Look what they've done to my book, Ma.
This’ll date me, but the other night I found myself singing an old Melanie Safka song — Look What They’ve Done to My Song, Ma.” If you don’t know it, there’s a recording here of her singing it . It goes:
Look what they’ve done to my song, Ma.
Look what they’ve done to my song,
It was the only thing I could do half right
And it’s turning out all wrong, Ma.
Look what they’ve done to my song.
And not that I’ve written any songs to be ruined, but I’ve just seen the new cover HarperCollins have given to the republication of my very first book — Gallant Waif. Here it is.
The thing is, that book is about a young woman who has returned from following the army with her father and brothers—all now dead—and she’s got no money and no home, and is in a desperate way.
She’s given a position in a rundown old house where a wounded former soldier has holed up to hide from the world.
This is a ‘sweet” book with only a few kisses. It was a RITA finalist for “Best First Book” too.
So they’ve made her look like a courtesan.
This was the original cover. So much more fitting to the story, don’t you think?
I would write to the publisher and ask them to change it, only this whole thing was done without any attempt to inform me, and I have no idea who to contact. My original editor left the publisher long ago.
So now, all I can do is feel sad about the inappropriate cover.
Luckily for you as a Kindle user I never see the cover. But it’s offensive that some idiot created a cover that has no relation to your story and that you weren’t given input.
Thanks, Mary — yes, it makes me cross and a bit sad.
Glad I have a copy of the original.
Thanks Joyce.
I feel kinda sorry for whomever slapped that cover on it, too. They obviously hate their work.
Thanks, Marianne. Yes, I guess they just grabbed the first generic cover they could find.
That is a terrible thing that they have done to your book. A total misrepresentation of the story between the covers. So sorry they did this without even talking to you
Thanks, Priscilla — with this publisher, the author is often the last to know these things, and when you do find out, it’s too late.
It’s ridiculous, isn’t it, that no one at the publisher cared enough to read the book first! There may be no way to get it changed at this point, Anne, but you should still make the publisher aware of your displeasure—you’re an award-winning, highly popular author — at least it might make them more respectful in the future!
Thanks, Constance — yes, ridiculous and annoying. But I think I just have to suck it up. :(
I am so sorry that you had no input. It doesn’t seem right. :(
Thanks, Pam. It’s frustrating.
Hugs on the nightmare cover, Anne. Obviously created by someone who didn’t care enough about the book to check so much as the blurb. Or that the reader will be expecting something very different.
Thanks, Liz — the irony is, they’re calling this “republishing” in order to hang onto the rights. Slapping a cheap generic cover on it is hardly what I’d call “republishing..” But . . . lesson learned.
What a nightmare of a cover – what idiot decided that would be good? Do people get paid for this? Betting it was a man who has never read a romance. Thing is it isn’t even bad enough to be ironically good like some of the really old school ones. She has bare shoulders but not clothes falling off, but he is shirtless. Just all round pitiful effort. So sorry that you have to endure this. If it is any help I did not read the original and so will be buying a copy of this if I can get… Read more »
Thanks, Christine. I doubt anyone involved read the story — just thought “historical romance” and slapped a generic cover on it. And thanks for the support.
Oh Anne, that is not the cover for this book, I am so sorry they have done that, it is a beautiful story, I sometimes wonder if the cover designer actually read the book first :(
Have Fun
Helen
Thanks, Helen, no the cover designers never read the book — they wouldn’t have the time — but we do fill out “art fact sheets” with all the relevant details. But it seems they didn’t do that either.
Unfortunately, it is quite common for covers not to reflect the story, or even the description of the main characters. Covers without people leave it to the reader to discover.
Yes, the art of cover design is an interesting one. I have French translations of this series coming out and there’s no people on the cover — just a scene with a grand house in the background. Quite pretty but very different from the usual. I’ll blog about it later.
Oh, Anne… I can’t believe they didn’t do you the courtesy of consulting!
Nope, the author is generally the last to know. <g>
I always say in my head, “well OBVIOUSLY someone didn’t read the book!” So sorry.
Thanks, Maree. I don’t expect them to read the book, but I did fill out art fact sheets back when it was first published.
So sorry, it isn’t the best of covers. But everyone, do read this lovely book! Maybe time for a re-read…
Thanks for that lovely recommendation, Malvina.
I remember Melanie. I believe she passed away in the past year or two. Good song, and it really captures what I’m sure you are feeling. I’m betting no one at the publisher bothered to actually read the book.
Yes, Melanie died a couple of years ago — very sad. And no, nobody read the book, and not the art fact sheets either.
Corporate greed at its finest. Sex sells more than integrity and being true to the story.
Yes, and I hate disappointing readers. There are so many sexy regencies out there, but this isn’t one.
Can you contact your original editor and ask if they have any suggestions for who to contact?
That’s very poor form from the publisher. I looked up Harper Collins and they have a feedback email address, but who knows if it would be worth your while to write:
Please email feedback regarding HarperCollins Publishers Australia products or services, or this website, to feedback@harpercollins.com.au
Thanks, Fay — I think it’s too late to change anything now — it’s top on all the sites. :(
How incredibly disappointed you must be feeling Anne. One can only wonder what the people at Harper Collins were ‘thinking’ when they came up with this travesty.
I’m not sure anyone was thinking of anything except “get a new cover” and do it in the quickest way.
I ignore the cover mostly and enjoy the story. I had to give my original copy of this book to the Brotherhood as I had to move in to smaller accomodation. I miss it very much. I have ordered a new copy though and will enjoy it just as much as the first time I read it.
Thank you so much, Patricia, and yes, in most cases it’s good policy to ignore the cover. But as an author, I know covers do influence sales. I hope you enjoy it the second time around.
Ist’s offen the same with translations. I’m living in Germany and am sometimes sad (or mad) about the new titles or covers. Luckily I’m able to read Your originals. It’s a sad thing that You have never been asked
Thanks Simone — and how wonderful that you read my books in the original English. I find the foreign edition covers interesting, as they reflect what their marketing dept thinks will sell, rather than what the book is about. <g>
It has long been a bugbear of mine. The producers of the covers clearly don’t read the stories they are asked to illustrate for. It is very sad for the authors and very irritating for readers (and I am one of those who correct misprints with a tippex mouse so that I don’t get annoyed again when I re-read the book down the line). The fact that sex sells, hence the salacious covers, is no excuse. Indeed for some historical novels set in a more genteel era it is in fact deeply offensive. I agree that authors should have input/insight… Read more »
Lyn, I did have some say in the original publication (though not much, but the editors kept a close eye on the covers and they had read the book. But that was 20 years ago, and nobody there knows the book anymore.
I hate when a cover is outright sleazy sexy. My family teases me as it is for reading “smut” books. I am appalled that your publisher would do that to you.
Thanks, Barbara, I know a lot of people feel that way about reading books with sexy covers in public.