Looking for a historical novel set in Paris around the WWII years?

If so, you have plenty to choose from. Most are set during the war, with some extending to just before or after.  These covers have a noticeable element in common, too.

The presentation: A quick journey through historical fiction covers and trends

For attendees at last weekend's Historical Novel Society conference who missed seeing the session on The Art of Book Cover Design for Historical Fiction, or for anyone else who's interested, here's a link to my part of the PowerPoint, which also includes my script (in the form of presentation notes).

Once you reach the linked page, click on Download to open the file.  It's 2 mb.

I don't usually work with a script, but since I was going first out of five and had a short time allotted to me, I practiced a few times to make sure it all fit.  Normally I'm used to giving hour-long presentations to students, so this helped.  Anyhow, enjoy!

The other four presenters were Jenny Quinlan of Historical Editorial (who talked about more trends and gave advice based on her cover design experience); Kris Waldherr (a novelist and designer who created beautiful covers for her own books and Sandra Gulland's ebooks, among others); Anna Michels of Sourcebooks (who provided an overview of the design process for Susan Higginbotham's upcoming novel Hanging Mary, including the covers that didn't make it); and Emily Victorson, publisher at Allium Press of Chicago (who showed how she uses period photographs and historical fonts to come up with their covers).

UPDATE, July 9th:  Jenny Quinlan's part of the presentation is now online at her blog.  It's a must-see if you're interested in cover design trends; she also provides insight into historical anachronisms.

A sidenote: while I was heading up the elevator at the conference hotel, another attendee saw my badge and speaker ribbon and asked what I was presenting about. I told her, and she asked me, "So, are you for or against headless women?"  This is the type of conference it was.  Everyone spoke the same language.

A historical fiction cover art matchup, US vs. UK

Two weeks ago, Becky at the excellent readers' advisory blog RA for All mentioned the side-by-side cover design analysis of popular novels in their US & UK editions from The Millions.  I posted the link on the Historical Novel Society's Facebook page, which has members from both countries.  There were many historical novels featured in the tournament, and much discussion ensued.  More than a few readers stated that none of the covers in the analysis appealed to them much or would prompt them to pick up the books.  I had to agree.

So I thought I might repeat the comparison idea but change the focus.  Rather than looking at the literary heavy-hitters of 2013, I'm including cover pairs for all historical novels I could find that (1) were published in either January or February and (2) had editions in both countries. Overall, compared to the books in The Millions piece, these designs are less avant-garde and more typical of the historical fiction genre, yet there are still some striking examples and some noticeable differences.  I'll provide my reactions below, but I'd love to hear which ones you prefer, and why.

In these examples, the US cover is on the left, the UK on the right.


The setting: Viking-age England.  These are nearly identical, aside from the zoomed-in approach in the UK edition, the fonts, and the placement of the author's name and book title.  I'm going with the UK edition here simply because, call me superficial, I like the font used for the author's name better.



The setting: Elizabethan England.  Having read The Tudor Conspiracy, I'm choosing the UK edition here, too; it gives a much better sense of the historical atmosphere and heightens the fact that this is a mystery-thriller.  It gets me curious about what's in the packet of letters the protagonist is walking away from.



The setting:  Georgian England.  The US version emphasizes the woman's-period-piece aspect, while the UK design, combined with the elegant font of the title, playfully hints at a woman's subtle act of disobedience.  I like it.



The setting: London, 1920s.  I'm not sure which I prefer, the original painting of the US edition, or the UK edition with its eye-catching colors and close-but-staggered placement of the title and author.  Even if the woman reminds me of the US edition of Tyringham Park, below.



Setting: the late 19th century, in Europe, America, and the South Seas.  For me, the US edition wins by a mile, not just because it features a representation of one of the title characters, but because it conveys both the brightness and shadows in the relationship between Robert Louis and Fanny Stevenson.  The tropical scene with its rainbow background doesn't work for me at all.



Setting: antebellum South Carolina.  Invention of Wings is the newest Oprah pick, so there's perhaps less need for an enticing cover to draw readers in. I find the US interpretation rather generic and self-helpy.  Its UK counterpart has some ornate flourishes to take up all of the (literal) white space, and the background colors don't entice me, but otherwise I like it for its visual interpretation of the novel's plot, setting, and themes.



Setting:  pre-WWI England.  The woman on the US cover has a look of Lady Mary from Downton, doesn't she?  The attempted tie-in with the TV series is obvious, but it's also thoughtful and elegant in how it conveys the era.  It makes for a gorgeous package.  The UK cover just says "women's fiction" to me, but since I haven't read the novel yet, it may be more appropriate than it first appears.



Setting:  the late 19th century.  Having read this novel, I feel the US cover is perfect, with its deep green color and evocation of the haunting mystery around which it centers.  Plus, the ship's name is in italics, as it should be. In comparison, the image on the UK cover is too plain and faded to be effective; at first glance I didn't spot the ship in the background.



