For Your Consideration

[greygirlbeast]

Comments

[thefemaleknight.livejournal.com]

At first, I thought I was looking at a foreign version of The Red Tree. It took me a moment to realize that was a different book.

Wow.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

At first, I thought I was looking at a foreign version of The Red Tree. It took me a moment to realize that was a different book.

We've sunk so far that books and covers are interchnageable.

[kendare-blake.livejournal.com]

Weird, huh? At least the model's got her jacket on properly in yours. And the whole thing probably does suit the Rachel Caine book more (though I've never read it).

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

And the whole thing probably does suit the Rachel Caine book more (though I've never read it).

Probably. I don't write that crap.

[vulpine137.livejournal.com]

...

I guess the artist sold a series of covers, and they're spreading them out across the world...

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I guess the artist sold a series of covers, and they're spreading them out across the world...

I've written my editor to find out if this was done with Penguin's permission.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Your book has a sinister half sibling out there. Too weird.

[jenjen4280.livejournal.com]

at least she's wearing her jacket and is less pouty on the red tree.

it's pretty damn cheesy to tweak and reuse the image, though i think it reflects poorly on the other novel, not the red tree which was published first!

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

it's pretty damn cheesy to tweak and reuse the image, though i think it reflects poorly on the other novel, not the red tree which was published first!

It was a shitty, inappropriate cover to begin with. That it's reused, and so not even my shitty inappropriate cover is insult to injury.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

Evil Twin...

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Evil business practices.

[marydell.livejournal.com]

Weird...I was thinking it was 2 different stock art images of the same girl, but it's the same moon and house too.

*wanders off to find out who the cover artist(s) is/are*

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Weird...I was thinking it was 2 different stock art images of the same girl, but it's the same moon and house too.

It's just sad and shoddy.

This is a novel nominated for the World Fantasy Award receiving this treatment.

[brienze.livejournal.com]

Damning with faint praise, but, yours has much better fonts.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Damning with faint praise, but, yours has much better fonts.

Well, mine has a cheesy Romance font. The other has a cheese Horror font. I guess it depends whether you prefer Kraft slices or Velveeta.

[cause-catyljan.livejournal.com]

Well isn't that just charming?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Utterly.

[spank-an-elf.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of this writer and know I know why. Reading the Amazon reviews were hilarious "How cool, the vampires act bad." "It's so cool this is set at a university, not high school." Like OMG.

I can see why someone who reads this drivel would feel great bewilderment over your writing.

[nykolus.livejournal.com]

this has me curious now. can you expain the "business" behind cover art? danke.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

can you expain the "business" behind cover art? danke.

I really can't. Not beyond, "You get what we give you."

[nihilistic-kid.livejournal.com]

Italians love shoulders?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Italians love shoulders?

Pretty sure it's a Romanian edition.

[gargirl.livejournal.com]

Sorry to repeat like a myna bird but; I thought it was The Red Tree in another language at first too. Why would they recycle art like that? and how can it be completely legal? ...? That would be so confusing running across two totally different books with virtually the same cover art. How odd that anyone would want that. Yet, it looks deliberate, how could it not be?

And it seems like the other book is a nothing piece of fluff for people loving the watered down vampire craze. ice.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

You've asked all the questions to which I'm trying to get answers.

[amethyst-clan.livejournal.com]

Ugh. That sucks.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

And also blows.

[sovay]

For Your Consideration

. . . Does Penguin know about this?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

. . . Does Penguin know about this?

I've emailed my editor. No response yet.

[mrs-ralph.livejournal.com]

That's odd. I suppose it happens that someone gives their agent a series of pieces with similar poses to sell and some of the pieces get sold overseas or an artist decides they have a similar pose in stock and who'll know if they sell it clear on the other side of the world. I don't know.

Personally I like speculating on how the second picture could be tied to the initial story. Maybe Sarah bought a house in Spain?

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

That's odd. I suppose it happens that someone gives their agent a series of pieces with similar poses to sell and some of the pieces get sold overseas or an artist decides they have a similar pose in stock and who'll know if they sell it clear on the other side of the world. I don't know.

