When I'm browsing through a bookstore a title and/or cover will grab me. I pass by certain 'types' of books: anything with a cartoonish cover (think "Karma Girl"), half-naked men (sorry, Lynne), and anybody wielding a sword against an Orc (I've already read the Lord of the Rings, thank you).
I've been analyzing this a lot lately because of my cover fiasco. I really, really like Martha Grimes' covers. They're evocative and set the mood for the story. Some of them are downright artistic. I like some P.D. James covers, but others are sort of bland. Anne Perry's covers are great. I like Lynne Kurland's.
One of my favorite covers (and my favorite book, possibly of all time) is "Tea with the Black Dragon" by R.A. MacAvoy. The cover just perfectly conveys what's in the book (this is the old 1970s paperback edition, not sure of the exact year. I have 3 copies because one is almost worn out and I want the backup copies. I should just frame the damn cover). Anyway -- that and a couple of Martha Grimes books are my favorites ("The Man With a Load of Mischief", "Jeruselem Inn" and "The Deer Leap" come to mind). And their covers and titles EXACTLY match what's in the book (older versions, not the new covers out now). The books are a joy to read and hold.
Titles grab me, too, and the blurb. Here's how it works out for me:
A good title will make me stop and look. A good cover will make me pick up the book. A good blurb will make me open the book. If all three combine ... I might buy. Well ... I can aspire to Grimes and MacAvoy, I think. And to better covers in the future 8)
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