When I first published Fire Baptized three years ago, I contemplated whether I should have a black woman on the book cover or not. Such a sad thing to consider when I myself am a black woman. The first Fire Baptized Book Cover was this:
Notice two important things:
One, I wasn't sure if I would write under a pen name Elle Taylor or just embrace my real name. I was nervous about what my family would say to a book that was filled with cursing, sex, and tons of drug use.
Two, this is not a cover that MOST of you have ever seen.
Well, I sent this cover out to many bloggers for book review request and a few just out and out told me. . ."This just looks too ghetto for me. Not interested."
I went with a new artist and asked her to give me a beautiful black woman that is not ghetto-looking and appears magical!
This is what I got!
For me, this really didn't capture Lanore. And by this time many black authors were simply emailing me and saying, "Take the black girl off the cover and you'll get a bigger audience."
So I did.
Sales were nice and steady. Many bloggers jumped on my tours and even sought me out to review it.
This is what many publishers and authors wonder when their heroine is ethnic. They battle with if readers are really going to purchase a cover with a black woman on it or not.
I kept this cover for probably eight months, never really getting rid of the unease in the back of my head.
It whispered to me and said things like, "Sell out!"
So I went to a new artist and just said FUCK IT! Lanore is black and I'm going to embrace it!
What happened when I put out this new cover? Sales rose! New fans of ALL RACES came out blasting this cover to everyone and snatching the book up.
What did I learn?
I, publishers, and authors really don't know what readers want! Write the damn story. Market it for the story inside and not on the basis of your own preconceived stereotypical reasons.
What's funny is that for The Burning Bush. The biggest battle was getting a freaking black stock model in a gown. My poor artist had to color one in. . .
People were not buying the color-in! They wanted their Black woman!
So I went to another artist and boom. . .
Again, not only did people rave about the book they absolutely drooled over the cover.
There's nothing wrong with putting a black woman on the cover. The point is that the damn cover needs to look captivating regardless of a stupid thing as skin color.
Sadly, there are many of my books released by publishers with black heroines that aren't on my covers. . .
The reasoning could deal with other things of course.
But I'm just saying though. . . don't be scared. . .
From time to time I like to look at book covers and wonder what image seems to grab book buyers attention. So here's my personal analysis of New Adult book cover trends for August! These are all books from the New Adult Romance Bestsellers' List.
TATTS
You just going to walk around like that? Yummy!
I would love to see if he's wearing any undies.
This stock model is seen a lot, but I'm not complaining.
What's he so sad about?
It seems one Hot guy is enough to sell a book, and preferably a guy with no shirt on.
(I know I tend to hit the buy button for a sexy one. DON'T JUDGE ME!)
Dramatically taking off his shirt Hot guy!
Dramatically looking off into the distance with no shirt hot guy who says in an endearing tone, "Why oh why can I not find any love?"
Looking at me and creeping me the hell out hot guy.
Looking at me and SO NOT creeping me out. . .I'm down for whatever is OFF the Record too, Baby!
There seems to be some authors and publishers that are starting to branch out with the book covers for New Adult. I'm wondering if it's due to readers not buying the same ole ones anymore or pubs just tired of the same ole thing.
As I did my search for this blog post, I saw this cover and grabbed it!
This is one of my all time favorites, so glad to see it back on the bestseller's list!
I heard this series deals with a girl in an abusive home. I don't know if I'm reading for this one.
This goes to show that sometimes it isn't all about the book cover. Sometimes Readers by the book because it rocks. And this must rock because the cover sucks Elephant Balls.
I think this one is captivating.
I actually read this book and gave it 3 strong stars.
Additionally, I feel like if your name happens to be H.M.Ward. . .then it really doesn't matter what your cover looks like. Check out all of her books that made the New Adult Bestseller's list in August.
I admit that I did enjoy the series. I stopped at 4 and have been meaning to catch back up with it.
That's it ladies and gents! We are done with New Adult Bestsellers' list book covers for August.
If you're a big reader like me, then you've probably seen his face a few times.
I reached out to Jason to learn more about his experiences as a book cover model. Here's the interview:
1-You've modeled a lot of book covers so many I can't name them all without creating a ridiculously long list. What were some of your favorite book covers and why?
Jason:
There are so many out now that I can't even keep track myself. And the covers seem to keep getting better and better...The one that really seems to stand out in my mind is a book titled Legacy Found by N.J.Walters. Something about this cover really is flattering. I mean I wished I looked that good in true life :)
2- What is the craziest thing you experienced or did during a photo shoot?
Jason:
I haven't done too many "crazy" things during a photo shoot. You'd be surprised at how slow paced and professional they are in these studios. There is not a whole lot of moving around or being expressive. It’s all expressionless most of the time so if you are getting crazy, things won't turn out right. The crazy stories you'll hear about come from stock models that do ads.
3- You wrote two books on your modeling experience, Journey of a Male Model and Overexposed. Why did you decide to write the books and are you planning to write more?
Jason:
I wrote the books because I had not seen ANY books of its kind. You'd be in a book store and see all kinds of books on how to act or do theatre but not a single book on how to model. This is what brought me to writing these. Even though they didn't turn out AMAZING or entirely understandable, I was still happy to write them for others.
4- Are you a big reader? What genre do you like to read?
Jason:
I am slowly becoming one more and more now. Yes. I used to read nothing more than the Sports page of a newspaper. Then later in life I realized there was more to life than just baseball & football. I read a lot of genres including some of the self improvement books.
5- Where do you see your career in ten years?
