Guest: Lilly Cain - Cover Love


Cover Love – Lilly Cain

Thank you for having me here again at Fierce Romance! I’m so happy to be celebrating the release of my third book, my new novella Building Magic from Red Sage Publishing. I’ve asked a lot of author friends if the amazing feeling you get when you see your cover up on the website (or bookshelf) and I am delighted to report that they all say no!

I’ve been thinking a lot about covers. Recently I interviewed several cover artists and art directors to prepare a workshop for my local RWA chapter – the Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada. Entitled Picture This – What Every Author Should Know About Cover Design, I asked all sorts of questions about the procedure for cover design, and whether the process is commercialism or art, and how the artists feel about it. As I sit here gazing at my latest beautiful cover, I’d like to share a few comments from those interviews with you.

“I think it's a combination of elements combined with pleasurable composition make a marketable cover. Sometimes one element stands out more than another, but what that might be is hard to say until you actually design the cover and what might be important to selling the book, whether it's the models, or an effect.” – Rae Monet – Cover designer

“Most times, as soon as I read the title and genre, I start to percolate ideas. The more I get to know the author’s online persona, the more solidified the sketches become. An example of my process: I’ll receive the cover form. That’s when I go get a coffee (lots of milk and sugar!) and start exploring the form and its links, if any. This gives me a black and white mental image, a sort of blueprint. Then I visit the author’s site, blog, twitter (I sound extraordinarily like a stalker...!) to get a sense of tastes. Has the author decided on a dark background for her site? Big, bold text? Subtle feminine touches? Knowing this fills in details in my mental image of the book. Then I start the actual file.” – Kanaxa – Cover Designer

I am a voracious reader and designing cover art has given me the opportunity to help bring an author’s words to life visually. I’m always searching for ways to improve my work and keep it fresh and different. I absolutely love my job! – Angela Waters, Cover Designer.

And I absolutely love the cover of Building Magic. It really caught the heat between the heroine, a woman who never fit in on Earth but who finds herself a new home in the arms of a living legend, a dragon shapeshifter, and the hero, a man searching for a way to save his people.

To read more about Lilly check out her website at www.lillycain.com. Or follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LillyCain
To purchase a copy of her book Building Magic or find out about other fantastic authors, check out www.eRedSage.com .

13 comments:

Bev Pettersen said...

I love the cover, Lilly. It really seems to capture "Building Magic." Congratulations!

Lilly Cain said...

Thanks Bev! I love it too, they have awesome covers over at Red Sage Publishing!

Lilly

Nicole North said...

Welcome Lilly! Thanks for being our guest today!

Lilly Cain said...

Thanks Nicole - I love your blog so much and am glad to take a breather from NaNoWriMo to be here!

Lilly

Unknown said...

The cover is beautiful, Lilly. And I love the title, too.

Donna Alward said...

Your workshop presentation was great, Lilly, and you've had beautiful covers so far on all your books!

Lilly Cain said...

Thanks Anne! I think it is the colors that draw me in, but the hero also reminds me of Dean on Supernatural. :) All good things!

Hi Donna! Thanks for stopping in! I really enjoyed the interviews I did with the cover artists and the art directors. :)

Lilly

Julianne MacLean said...

That is indeed a gorgeous cover, Lilly! Very interesting blog post. Thanks for sharing all that info about covers. And congrats on the new book!

Lilly Cain said...

Hi Julianne, thank you! :) Having three books come out this year was pretty awesome. :) I hope I can keep it going next year!

Lilly

Roz Lee said...

Thanks for the insight into our wonderful cover artists. There's nothing like seeing your cover for the first time. It's one of those moments you never forget.
Wishing you success.

Roz Lee

Cathryn Fox said...

Love all your covers, Lilly!!

Pat McDermott said...

Thanks for the peek "beneath the covers" Lilly. I love the cover for Building Magic. Congrats on the new release!

Lilly Cain said...

Hi Roz! I think cover design is fascinating. I have taken several years of art courses and I love all the elements that go into the designs.

Hi Cathryn! I've been very lucky so far I think. :) I find getting my new cover so exciting.

Hi Pat, thanks for dropping in! :)