Wednesday, December 27, 2006

The Worst Covers




Some covers will go on the wall of shame with the caption, "what was the art department smoking?" There are a couple that always come to mind. Suzanne Brockmann took this cover really well, dubbing this hero The Pillsbury Dough Boy and offering a cover fix-it kit consisting of a smiley face sticker.


Another I remember had a mostly naked guy in the jungle pictured with a monkey on his shoulder. I may have kept that one somewhere. If anyone knows what that book was, please let me know so I can look for it. If you have any nominees for worst covers of all time, please post titles here and I will find them to share with everyone.





And yes, I do consider this reissue of one of my books a contestant for the wall of shame. Featuring the chubby-cheeked dork in the way-too-big ten gallon Photo-Shopped hat.

14 comments:

  1. Those covers aren't bad-- I have seen worse.:) Just think The Lawman's Bride will be in our hands soon-- it is available for preorder at Amazon and BN!!!! WOOHOO- can't wait for it Cheryl!

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  2. I'm thinking I need to get a few early copies out there in readerland. Drawing?

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  3. Katrina? Did you get your box?

    I don't think those covers are bad either.

    Drawing!? YES PLEASE!

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  4. Those aren't too bad...although I have to wonder what they were thinking with the Brockman cover?

    They have a contest on some site each year for Worst cover of the year.

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  5. Cheryl, YES please on a drawing!!
    Thanks, Katrina, for turning her thoughts in that direction.

    Jennifer, when you find the site, let us know.

    I'm reading a series of 7 books by Mary Balogh that have no people or even landscape on them on them, just different vivid color and same font for title and her name. With a 10 day (unpaid :( ! ) break from school, I'm on #4

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  6. Cheryl, I'm trying to sort my books too when not entertaining & feeding my Dad & college son so will be on the lookout for the jungle guy. David is Navy ROTC, 6'2" & 162, NOT a chubby-cheeker like this tubby.

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  7. http://covercafe.com/index.html


    This site gives the best and worst covers of 2005. You can click on each category to see the nominees.

    Some of the bad ones aren't too bad, but some definitely leave you scratching your head. The funny thing is that I recently saw a CD with the exact same cover that Hot Spot by Susan Johnson had.

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  8. Thanks for point us to those, Jennifer. I might have missed them! I did love the historical favorites, but got a laugh over the worst cover comments. Readers are so savvy!

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  9. I have to agree with you cheryl but I think Suzanne's cover is much worse than yours!

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  10. I have this Finnish Harlequin book here and the cover isn't too bad, but let's just say that you are not supposed to wear your wedding ring in your middle finger!

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  11. Unfortunately I don't have a scanner, but I did find the picture. Unfortunately you can't see the ring very clearly in this picture, but at least you'll know in which book this cover was used:
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beauty-Blue-Angel-Silhouette-Desire/dp/0373765142

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  12. oh i have seen much worse covers. the ones of john anselmo with a long black wig to make him look like an indian on many covers. i have a cover that the heroine has 3 arms on her.
    hazel

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  13. Hazel! You made it! Good for you! You will love the blogger buddies.

    Please, can you scan the three arm cover - or tell me the title so I could find it online?

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