Jason:
That is too far in advance for me to look right now. When things are going as good as they are and I am in that "bubble" currently, I try not to think about that stuff. I'm more caught up in what amazing things are happening in my life today. I can't express how much the romance novel industry has embraced me with all of this.
Jason! Thanks so much for coming on our blog!
Jason Aaron Baca was born and raised in Los Gatos California, were he played baseball for Los Gatos High. While playing ball at the university level, Jason changed careers and began modeling after being discovered by a lab photographer developing wedding pictures.
With a goal of becoming a versatile and sought after model, Jason began doing fashion, glamour, fine art, and even Playgirl modeling shoots. He has also acted, appearing in such movies as "The Demon Within," but he has consistently placed his modeling career first. Now living in San Jose, Jason is currently working on a second book, which details his latest exploits in the modeling business.
This past weekend, the gods aligned with the moon and mystical stars! I contacted one of my favorite book cover models, Kaden James. He immediatly replied and was willing to do an interview with the floozies!
How cool is that? He even gave me a shout out on facebook for my birthday! He's absolutly a class act!
Bestselling Book Covers he's been on:
Bio:
Kaden James became MTV's Featured artist in late 2011. He was the only unsigned artist to host the show New Now Next, Poplab. An honor bestowed on some of the biggest stars in music including Rihanna and Lady Gaga.
His music has been featured on the most recent instalment of MTV's Real World: Las Vegas. Two of his songs were on the last two episodes of MTV's The Hills, including the series finally. He has the theme song to Logo's The A-List New York and the new Dallas.
Kaden's video for "A Boy Like Me" was featured on Spike TV and VH1.com. He has just landed the theme song to a new show called "The Audition."
Kaden has also appeared in Angelino Magazine, Music Connection Magazine, and as a spokes person/model for Sexy Hair, Wet Cement, Aniki Jeans, Rudsak and Java J Bar.
The Interview
1- You were on The Secret Circle book covers and Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir. How did you get involved with those projects?
Hi Kenya, first of all thanks for this opportunity to be featured on your blog!
I was a was approached to be on the cover of The Secret Circle after photographer Chad Michael Ward saw some of my photos online taken by Gerry Garcia. Then a year or so later Chad was about to shoot the cover of the Timekeeper and the art director submitted my photo not even realizing Chad had worked with me so it all worked out great!
Growing up, I never imagined I would get opportunities like this because I was an awkward teenager and always more of a writer myself. I would write my own songs for talent shows and scripts that my friends and I would act out drama class.
2- Are you a big reader? If so, what’s your favorite genre and author?
When I read, it's usually something spiritually fulfilling. I don't have a lot of time to read but I keep a few inspiring books around. I also read a lot of news and try to keep up with whats going on in the world.
I have some exciting news I can share with you right now. . .I'm currently writing a book series. I started working on over a year ago it's called Flawed. It's a story that came to me one day while I was sitting at the beach, hit me like lighting and I knew the universe had given me a gift.
I had to share this story with the world. I have let the coming-of-age, sci-fi, fantasy flow without rushing it but I am now ready to start looking for a publisher.
If you know any good ones send them my way! Ha ha!
3-You are way more than a book cover model. You’ve done several fashion shows and campaigns. You’re also a singer and song writer. Your music was played on the final two episodes of MTV’s The Hills. Your song “A Boy like Me” was the theme song for the show “The A-List: New York and Dallas.”
How did you become a song writer?
Writing has always been a big part of my life. My mind has so many thoughts rushing through it at all times so sitting in a quiet space and concentrating on a story has always been my favorite escape. I've written poems since I was very young and then those poems quickly became lyrics to songs.
When I write a song I always see visuals to go with it which makes me always want to shoot music videos, so I write up those concepts too. The writer within me has organically evolved from writing poems, to songs, to blogs, to music video treatments, to tv concepts and now to my first book series. Writing has always felt right. It comes naturally, like breathing.
4- What are some of the things that inspire your music?
Anything can inspire a song. For instance I might see an incredible tree and I will look up and think about all that this tree has faced, droughts, fires, floods, years of holding up it's own weight and then I will use that tree as a metaphor for strength and have the story grow with that tree.
Inspiration can be found all around us.
We just have to keep our eyes open and not be afraid to share it.
5- What are some new projects you’re currently working on?
Well I am currently working on new music and have EP titled "Live Fearless" being released soon. We have shot two new music videos for my songs "First Love" and "Black Light" which are in editing and coming out sometime next month.
I'm seeking a record deal so that I can go out on tour and put on a great show for my fans.
I'm shopping two television concepts, writing songs for other artists, and continuing to write the first book in the Flawed series. I am very excited about the future and I hope that you will join me on this journey!
Kenya, thanks again for this opportunity and I hope you and your readers will continue to follow your dreams and Live Fearless.
Model Mayhem Bio:
Not the stereotypical model, I'm a grounded guy who wakes up everyday thankful for the people and blessings in my life. I believe that when you are given so many opportunities, it's your responsibility to give back so I try to do as much charity work and fund raisers as I can. So don't be shy, hit me up with anything like that.
I get told my look is diverse/ I can be all American, edgy, also that European looking, and I'm even having one client use me in a Latin magazine. The truth is I was put up for adoption as a baby and I never knew my parents so I'm not entirely sure what I am when it comes to race and that's fine with me/ I embrace all races and have a love for travel and culture. So look at me as a canvas that you can push any way you like.
I started modeling by chance, a few photographers liked my look and wanted to shoot me. I used the shots we took for my music promos and then got hit up by some local LA designers. I love art and thought, why not? I have been using the money I make to fuel my music ever since.
