Gee, I haven’t heard from Jennifer in a few days.  I wonder what she’s been up to?

BOOK COVER HELL!!!!

I finally finished my quick rewrite of my first book in The Purity of Blood series.  I want to do a relaunch for it and send it out to some reviewers.  That said, I want her spiffied up and ready to shine like the glorious masterpiece she is.   Sometimes you have to rip the band-aid off and toss out your stubborn notions.  I’ve been doing that these past few days which is what consigned me to Book Cover Hell, a place of torment and suffering for those who strive for nothing but perfection.

Why don’t you just hire someone to do your covers?

Well, in a perfect world, I could consign someone else to book cover hell, but alas, old Jennifer has a hard time letting go of control (and money) when it comes to covers.

So what’s the problem?

The problem is, I want a cover that will SELL BOOKS!  I know, I’m now on my way to writer hell for profaning my work with a cover that will …. help sell the book more than be a representation of the inner workings of my masterpiece.  This is where the tossing of my notions comes in.  When I designed the cover for this book (about two years ago) I had in mind to do the single item sort of cover (think Twilight and 50 shades book covers)  But in hindsight, I’m thinking that if you’re not a known author, that may not be the best way to go.

Sex Sells!

Yes, this is true, but true as it may be, I may profane my masterpiece with a cover that sells, but AS God AS MY WITNESS, A half-naked man (or woman) will never grace the cover of a Jennifer Geoghan novel.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a half-naked man as much as the next red-blooded American gal, but let’s face it, they don’t exactly scream good literature.  My books may be romance inspired novels, but I do my best to create artful literature as well.

So whatch gonna do now?

I’m glad you asked.  I … dropped the lion.  God, it was soooo hard.  I really love my lion.  It has real meaning in the novel too.  Not only that … I dropped the DNA strand.  Gees …. I’m dying here.  Someone open a window, I think I’m getting the vapers.   Yes, the lion and the DNA strand were the band-aids I ripped off like a virgin running out of a whorehouse.

So what evolved out of my weekend in book cover hell.  This:

Why the red hair?  My protagonist, Sara, has a flaming head of red hair.  It’s also feminine and lends towards a bit more of an air of romance than my trusty old lion.  For comparison’s sake, here’ what I’m currently using as a cover:

So, what do you think????  Will my new cover attract more sales?

Thoughts?  Predictions?  Let’s hear em’!!

-Jennifer

Jennifer Geoghan, Author of The Purity of Blood novels and If Love is a Lie: Finding and Losing Love Online.