Saturday, January 30, 2010

PURPLE HAIR AND STEPFORD WIVES...

Do you remember when I posted a picture of Josie, the heroine of the ESCAPE AROUND THE WORLD book I was writing last year -- the girl with purple hair who first appeared in The Bride's Baby which you can still download for free at here if you haven't already read it.

Here's a reminder in case you missed that post.

I posted it, you might recall, because I knew -- I've had a lot of covers -- that Josie would end up looking like a Stepford Wife on the cover artwork of the book. It's sad, but apparently a fact that readers are put off by anything remotely different, but I wanted you all to know how I saw her. Purple boots, Zandra Rhodes punk clothes - we had a lively discussion about bags if you remember - and that hair.

Black and purple. They were her trademark colours and she wore nothing else.

Anyway, just in case any of you thought I was being a little bit negative about it, the cover of A WEDDING A LEOPARD'S TREE LODGE was posted on Amazon today and here it is.

Actually, I think the model is the same woman who appeared on the cover of The Baby Plan -- a very elegant and dynamic business woman with a personal fortune, a world away from Josie in just about every way.

That said, it's a really lovely cover. No really. The nicest one I've had in a while.

And obviously the heroine's neat little green shirt couldn't possibly have been purple -- it would have clashed with that sunset.

Of course if they'd used a slightly different palette for the sky, mauves, pinks... They could even have made it reflect on her hair a little.

No. Not another word. Lips zipped.

10 comments:

Jan Jones said...

Oh dear. And her hair is so... neat.

Sigh.

Anne said...

Liz, it is a lovely cover, but no, that hair isn't purple, not even purple highlights.
I remember Anne McAllister had a purple haired heroine who also got tamed right down for the cover.
Ah well, we don;t buy for the cover. Can't wait to read it.

Caroline said...

I remember that blog Liz! You very kindly gave a book to all of us who blogged that day. I will keep stum about the cover - I'll just echo Jan's comments. But saying that it *is* a nice cover. Can't wait to read the book. Caroline x

Kaye Manro said...

Hi Liz!
Personally I love the purple hair and goth look. Being such a sci-fi girl, I think the look is great! But I do understand why they tamed your cover down. Still, I agree with you-- they could have changed the sky color and at least added a bit of purple highlights. But it is a nice cover all the same.
BTW-- some readers are attracted to the cover first, and might buy the book because of it. You could catch me and many of my friends easy with a purple look to the cover, hair and all!
Kaye

Liz Fielding said...

LOL, Jan!

Liz Fielding said...

It's only what I expected, Anne, but you do hope for a teeny, tiny nod in the direction of reality. But you're right, it is a pretty cover.

Liz Fielding said...

Hi Caroline -- was that the comp? We did have some with it, didn't we!

Liz Fielding said...

Hi Kaye

Great to have you visit. Sorry there's nothing to catch your eye here -- you can't imagine that woman wearing 18 hole purple DMs, can you? I guess M&Bs are a kind of secret -- what's on the cover rarely bears any resemblance to what's inside. Nothing "neat", orderly or written to order. :)

Michele L. said...

Oh yes, the cover. Well, it is nice but...yep, my lips are sealed too.

Purple and black hair is really a big thing these days with the girls. I have seen some with that color hair at my grocery store who work as the cashier. I have thought about myself since I love purple and have dark auburn hair.

I love your books Liz! It would be fun if they would play up their covers every once in a while. I love bright colors and that would have been a real attention grabber!

Liz Fielding said...

I do love those colour highlights, Michelle.

I can't wait to see what they do with in the UK, with the really pastel colours on the covers. They seem to be working though, not one Romance left on the shelves when I went to our nearest stockist over the weekend.