Setting: upper-crust early 20th-century Ireland.  Both of these work for the novel (which I've read) although I feel the UK version is less generic and more accurate to the storyline.  The title character is a troubled young woman whose problems weigh her down, so her expression fits.  And it's always a plus to see a woman's full figure rather than the headless/faceless look.



Setting:  South Africa, 1919.  Both evoke the African setting and are gorgeous for different reasons, although the UK version acknowledges not just one but both protagonists (a white Irish expatriate and the black daughter of her housemaid, whom she befriends) and reflects the storyline more precisely.  I have copies of both editions and am not sure I want to give up either one.



Setting: the Aleutian Islands, WWII.  I love the US cover, which would persuade me to pick it up immediately to discover the meaning of the title and image.  I understand the effect the UK cover was trying to get at, but the two faces within the bird seems awkward and strange to me.


Setting: New York State during the frozen winter of 1897.  Both work very well, and the red lettering in both is apt.  The UK version emphasizes the novel's action and its thriller aspect, and the font is an even darker, bloodier red, so it's my choice as most appropriate even though I find the US version more visually appealing.

What do you think?  Which are your favorites?

This one's for the ladies

Below we have five recent historical novels -- literary fiction, for the most part -- whose cover design changed between the hardback and paperback editions. What do they have in common? Hardback at left, trade pb at right.

All are written by male novelists, and female figures have made an appearance in the paperback cover art. Ladies, would you be more apt to pick up the books in the right-hand column? And for the men in the audience, which of the covers do you prefer?

I should point out that women do feature strongly in these novels, so the new cover designs aren't deceptive marketing, imho.

The ghost girl returns

She hasn't made an appearance in a few years, but now she's back, wandering through 1907 Dublin. I was in Book Depository looking up O'Connor's latest novel when I caught a glimpse of this familiar figure. She must have quite a backstory, floating between different countries and eras, convincing many art departments that she deserves the spotlight.

Here we see her on the sidewalks of New York in 1841. Hmm, if this is her earliest appearance, her ghostly wanderings may have begun after her sad demise in this historical mystery. (Her body was dumped into the Hudson River. Not a pleasant end.)


She reappears during South Africa's Boer War, circa 1899, definitely no place for a lady:


Then on to the Canadian prairie in the early 20th century, where she gained quite an infamous reputation.

She spent some time delivering babies in early 20th-century West Virginia, then moved on to parts unknown.

And that's not all. At She Reads and Reads, Avis has spotted her at sites outside of North America, and she's been known to make appearances in fantasy fiction. Have you seen her? She's not all that elusive, so if you come across another sighting, please let me know.

Edited to add: I've found the original photo (which is black and white) at Getty Images. It's titled "Woman in Lane Holds Birdcage," and the photographer is Lorraine Molina. Keywords include Nostalgia, Spooky, Women, Time, Outdoors.

Interesting cover...

After finishing up The Taste of Sorrow, I pulled my old copy of Wuthering Heights off the shelf (it has my former name and homeroom penciled in on the inside cover) and noticed the heroine on the cover looked familiar. What do you think — Catherine Earnshaw as a more demure version of Madame X?

Yes, we're back to looking at cover art again

What can I say, the topic fascinates me. I was at the B&N in Champaign last weekend, scanning the new book displays up front, and noticed that some historical novels published in hardcover last year were recently released in trade paperback (or mass market in the case of House of Lanyon), with new cover designs. Some of the changes are slight, but others are completely different. You'll notice that women were added to three of them.

The "before" is on the left, the "after" on the right.

Which do you prefer? Would the paperback covers make you take a second look at these books?

Tacky Tuesday

While going through my bookshelves last weekend, I found another bunch of vintage historical novels whose covers (and blurbs) are the epitome of tackiness.

I don't think anything can quite match the tackiness of the first batch, though. Has anyone actually read any of these?

"To restore the honor of Rome and of his own family, Severus Varus left the decadent life of Rome... his only hope was to join the barbarians."

From the back cover: "Violence, desire, and royal intrigue! With the clash of swords and the thrust of spears, The Purple Quest builds to an exciting climax in the city of Tyre and aboard the ships that for five hundred years had carried the Phoenicians to the farthest corners of the ancient world..."

"Godiva... beautiful but unhappy. Tom was a cautious man -- he never meant to spy..."

"Jezebel, whose bewitching beauty was a deadly weapon, would stop at nothing to further her greed for power. One man among many who came under her spell was Prince Michael of Judah."

"The tumult of battle and the decadent luxuries of harem life are all vividly recreated in this lusty novel of 16th century Turkey."

"Barbaric Greeks storm the walls of the great city, hungry for the wealth of the rich and highly cultured Trojan civilization."

