Sunday, October 15, 2006

Because it amuses me

Let's play a game. How many differences can you see?

This is the cover of my copy of Dream Fever by Katherine Sutcliffe published in 1991!


This is an inside step cover

This is the cover of a release in October, 2006


This one isn't.


Would you not think a publisher as successful as Avon, could afford new covers after 15 years?


(and no - I didn't rake leaves. Ryan decided there weren't enough to bother with right now. I didn't argue with him)

'til later

15 comments:

Mailyn said...

LOL!!!! Oh my gawd that's just horrible. I also hate it when they recycle titles. With so many words in the English language you wonder WHY they allow authors to use the exact same title of a published book!

Meghan said...

Goodness! What is with the mullets flapping in the breeze?

Kristie (J) said...

Meghan: Now see - back in 1991 mullets were all the rage - who can forget Billy Ray Cyrus - but it's beyond ridiculous that a certain publisher whose name shall not pass my lips is still using them on covers today!!!

Mailyn: LOL - I meant the cover *chuckle*

CindyS said...

I'm glad you played instead of raked leaves. That way I won't feel like such a lazy sod when I visit you tomorrow. I haven't cut the grass in two weeks. Ooops. Too much running around!

Cindy

nath said...

Good for you Kristie :D (I hate raking leaves... and I cut only the grass because I want to help out my dad ^^;) but it's good if you enjoyed your week-end better :D

as for the cover... well i think it's actually good they kept the 'original' cover no? i mean, it's the same book, same story, so why not same cover and they did change it a bit to, I guess, make it more provoking (guy shirtless, different color of the dress so it pops up more - altho it blends a bit with the grass, god forbids romance story to take place during the day so they took out the clouds, made the sky darker :P)... now, they'll write the title in a very curly font and voila :D Okay, maybe it would have been better to give a new cover... but remember, it's AVON and some of their covers are really horrible.

Jenster said...

Leaves, shmeaves!

They would save money if they'd just call the book "Deliciously Wicked Fevered Dreams".

Jen

Kristie (J) said...

Nath - no, no. These are two completely different books, different stories, different characters, different everything except publishers. The first one is one of my favourite books - Dream Fever, written by Katherine Sutcliffe, the second one is a book I've never read by Robyn DeHart called Deliciously Wicked. It may very well be an excellent book - I don't know as I have no intention of getting it. Nothing at all against the author and I feel bad for them that I have a big grudge against their bosses and I no it's probably not fair of me at all, but I buy so many books, I have to draw the line somewhere and unfortunately until I see something I can respect about that particular publisher, until I feel they respect me as a reader, I will continue to boycott them. I know, I know - very bizarre rational and wierd thinking - my sister accuses me of it all the time :) Kind of like Don Quixote tilting at windmills I am. She shakes her head at me and calls me an odd duck. I don't mind the original cover, because that's they way it was back 10 or 15 (in this case) years ago, but romance novels have come so far since then and the fact that this publishing dinasour doesn't change in so many areas, frustrates me to no end. Mind you - they have been getting better with some of their covers lately - I will give them that. But then just when I start to have hope - a cover like this one comes out. Now I must step off my soap box and save it for another day *g*

Kristie (J) said...

Jen: I was going to do the leaves - I really was! We have about 9 trees on the property - Ron was really into trees and while they give wonderful shade in the summer, they also give many many many leaves in the fall. But most of the trees still have a good deal of their leaves still left so Ryan figured it would be a waste of time. Plus he wanted to watch the Atlanta Falcons on TV - he doesn't have cable.

Tara Marie said...

1. I hate raking leaves, last year we invested in a leaf vacuum/blower.

2. I wonder if Avon even realizes we notice recycled covers and have a good laugh at their expense.

3. Have a nice visit with Cindy.

nath said...

All right, now I understand... and I agree with Kristie. that is just sooo sad. Really, what is Avon thinking?

Kyahgirl said...

I frickin' hate Avon covers!
What is wrong with those people? I have never read a story yet where the Hero is standing outside with no shirt on and the heroine is kneeling in front of him or swooning over his arm yet their covers all depict that! No wonder romance novels get looked down upon.

Stacy~ said...

Not only do I find it stupid they recycled a cover, but that it looks so outdated. Sure they both appear to be historicals, but there are many current historical covers with cover models that look just gorgeous, and updated.

Recycled covers is a huge topic lately, mostly because publishing houses obviously don't think readers will notice the difference. However romance readers are a clever, observant bunch, and not much gets past them. Case in point - your post.

Kristie (J) said...

Stacy: As one who really notices covers, this is one of the things that bugs me the most, the lack of orginality. I pick on Avon, because I think they are the worst offenders. We readers are an astute group and it bugs me that at times the cover art people don't seem to get that.

Kyahgirl: I think those kind are insulting - and just plain stupid! And I'm not going to let up on them. They are just such easy pickings.

Nath: I'm thinking they are thinking "they're just a bunch of women - they won't really notice"

Tara: We did have a nice visit. And we do have a leaf blower, but there are just sooooo many leaves. I did buy this vacum kind of thing that you just run along the lawn like a mower and theoretically, it scoops them up and throws then in the bag at the back. Then when that's full you just dump it into a leaf bag. Hopefully that works. I remember when I was a kid, we just raked leaves into one big pile and burnt them. I used to love that smell - but alas, that's been against the law for years! And I will continue to laugh and mock their covers :)

Jodi_Lee said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jodi_Lee said...

It is covers like these that kept me from reading romance novels for 32 YEARS! Well, that is assuming that I could read from birth, but anyhow...ya know what I am trying to say.

I would have been too embarrassed to take this up to the cute guy working at the bookstore counter to purchase because it just screams TAWDRY ROMANCE ALERT!!

I would have never started reading romance had I not been fooled by one of Lisa Jackson's (my first romance novel was Temptress) covers into thinking it was a spooky suspense...and no I did not read the back cover. I bought her book solely because it had a great cover...it was a complete impulse buy at CVS.

Now, I don't care, but of course I do shop at the UBS and there are no cute guys that work there. *sigh*