Pick Up

30-day Challenge from Supposed Crimes Day 3: What makes you pick up a book?

This is quick hits list, and then I’ll post a gallery of some of the books that caught my attention where I considered these elements well done:

In the bookstore I look for:

A cover that stands out just a bit from the rest of the same genre, but not drastically
Elements, character types of that genre I would like to read about
With a title that hints at an interesting story question
A blurb on the back that actually expresses the basic elements of the plot: main character, main conflict/question, main setting

In ebooks, I don’t rely on the cover because I often find it’s too small to view clearly. Most of the time I don’t get to see the cover anyway when I’m reading in my ereader apps. But the others in the list, I absolutely need before I’ll download the sample to read, and certainly before I buy.

I don’t like books with titles that scream their genre “The lesbian in the office” or subtitle with their genre, “a F/F erotic romance”. That may be a thing for Zon’s search engines or for the ‘bot recommendations, but it screams “cheap marketing trick” and even cheaper writing. Give me a “normal” title, please. Put some creative thought into it. The genre information goes in the tags. Make the unique elements clear in the blurb.

I also pass over the covers with just words on a single color or “braced” with two tones above and below a central image. The cartoonish ones popular with YA and chick lit are a turn-off. I prefer photographs or images that evoke ambiance or setting. Also, probably contrary to many readers of romance, I’m not a fan of the bodice-ripper cover or the bare chested grope. There’s no bared bods on my covers and I don’t intend for there to ever be.

~ Lara

here’s some covers that caught my attention…