I am assuming the photographer has a work-for-hire relationship with Penguin, which would make this scenario impossible.

[seph-ski.livejournal.com]

You can't really even call it "cover -art-" any more, since they've made it beyond obvious it's just ever so slightly tweaked Photoshop'd crap.
It is to cover art what the fast-food combo meal is to fine dining.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

You can't really even call it "cover -art-" any more, since they've made it beyond obvious it's just ever so slightly tweaked Photoshop'd crap.
It is to cover art what the fast-food combo meal is to fine dining.

These are wise words, well expressed.

[royal-spice.livejournal.com]

Stupendous. Amazing. Just--speechless.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I started out speechless last night, then got furious, and then went to simmering anger.

[elmocho.livejournal.com]

I really don't want to see the third cover, where that duster finally falls to the leaf-encrusted ground.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I really don't want to see the third cover, where that duster finally falls to the leaf-encrusted ground.

The tramp-stamp striptease.

[baggyeyes]

At first, like others, I thought it was a cover for the foreign market. Then I saw the different author tag.

It doesn't look like an attempt to recycle, unless the publisher hired the same graphic designer. Rather it looks like an attempt to mimic, without being exact.

It's still wrong.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

It doesn't look like an attempt to recycle, unless the publisher hired the same graphic designer. Rather it looks like an attempt to mimic, without being exact.

I call it recycling because there can be no doubt it's the same model, artist, and photoshoot.

shit.

[smallpinkfish.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a joke for a second. That's pretty damn... well fucking shitty. you talk to your publisher about the rights on that? or letting you have more say in the cover next time? I remember there was some conflict of interest before this shitshow.

Re: shit.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

That's pretty damn... well fucking shitty. you talk to your publisher about the rights on that? or letting you have more say in the cover next time?

I'm waiting to hear back from my editor. But no, I'll get no more say in the cover than I do now. Which is, they ask my opinion, then do something else.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I bet visioluxus could provide more info on how these things work (to some extent at least) as her photography has been used for various books around the world. I'm pretty sure it has very little if anything to do with the artist ~ it's more about the photo libraries/agencies where the images are gathered from/represented.

The words inside are what matter, but ideally it sure would be nice if the author had final say in the artwork ~ that way you'd be more able to use something by a friend/peer who would have a sense of mutual respect about keeping the work unique for you.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure it has very little if anything to do with the artist ~ it's more about the photo libraries/agencies where the images are gathered from/represented.

This would be my guess. As I said, I suspect it's work-for-hire.

[mystical-indi.livejournal.com]

That is just sad. Really, who would find that okay? Plus, as we all know, its a crappy cover anyway. It details the other book fine, but it does not suit yours at all. I'd be interested in comparing these two side by side to see if they copied anything else.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Really, who would find that okay?

I'm asking myself that question.

[whiskeychick.livejournal.com]

I feel angry for you; so much so that my initial comment was typed using the wrong keys first and it was utter gibberish. Much like the gray matter between the ears of the individual's whose decision it was to wanker this up.

this gives new meaning to don't judge a book by its cover.

however, that said, when publishers bitch about the decline in book sales, this doesn't help give them any credibility that they are churning out crappola -- and then jeopardizing the good stuff like yours.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I feel angry for you; so much so that my initial comment was typed using the wrong keys first and it was utter gibberish. Much like the gray matter between the ears of the individual's whose decision it was to wanker this up.

I found out about this last night, and was unable to calm down enough to post about it until tonight.

[pisceanblue.livejournal.com]

Some time ago I had read an account of someone who used to be the assistant to a paranormal romance author in which she revealed licensed artwork can potentially be used for any number of covers - sometimes in similar genres, sometimes in different genres - which I believe is such a ridiculous practice; as if it's not difficult enough for one to distinguish oneself in the marketplace to begin with!

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Some time ago I had read an account of someone who used to be the assistant to a paranormal romance author in which she revealed licensed artwork can potentially be used for any number of covers - sometimes in similar genres, sometimes in different genres

The mind boggles.