"A magnificent, ringing novel of the days when lusty Northmen raped and plundered the civilized world."

"Unholy love! Amid the soft, scented corruption of the royal court, the mighty Cardinal Richelieu had held himself aloof... but when this steel-nerved man beheld the young Queen Anne, his body betrayed him, and for the first time his brilliant mind became a servant to his lust."

The deals are piling in...

Anyone read Spanish or Portuguese?

Brazilian rights to Sherry Jones's THE JEWEL OF MEDINA and A'ISHA AND ALI, to Luciana Villas-boas at Editora Record, by Natasha Kern at Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

Spanish rights to Sherry Jones's THE JEWEL OF MEDINA, to Lucia Luengo at Ediciones B, in a very nice deal, for publication in early spring 2009, by Natasha Kern at the Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

Here are some others from Publishers Marketplace over the last two months.

Ellen Horan's 31 BOND STREET, interweaving fiction with actual events surrounding the infamous murder of Dr. Harvey Burdell and the subsequent trial of his housekeeper and lover Emma Cunningham, a historical narrative that blends romance, politics, greed and sexual intrigue, set against the background of bustling, corrupt New York City, four years before the Civil War, to Jonathan Burnham and Claire Wachtel at Harper, in a major deal, for seven figures, in a pre-empt, for two books, by Marly Rusoff at Marly Rusoff & Associates.

Oxford-born Claire Letemendia's debut THE BEST OF MEN, a historical novel in the vein of THE DRESSLODGER and AN INSTANCE OF THE FINGERPOST, set in 17th Century England and Spain, introducing the a nobly born mercenary, spy and cardsharp who, having lost both his honor and faith in mankind, uncovers a plot to kill Charles I and is drawn against his will into helping the one last political figure he respects, to McClelland & Stewart, by Sam Hiyate at The Rights Factory.

The House at Riverton and The Forgotten Garden author Kate Morton's THE DISTANT HOURS, a historical mystery of wartime romance, broken promises and almost-forgotten secrets, to Maria Rejt at Pan Macmillan, in a major deal, in a two-book deal, by Julia Lee at Allen & Unwin.

Michelle Cameron's SHIRA OF ASHKENAZ, about the daughter of one illustrious rabbi and then wife of another, following three generations of the heroine's family as they move from Falaise to Paris and then to Rothenberg, amidst the growing anti-semitism of 13th century Europe, to Maggie Crawford at Pocket, for publication in fall 2009, by Judith Riven at Judith Riven Literary Agent (world). [edited to correct title]

Leila Meacham's ROSES, Spanning the 20th century, following three generations of Texans in a small town dominated by founding families who control the timber and cotton industries and whose deceits, secrets and tragedies are a part of the town's history, to Deb Futter at Grand Central, for publication in January 2010, by David McCormick at McCormick & Williams Literary Agency.

And from Publishers Weekly:

Adam Schell's Tomato Rhapsody: a Tale of Love, Lust, and Forbidden Fruit sold to Kate Miciak and Nita Taublib at Bantam, in a pre-empt, via Laurie Fox at Linda Chester. The debut novel, set in 16th-century Tuscany with a Romeo & Juliet-style love story, is based on the true story of a Jewish man on Columbus's second voyage who brings the tomato from the New World to Italy.
Also, for those interested in my reusable cover art gallery, people have been spotting additional examples and sending them to me at the rate of one or two a week. Take a look for a creative interpretation of Flaming June and yet another reuse of the "bed in the water" image.

The epitome of tackiness

The garish depiction of a barely clothed Catherine de'Medici (as Jean Plaidy's Madame Serpent) on Susan's blog inspired me to go through my collection in search of equally tacky historical novel art.

Depending on your perspective, these are either the best examples I could find, or the worst. The tag lines on the covers are often as amusing as the artwork itself.

From the back cover: "The tormented love story of the Christian Knight and the wench of Islam unfolds against the bloody struggle for the Holy Land, in this lusty novel of the Crusades."

The story of Khurram, Princess Arjumand, Nur Mahal, and Parviz. "Lust, wealth, and ambition ruled their lives."

"Her mother changed the destiny of Rome when she ordered a handsome young slave to the bedside of the sleeping fifteen-year-old girl."

"From the lusty court of Queen Bess to the treasure-laden jungles of the New World, Shawn MacManus pursued adventure, fortune, and a treacherous Spanish beauty, Doña Elvira."

"Bianca, the beautiful wife of Don Luis, melted with love in Kit's arms."

"Whispered about by tavern tarts and court wenches, despised by the Queen, Frances Walsingham went on to bear another man's child and recklessly risked her very life for the love of the fabulous Irishman Rickard de Burgh."

"Percy Hotspur, Duchess of Harford, who lived and loved with wild abandon."