New Covers for Bound Again Series!

I did it. Because I CAN do it. I had new covers made for Bound to Submit and Bound to Surrender. I loved the sexy-bound-woman covers but I thought maybe a little man chest would draw a little more attention. So here they are. What do you think?

Mason’s dark good looks and dominating personality stirred up Kelly’s forbidden fantasies, frightening her so much that she broke up with him. When she agrees to help out at the community haunted house, she never expects to be tied to a bed, playing damsel in distress to Mason’s masked, whip-wielding villain.

Mason knows Kelly is fighting her sexual needs and he hopes that a few hours of playing out her fantasies with him will prove it to her. Bound and under his control, she can’t run away from him this time.

Love is nothing but an illusion. Heiress Gabriella Winslow learned that lesson years ago when her magician boyfriend abandoned her, sick and alone, hundreds of miles from home. In the years that followed, she’s tried to forget him and the erotic bondage games they used to play. But the life she’s made for herself since then still leaves her restless and yearning for something more.

Now a successful illusionist, Alexander Black has returned to settle an old score. And to seduce Gabriella. With a blindfold and handcuffs and blood red roses, he entices his former lover and magician’s assistant back to his Las Vegas penthouse. If all goes according to plan, she’ll surrender to him before she discovers everything isn’t as it seems.


The talented Lacey Savage did both sets of covers and I'm so happy with the way they turned out. I love the sexy man chest covers. How about you?

Natasha
Bound to Submit
Bound to Surrender
www.natashamoore.com

Do You Judge a Book By Its Cover?

I see that yesterday, Natasha told you about the JABBIC (Judge A Book By Its Cover) contest. We both have covers entered. (Thank goodness we are not competing against each other!) My Brave Highlander's cover is up for scoring in the Historical Romance Category.

I actually designed and created this cover myself. The background features a photo I took in Durness at Balnakeil Bay, where the story takes place. I loved the sunset over the sea. Perhaps one of the more controversial aspects of this cover is the hero's red hair, which I love. Yes, indeed, Dirk does have red hair! And a passionate personality to go with it. :) You don't see too many red-haired heroes in romance, but Scotland has the highest percent of redheads of any other country. A few of these hot, hunky warriors must have red hair. :)

As for Balnakeil Bay, here is one of the sunset photos I took which inspired the cover.

There are some awesome covers in every category of the JABBIC and I have very stiff competition in the Historical Romance category. I hope you will consider voting if you have time. Scoring in this contest takes a few minutes but to me, it was fun to see all the covers and decide which ones I liked best. Click here to go to the contest.

When you are looking for a book to buy, do you judge the book by its front cover alone, or does the front cover have no influence on you? Or maybe somewhere in between? If a front cover catches your attention, do you then read the back cover blurb or description? Do you have to read an excerpt before you decide to buy? Do you steer clear of books that have covers that don't appeal to you, or do you give them a second chance and read more about them?

Best of luck to Natasha and all those who entered the contest!

Thanks!!
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

Cover Envy

This past week I was lucky enough to see several drafts of covers for my upcoming Red Sage Presents short story, The Better to Eat You With. Lucky, because my editor asked for my opinion and input on the cover. The first cover idea, although it was a nice cover, just didn't fit the story and my editor agreed. (If you can't tell from the title, it's a twist on Little Red Riding Hood and my editor and I have taken to calling it my "big bad Wolfe" story.)

Now I have such admiration for cover artists. They take the few bits of information we give them and design marvelous works of art that will hopefully give readers an idea of the story and tempt them to want to read the story. While I may be somewhat creative with words, I have no visual creativity at all. I simply can't imagine what a cover should look like, but in this case I did mention I'd love to somehow depict a "big bad Wolfe."

I was given two options and they were both awesome. One, my editor and I agreed, was perfect for my Red Riding Hood reunion story. And I'm posting that sexy cover below for your sneak peek. But the other option...wow, was it hot!!! This cover, a headshot of a wet, sexy guy, made my mouth water. I wanted this cover too! I knew it would attract readers. I knew I wanted a hero who looked just like that, who took brooding bad boy to a whole new level. So I may have begged to my editor, only half in jest, to let me have both covers. And I promised an awesome story to go along with the second cover.

Here's the cover for The Better to Eat You With, a November 1st release from eRed Sage. I love the muscular, slightly older, definitely wolfish hero.



And no, I can't show you the other cover yet, but the wonderful art department is holding the cover for me. So now I'll have to write this hero's story. I can't wait. I've already printed out the headshot for inspiration. :-)

So how important do you think covers are?

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com.

The Siren Call of Sensory Details

Whether taking a long walk in the woods on a brisk October day, or skimming my toes in the damp sand during a vacation in July, I’m a woman who embraces every sensory detail. How the tepid water laps at my ankles. The cry of a gull as he careens toward his mate. A tang that tickles my nostrils as the ocean tide slaps the shoreline. A rich burst of flavor from freshly-ground Arabica beans as I sip coffee on the balcony and another sunrise smudges the horizon. Those and so many other gifts from Nature are provided for my sensory pleasure.

While I enjoy being outdoors when weather permits, another of my favorite places to visit is the local bookstore. So many delightful literary offerings there. New authors whose work I’m longing to read. Favorite authors whose talent at turning words and phrases always amazes me and finds their books on my shelves. Of course, the cafes where I sample certain confections and coffee beverages from time to time.

But you might ask what I find so mesmerizing and magical about a bookstore. Every visit is an adventure. From the moment I step over the threshold, I’m surrounded by displays from which I take a visual cue during my shopping. The entire wonderful experience begins with an eye-catching cover. Appealing cover art will find me picking up a book and reading the back cover blurb. If my interest is piqued, I speed read through the first chapter. I applaud authors, publishers and cover artists for their ability to bring the story and/or central characters to cover life. Because of evocative covers, I’ve purchased many new authors’ books I might have otherwise missed. Kudos to all involved in the cover art conceptualization. I’ve been blessed to work with many fine cover artists including Sahara Kelly (my first cover, SAINTS AND SINNERS), Scott Carpenter (TAMING THE TEMPTRESS), Syneca (HELLE IN HEELS and ROUGHRIDER), Ginger Heaston, and Sable Grey. You can check out some of these covers at My Website.

Readers, have you been drawn to a particular shelf because an appealing cover is facing out and urging you to take a peek at the pages? What are some of your favorite covers? I’ll confess my favorite cover is pictured above.

Very visual vixen,

Shawna Moore
ROUGHRIDER – Ellora’s Cave
HELLE IN HEELS – Ellora’s Cave
TORMENTED – TBD Ellora’s Cave
Shawna’s Myspace
Helle’s Myspace