Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Do the Eyes have it on Romance Novel Covers?


The eyes have it.

Or as a famous film star once said, "Here's looking at you, kid."

That's what experts say re: the cereals your kids buy at the supermarket. How those "big, cartoony eyes" on the boxes draw kids to buying their cereal.

That they're placed at just the right angle so they look down to "kid level" as you're cruising the cereal aisle with your kid in your grocery cart.

And he or she can't resist...

Not exactly what Bogart had in mind.

Does the same marketing idea work with romance readers?

What about romance novel covers? Does looking into the eyes of the character help sell books?

"His dark, dangerous eyes penetrating though her thin sheet" is from my current WIP, but I'm betting we won't be looking into the eyes of the hero on the book cover.

So many covers don't even show the face and others show the H/H kissing or in an embrace looking into each other's eyes.

Like the cover on my Cosmo Red Hot Read from Harlequin, "Naked Sushi" S-e-x-y!


"Naked Sushi" Excerpt 2: “Are you as hot as your name?” Cosmo Red-Hot Read from Harlequin from Jina Bacarr on Vimeo.





Two of my covers (The Blonde Geisha and Naughty Paris) and my short story (Virgin Kiss) have heroines looking straight into the eyes of the reader.




But no heroes on the covers with sexy eyes tempting the reader to look inside.







Should romance novel covers show the H/H looking straight at the reader from the bookshelf?

Is that a turn-on or a turn-off?

What do you think?

Best,
Jina

www.jinabacarr.com

The Geisha with the Emerald Eyes
in Czech

                                                                         




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