Friday, January 23, 2015

Learn, Live and Hope: That's What I'm Trying To Do by Margo Hoornstra

 
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning – Albert Einstein
 
Is questioning the same as second guessing? If so, then I am all over the above quote. In my life in general, but more so in my writing life.
 
Case in point. These two covers.

 


 
 
 


 

Both stories are part of the same series -- Dearly Beloved --. Both have basically the same heat level, both involve characters with baggage; loss, abuse, parents with children trying to move on. Struggles for happiness.
 
Would you know that from looking at the covers? How about by reading the blurbs?

Night Stars and Mourning Doves
 
Elyse Monroe may be her sister's maid of honor, but that doesn't mean she has to follow the bride's example and fall in love. Battle-scarred and weary from previous relationships, she has no desire to take a chance on another--no matter how many hints her little sister drops about the best man. Devastating life events have taken a toll on Eric Matthews. After losing his wife and unborn daughter, he's come home to heal. Serving as best man at his kid brother's wedding is the only relationship he cares to contemplate--no matter how attractive the maid of honor. Thrown together again and again by wedding duties, Elyse and Eric reluctantly agree to explore a possible relationship--only to have their casual date turn into a glorious night of passion. Can two hearts, convinced a happily ever after will never happen, recognize love when it finds them?
 
Only If You Dare
 
All the pleasure and none of the pain, that's what Cynthia Buckingham wants in a relationship these days. A one-night stand with Jonah Colt seems to fit that bill perfectly. Newly divorced, she's too busy planning her daughter's wedding for any serious involvement. Besides, her true passion is helping victims of PTSD reclaim their lives. Waking up after spending the night with a woman he barely knows, Jonah is stunned to realize sex for the sake of sex isn't enough for him anymore. A veteran of more military battles than he cares to count, he wants to forget it all and focus on peaceful civilian life. Except flashbacks won't allow it. Falling for Cynthia makes Jonah regret his weakened state, but he'd rather hide the truth than face it. When she sets aside everything she believes in to help him heal, can he accept her help--and her love?
 

The cover for Night Stars and Mourning Doves was created for me from my artwork sheet. Thinking I had learned something along the lines of ‘sex sells’ when the time in my life came to create the cover for Only If You Dare, I chose the picture, hoping to get that book noticed more.
 
 
I’m not sure it did.
 
So what do you think? Which cover do you think is more noticeable? And why?
 
My days to blog here are the 11th and 23rd. For more about me and my stories, please visit my website

23 comments:

Nancy Gideon said...

I LOVE Night Stars and Morning Doves. Caught my eye immediately and made me want to know more about it. Beautifully framed and complex without being busy. Of course everyone loves a bare torso but everyone also features a bare torso on their covers so If Only You Dare didn't stand out for me as much. Both very nice though! And I really loved Dare!

Alicia Dean said...

I agree with Nancy completely, it's like she took the words out of my mouth, but made them sound better. :) I like both covers, but yes, Night Stars and Morning Doves is more noticeable, more enticing and prettier. Only if You Dare, while nice, seems almost generic.

Rohn Federbush said...

I agree with Alicia and Nancy. The almost kiss is intriguing. Hope to read them soon.

Diane Burton said...

Loved them both--covers, blurbs, & books. Not much help, am I? :)

Margo Hoornstra said...

Thanks, Nancy. When that cover first came out for Night Stars and Mourning Doves, I was the envy of the other authors on the series loop, as well as my editor. In the most supportive way, of course. ;-) Have to say, I agree with you.

Margo Hoornstra said...

Spot on, Alicia. See my note to Nancy. The Night Stars and Mourning Doves will always be my favorite.

Margo Hoornstra said...

Thanks, Rohn. Wish I could say I picked out the artwork for the almost kiss cover. That was the very talented cover artist Tina Lynn Stout.

Margo Hoornstra said...

Absolutely NO help at all, Diane! ;-) Yeah right. Thanks so much for all of your support and, the friendship.

Maris said...

Both covers are great, but I still like the bare torso. Actually, it's not so much the bare skin but the bow tie hanging to the side and the unbuttoned shirt suggests... Well, that's what I would want to find out.

Margo Hoornstra said...

Good point(s) Maris. I got the idea for the torso shot (bare or not) from my first book with the same type of 'shot' fully clothed in a tux. To be honest, the bow tie and shirt REALLY fit the beginning of the romance. How's that for a teaser?

Jannine Gallant said...

I like Only If You Dare better. The bare chest is tasteful, i.e. not to blatant. I feel like the faces blend into the door too much to be noticeable in NSAMD. However, I would like to have seen the background of Dare pop more. A cover is all about getting noticed and making someone read that blurb!

Margo Hoornstra said...

The bare chest is tasteful! Now there's a line! I agree, Jannine, about the pop factor. The original cover I received had a boat in the background. Totally from left field. This one could have been a little more appealing.

Susan Coryell said...

I like both but think Night Stars is more romantic--nothing better than 2 pairs of lips about to meet!

Betsy Ashton said...

No doubt in my mind. Night Stars. The near kiss is so much more sensual than the bare chest. Tasteful though the chest is, there are too many romances with bare chested men. Hard to tell one from the other.

Alison Henderson said...

I may be in the minority, but I like the cover for Only if You Dare better. As a cover designer, I'm not a big fan of multiple overlaid transparent images. The original image for Night Stars is beautiful, and IMHO would have been stronger in its original form.

Leah St. James said...

Well, as usual, I can't make up my mind. :-) I don't usually like the bare chest thing (although it does sell), but this one was done very well. I agree with Alison about the overlays...makes me squint to see what it's all about.

Margo Hoornstra said...

Betsy. I think you're right. Bare chests are becoming cliche. Thanks for the tasteful comment.

Melissa Keir said...

The Dare cover screams wedding but the Night cover isn't as obvious even with the small photo on the cover corner.

Margo Hoornstra said...

Alison. Your professional opinion makes a lot of sense. Nothing wrong with a preference for Dare. You're in good company ;-)

Margo Hoornstra said...

Leah. We are sort of in the same boat. I can't really decide either. Nice, I think, they are both so different.

Margo Hoornstra said...

Think you have them switched, Melissa, but I agree completely. To be honest I never noticed the little picture in the corner. Hmmmm. Thanks for pointing that out.

Kara said...

I like both of them, so I'm not much help. However, I like them for different reasons. A bare chest is always great, and two people about to kiss says so much -- it's restraint and romance rolled into one picture. They're wonderful covers!

Judy Ann Davis said...

Okay, I'm all about hunky guys with ties undone. I'm not a fan of covers with multiple overlays. To be honest, both are great. But I still like "Only If You Dare" better. But what do I know? Good luck with your sales.