The Evolution of a Cover

One of the perks (at least I think so) of being self-published is that you have complete control over your cover design. For me, this has definitely been a learn-as-you-go process over the past two years. To illustrate that, I thought I would share with you the four separate covers I've made for my very first novella, A Brooding Beauty, ending with the newest cover which I debuted on Facebook just last night! 

Prepare to cringe. I know I did. 

NUMBER ONE

I remember (embarrassingly enough) really liking this cover. I'm pretty sure I was the only one who did. It didn't last very long. By the time A Ravishing Redhead was released I'd discovered Big Stock Photo (where I now get all my stock images) and I was on to bigger and better things. Like...

NUMBER TWO

I really loved this model. Turns out so did everyone else and their brother. This image is very popular for self-published historical romances, which is why I quickly nixed it. 

NUMBER THREE

This cover has been used the longest (just over a year, I believe) and I picked it because of the model's expression: cold and a little haughty, just like Catherine. Still, trends change, and I didn't like how squished up all the font was. Which leads me to...

NUMBER FOUR

The newest cover! I am mildly obsessed with it, and I hope readers will like it as well. I kept the same stock image from the last cover and just tweaked it a little bit by playing around with centering and zoom. I want potential readers to see the title first, my name second, the actual woman third, and 'Wedded Women Quartet' last. 

I am happy to announce that ALL of my historical romance covers will be getting a similar facelift, which I hope will streamline things a bit so a reader glances at the cover and instantly says, 'Yep, that's a book by Jillian Eaton' (as if people know who I am... oh, I'm so funny). 

So what do you think? Yay? Nay? Sound off in the comments! 

cover real for a lascivious lady

The third novella in the Wedded Women Quartet, A Lascivious Lady, may not be coming out until August... But that doesn't mean the cover has to wait! *drum roll please*

I think it just may be my favorite of the quartet so far and it definitely fits Josephine to a tee. What do you think? What is your favorite Wedded Women cover?

[all images purchased from www.bigstockphoto.com]

It's raining... book covers!

I have two fancy smancy new book covers to show off this morning... just a little something sparkly and new to make your Tuesday that much better! The first you may have already seen, as I debuted it last week on the blog and Goodreads. That would be the cover for the second book in the Wedded Women Quartet, A Ravishing Redhead, coming to an Amazon near you on May 1st! 

 

Isn't she pretty? That's Margaret, the feisty redheaded heroine you will get to meet when ARR hits kindle. Personally I like to line up ABB (the first book in the series) and ARR side by side to get the full effect. Kind of like this:

  

I can't wait to see what all four covers look like when the quartet is finished! Very exciting. Now on to the big reveal... dun dun dun! As you know (if you read the blog or follow me on Goodreads) I will be releasing my first YA novel this May. I have been having MAJOR cover indecision, but... but... but then this happened and now I think I'm in love. 

 

It's everything I ever wanted for the cover of After Ever but never knew quite how to explain. Kind of like with my florist consultant for my wedding... I know what I want... I just can't tell her, so we had a lovely discussion about purple (PURPLE!) mason jars where upon I promised to bring in some pictures next time. But anyways. 

So those are my cover reveals of the day/week/month. Hope you enjoyed them!