Welcome to Austenesque Extravaganza, a month-long celebration of Austenesque novels and authors! My name is Meredith Esparza, and I’m an ardent admirer of Austenesque novels and your host for this month-long tribute to Austenesque novels and authors.
Today’s Austenesuqe Event is: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WEDNESDAY
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For this event, we will engage in a discussion about a specific element of Austenesque novels. Feel free to share your thoughts!
*Remember, each time you comment during this event it counts as an entry for the Amazing Austenesque Giveaway! Don’t forget to fill out this form so I can contact you if you win! (You only need to fill it out one time for the whole month.)
TODAY’S TOPIC: COVERS
- Are you a cover junkie? Have you ever read a book because of its cover? I have! Don’t you just love the sumptuous covers for Austenesque novels with their Regency artwork, lush colors, and elegant script.
Whether designed by the publisher or author, the covers for Austenesque novels are just gorgeous! Which type of covers do you prefer? landscapes? images of historical houses? headless heroes?
What are some of your favorite Austenesque coveres?
Need help thinking of some titles? These lists of Austenesque novels might help!
*The fantastic graphics you will be seeing for Austenesque Extravaganza were created by the wonderfully talented Lady Turner! Thank you, Lady Turner!
One of the best covers I’ve seen recently is Shannon Winslow’s The Darcys of Pemberley. She actually painted it herself, and then had a designer age it and give it the right effect. It’s so beautiful.
I also love the cover to Willoughby’s Return by Jane Odiwe. The billowing cape is exactly what I imagine when I picture Willoughby.
I prefer buildings to people – mainly becasue the people often look very similar and not my idea of what they might really look like.
I’ll take buildings or people as long as it fits the era in which the stories take place. And I prefer that the people have heads!
I liked the covers on Laurence Fleming’s series. I second Shannon Winslow’s cover and I agree that the half-head/headless people drive me nuts! Those do not make me imagine the characters – they remind me of The Bastille, etc.!
I get sucked into fun covers. Always have. For example, Fitz. Darcy Rock Star (oh, it looks so good), Definitely not Mr. Darcy, A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, and Trials of the Hon. F. Darcy. However, I also love covers with people where I can focus on all that is going on in the cover and make connections as to how it fits with the book like, The Truth about Mr. Darcy, Mr. Darcy’s Undoing, Assumed Engagement, and I could go on and on, but this would be a long post. And give me a nice picture of Pemberley too!!
I definitely judge a book by the cover. I want nice artwork, and a more feminine, sedate cover. BUT–I do not want to see the characters on the cover. I like to imagine how they look myself, and sometimes if the people depicted on the cover don’t fit with what I imagine the characters to look like I am too distracted to really enjoy the book.
I love the cover for Heather Lynn’s FD, Rockstar, and I thought the cover for Jack Caldwell’s Pemberley Ranch was beautiful. Both of those covers have faceless images, and that allows me to dream up my own perfect Darcy and Lizzy. I also loved Karen Kasylowski’s cover for Darcy and Fitzwilliam. Love that swirling cape on Darcy and Fitzwilliam in his uniform. Really well done.
I really like a wife for mr darcy by mary lydon simonsen. such a pretty cover
I’ve been reading books based on the continuation of *Pride and Prejudice*. I’ve read books by Amanda Grange, Karen Wasylowski & Sharon Lathan. All are excellent in my eyes! Sharon Lathan’s Darcy Saga is my fav, so far. I think the covers of 2 of her books are my favorite. They are, *In The Arms Of Mr. Darcy* & *The Trouble With Mr. Darcy*. If you read each book, you’ll see how the theme of the book & the cover coincide…..
I personally like covers that have faces on them. I like using my imagination in novels but I’m never good with imagining faces. I love Sharon Lathan’s covers, especially her covers for Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Loving Mr. Darcy. I love that the faces are historic and fitting to the period that the novels are based in and I love the picture of the manor on Loving Mr. Darcy. It is romantic and whimsical and I can get lost in my imagination in that cover!
i especially luv Susan Kaye’s artistically evocative “None But You (Frederick Wentworth, Captain Book 1)” & “For You Alone (Frederick Wentworth Captain; Book 2)”
GorGeous! both make me want to read whatever they contain! and definitely, yes, i’ve read strictly for the attraction of a cover “))
I love the cover art for Abigail’s upcoming release, Mr. Darcy’s undoing. But I must say, you put that picture of Colin Firth on the cover of anything and I’d buy it. 🙂
as to headless heroes? i much prefer headless if it has to be a person’s image as i am often turned away from a book by the person chosen to illustrate the cover {yikes!} i know! but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if it’s not attractive in this beholder’s eye, i’m not interested enough to be attracted to the read. thus my preference for artistic portrayals of book content/concepts {as previously mentioned}. landscapes and architecture can be excellent choices if creatively portrayed. lots of weight to this topic, Meredith! thanks for an interesting post “))
Love the covers of the Beth Pattillo books (Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart; Dashwood Sisters Tell All; and Jane Austen Ruined My Life). Also loved the cover to My Jane Austen Summer… makes me feel like I was there <3.
I like Karen Wasylowski’s cover, Darcy and Fitzwilliam. It’s intriguing. I do not like headless covers. Show the back of a characters, but please don’t chop of his/her head. Since I have a headless cover on one of my own books, you can tell how much pull I had in making the decision. 🙂
Thanks, Bloeuedd. I LOVE the cover for A Wife for Mr. Darcy.
