Romance covers have evolved. The clench, that passionate embrace with the love-charged gazes, ruled romance covers for decades. Historicals generally featured a pair of stunningly attractive models in period costume and in a daringly posed clench who were photographed then painted in acrylic on canvas. The clench cover was effective when books were displayed on shelves in book stores, superstores and grocery stores in abundance.
Over time the women featured on romance covers have evolved from support role heroines to heroines in a fantasy to today’s stronger heroine who is more in a partnership with the hero. Many newer covers feature a woman alone or dominating a man. Paranormal romances are a significant part of the market at present and showcase heroines for every imagination. Vampire hunters, military women and what a recent article referred to as “butt-kicking babes” have emerged.
Covers today are likely to feature a headless couple with knockout bodies allowing the reader’s imagination to determine exactly what they look like. Others feature only the hero, allowing the reader to insert themselves as heroine or they feature only the heroine so that the reader can appreciate that she is the strong, dominate character.
More and more books are purchased online or as ebooks and the way covers are produced has changed as well. Most appear to be produced straight from photographs, skipping the artist with a brush. Ebook purchasers may be looking at only a stamp sized cover so it must have punch.
The gorgeous covers for the e-versions of my books Dark Splendor and Whispers at Midnight were designed by Frauke Spanuth at Croco Designs. Any reservations I had about digital art covers was quickly put to rest when I saw her work. The covers are terrific and capture the historical elements of the Gothic storyline in an edgier, high impact way that is right for today’s market and the eBook trade. I have always appreciated cover art and now I am a fan of Croco Designs. I am eagerly awaiting Croco’s cover concept for my next release, Delilah’s Flame, a Western Historical Romance.
I mean it when I say I appreciate cover art. In my house is a four by eight foot poster of my Western Historical Romance Devil Moon given to me by my publisher after a conference in Nashville. It’s by Pino. It hangs in my office. I’ve seen it every day for years and still love the colors and the romantic pose (and, of course, that it is my book).
Covers will continue to evolve as technology continues to change the way we connect with books. Clench covers will hang on even if there are fewer of them. I’m hanging on to my library of paperback romance novels. Those original covers may become desirable collectibles one day and the stories are still great.
Covers change. Romance lives on.
postscript: Fabio, the epitome of cover hunks graciously posed with me at a writers conference in California. It was a fun moment.
