Do you find you are drawn to erotica and romance covers that leave more or less to the imagination?
Cick on image to purchase via Amazon.
I certainly find clever covers like that pictured above for Inspector Grape and the Curious Case of the Killer Corset by Nobilis Reed more appealing than ones that fall into clichéd displays of body parts or damsels in distress wrapped in the arms of some Fabio bookcover wannabe. I’ve posted on fewer than ten cool book covers thus far, and here I am including another erotica cover. Like all great book designs, the irresistible elements override the small part of readers that may harbor qualms over reading such literature.
From the old-fashioned font with the picture of the proper-looking inspector up top, to the sepia tone of the photograph, this cover entices. Besides, what can be more inviting than the promise of some killer corset sex action? Mostly, the cover succeeds due to the promise of release. What sort of shenanigans will transpire once that tightly laced corset comes off?
Book Description Via Amazon
The Elder Miss Trunkle is dead, killed by a freak corset accident. Or was she? The Younger Miss Trunkle stands to inherit a sizable estate, and Inspector Grape is suspicious. The game is a foot! Or…more likely some other body part.
Are you interested enough to put it on your wish list? I’ve downloaded the book and am set to give it a quick read this coming weekend. When I contacted the author about featuring his cover, he admitted Inspector Grape is one of his weirder ones, so I’ve been forewarned. I’m also looking forward to reading his humorous approach. In addition to erotica, Nobilis Reed also writes science fiction and fantasy.
You can connect with Nobilis on his website and blog, Twitter, Google+, and Goodreads.
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This book cover is interesting, but not enough to draw me in and buy it. I think the corset being as large as it is doesn’t do much for me. I went to the Amazon site to read a sample and it doesn’t offer any of the author’s writing, so I wouldn’t buy it for that reason alone.
Do I sound mean and cranky? Well I’m not. I’m just tired and pick about the abundance of books I have read and were bad. I’m becoming more and more leery of what I choose to read.
Denise Baer recently posted..Featured Urban Fantasy Author – Yannis Karatsioris
I often feel the same, and my pickiness and crankiness factor goes up when I get review requests and can tell from the first paragraph that the book is poorly written. I had the same issue with the travel essay I put on Kindle. It’s only 14 pages, so all of the front matter ate up the space the reader could view in the sample. I’ve now realized that is why I see eBooks with the TOC and front matter in the back. It leaves more room for potentional readers to read the sample. Nobilis’ story was pretty well-written, and the plot wasn’t overly sexual, just odd.
I’m with you about the pickiness and crankiness. I had setup to book review swaps with some authors on Goodreads. I had to contact them and decline because I couldn’t finish the books or give them 3 or more star ratings.
I actually never saw that before with a sample. I thought Amazon grabbed random pages to sample, not consecutive pages.
Denise Baer recently posted..Featured Urban Fantasy Author – Yannis Karatsioris
OK Maybe my tastes differ slightly here because I do not find that cover enticing at all. Ah well….
Geek Girl recently posted..The One Year Rule
Oh well, they can’t all be winners in everybody’s eyes. Maybe I just have a thing for corsets
The cover certainly does get your attention. I do enjoy a who don-it (especially mixed with some humor) every now and then. This may be worth taking a closer up.
Susan Cooper recently posted..Making Powdered Milk Taste As Good As Fresh Milk: Recipe
Nobilis has some serious writing chops!
I’ll get in there right away and make sure the site is offering a preview. It ought to be, I try to set them on all of my titles.
But I have to admit, I’m sitting here cringing. That story was written as something of a dare… sort of.
Ugh! I can’t change how much they choose to show on the preview. It’s a short story, so they only give you a tiny bit… which only ends up being the front matter.
Sorry folks… nothing I can do.
I wonder what the length of a document needs to be so at least a page or two of a short work will show? Anyway, I can vouch that’s it’s an entertaining little read.
They say you can’t judge a book by its cover — so I’ll be interested to know how you liked the content.
Jeannette Paladino recently posted..You’re Not the Only One Who Hates to Register for a Website
We do live in a “books ARE judged by their covers” world and I’m often surprised at how little thought seems to be put into some cover.
I like this one!
Candy Korman recently posted..Halloween is Almost Here!
Hi Jeri: Yes, they certainly say that a good cover will sell books and get your book in the hands of (or in front of the eyes of in the case if e-books) more readers.
That’s why I’m really going to be sure to get the right cover for my chocolate book. I believed the publisher made an error in judgement when choosing the cover for my last book, so I’m self-publishing this time and want to be sure to have just the right look. In today’s world of short attention spans, it’s important!
Doreen Pendgracs recently posted..Winnipeg’s artisanal chocolatier
I’m making my own covers for my short collections, but will definitely be seeking professional services when it’s time to make a cover for my novel. I can’t wait to see (and read) your chocolate book!
Although it can bite in the end, many times an interesting cover can be the first thing to draw me into the writings of someone new (to me). For writers I know I like the cover tends to be almost meaningless, the effect of familiarity. With that said, based on this cover alone I would at least check this one out. (but then my current reading list is so long that I rarely have room to explore something outside the list).
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The TBR list just never seems to get smaller
Thanks for stopping by.
Agree with Jeannette that you cannot judge the book by it’s cover. Having said that though I do believe this particular cover will sell. Let us know what you think of the plot and if you recommend it.
Personally alternate between intellectual books and bestsellers like Ludlum or Baldacci. Am currently reading Benjamin Franklins biography. That’s not something you read at school in Sweden so I thought it would be interesting.
Catarina recently posted..“Fiscal Cliff” drama: Wall Street invading Washington and US homes
The plot involves magic creams that make someone attractive in all the right places… It was a clever and entertaining short story mystery and I would consider more of Nobilis’ work based on Inspector Grape. I had to read Franklin’s autobiography in college. His approach to life is one a person in any day and age could learn from.
More than anything, I find traditional romance covers just sort of…embarrassing to be seen with. That’s the main reason I’ve only read one traditional romance book in my entire life!
Adrienne recently posted..Music Monday: I Got The Music In Me!
Yeah, there’s just something so desperate to many romance covers that just doesn’t compute with me either.