things can be done-sexy things can be done-and still have the right era expressed.
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten home with the wrong thing, but since I read both historicals and contemps, I’m guessing I would put it in the TBR room.
As long as I’m opinionating (ha!) I HATE cartoon covers on any type of book.
The original cover of Julie Garwood’s The Bride showed Jaime in a very modern looking white, wedding gown. Of course, in the book, she actually wears a black dress to get married in!
Comment by Laura
Made June 10th, 2007 at 12:47 am
-snip-
“As long as I’m opinionating (ha!) I HATE cartoon covers on any type of book.”
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Just a response to Laura’s comment – I don’t mind the cartoon covers, but I despise the obviously computer generated ones. I have noticed a lot of ebooks seem to have these.
I think it’s a little confusing when historicals have contemporary covers. I’d prefer that the cover reflect the type of story. I pretty much know what I’m going to buy before I go to the store, so I wouldn’t be disappointed and I don’t buy by the cover. I’m a fan of both genres so if I picked it up to read and was in the mood for a contemporary, I’d just put it back on the shelf for the following week.
I am annoyed if the cover does not match the story. I hate when they talk about the hero’s long blond hair and the cover has a guy with black hair. Genre-wise, I have only been fooled once, but I had not bought it. But off hand I cannot remember the name of it.