Ooooo, covers…Where do I begin? I’m just going to start listing covers I *lurve* and go from there: Pemberley Ranch, My Jane Austen Summer, Mr Darcy Broke My Heart, The Dashwood Sisters Tell All, Austenland (the ‘original’ one)…There are so many wonderful ones :o)
I like colors and fonts that play well together…I don’t mind people on my cover – especially if they’re in gorgeous dresses. I LOVE dresses, haha…
The covers with people on them are my favorites as long as the dress and surrounding scenery are consistent with the era in which the book is written. I love the lushness and opulence of most Austenesque covers.
Oh, I just love a beautiful cover on a book. Here are my favorites: Pemberley Ranch, A Wife For Mr Darcy, A Weekend With Mr Darcy and Beth Pattillo’s novels…Jane Austen Ruined My Life, Mr Darcy Broke My Heart and The Daswood Sisters Tell All!!
I had not thought of this before now. I am sure that covers do sell books. I am sure that they have to me before. The more I think about it, the more I think that regardless of people, scenery or buildings, etc I want the cover to hint at something in the book/story. I like those that show Pemberley or Mr. Knightley’s home, I like some of those that show people representing Darcy/Elizabeth or whathaveyou but mostly I want them to draw me in with a suggestion about what the book will be. Jennifer G.
I’m definitely a cover junkie! I tend to judge a book by it’s cover most of the time as well. I love the landscapes and mansions,castles,palaces etc.
I’m usually more drawn to period novels around Jane Austen’s time than modern adaptations, so I like covers with period artwork depicting the time in which the novel takes place. Especially those with regency dressed people, though landscape is nice as well. I like things that are pretty and give me a good feeling. Blood rending vampires and zombies and headlessness doesn’t invoke within me any tender feelings toward a book or what might be contained in it. Even if it’s written by an author I’ve previously enjoyed.
I tend to like the simple covers a bit more. A few good ones are Darcy and Fitzwilliam, Chance Encounters (actually all of Linda Wells covers), None But You, and Mr. Darcy Broke my Heart. I have not read them yet but I like the covers on Definitely Not Mr. Darcy and Lost Along the Way. I noticed a few people mention their feelings about not liking covers where the people are missing heads, I don’t have a problem with that, A Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy, Pemberley Ranch, Rock Star(which I can’t wait to read, I missed it online as Slurry before it was taken down) are all nice and simple.
I don’t think I have any faves that haven’t been mentioned already. Pemberley Ranch, Darcy and Fitzwilliam, Jane Austen Ruined my Life, and FD, Rock Star are all lovely. I also like the cover of Mr Darcy and the Secret to Becoming a Gentleman (because it’s just cute and simple) and A Wife for Mr Darcy (because the girl’s dress is partially unbuttoned making her seem both cute and naughty lol).
I guess I don’t really feel strongly either way on the whole headless/half-head people debate. No one I’ve seen on covers really looks like the characters do in my head, though. I REALLY would love to see the faces that go with the bodies on FD, Rock Star! That guy’s arms are sex-ay! 🙂
I’m a total cover junkie and have bought books based on their covers alone. As for Austenesque novels, I generally prefer a landscaped background, with a country house, and a lady in the foreground. I LOVE the cover for Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale.
Then again, I like the unexpected. Like Me and Mr. Darcy and The Family Fortune. Austenesque covers in general are typically lovely.
Mr Darcy Takes a Wife is my fave. I’m also not a fan of using the same image for different books. I think I’ve seen the same portrait used on JA books of all types, Jane Eyre books and other Historical Fiction
Interesting discussion because I was just thinking the other day that the Darcys of Pemberley was a very nice cover. Since I usually get books on my Kindle, I think covers are less important. I can read reviews when buying and that means more than the cover to me. Also, most of the books I bought when they were self-published and the covers are not as sophisticated as some newer ones seem to be. I’ve read some really good books with not-so-good covers in this genre so I’ve learned to not make the covers as important as they otherwise might be. Final point–if it looks like a Harlequin romance I’m completely turned off.
I absolutely ADORE the cover for FITZWILLIAM DARCY, ROCK STAR. How hot is that thing 🙂
I like covers of landscapes and historical houses. Even the way they are printed makes a difference to me. I love those which have an impressionistic style to them.
I also like those which have their characters in romantic-looking dresses. One of my favourite covers is UK’s version of A Weekend With Mr Darcy.
I adore those which have characters dressed in Regency fashion too. I Was Jane Austen’s Best Friend, Letters From Pemberley and More Letters From Pemberley, Darcy’s Voyage have such gorgeous covers.
I prefer covers with the heroine and/or heroes on them. Previously, the covers draw me to open the book and read it. But now if I read great reviews for Austenesque novels, I tend to read the contents and disregard the cover but usually it is attractive.
Btw, one of my hobbies is collecting Austenesque book covers so as to remind me to get these books.
Yep! All the covers I love are already mentioned!
As far as self pub covers – I really loved Abigail Reynolds original covers they were so scenic and green (my favorite color!) Also loved Mary Sherwood’s first cover. That image of “Pemberley” is just beautiful!
I enjoyed reading our interesting debate over the headless hero and heroines! Some are for it, some abhor it, and some feel whatever about it! My opinion – I liked headless, I like being able to imagine whatever (Colin Firth or a young Laurence Olivier) face I’d like. What I don’t like is the cut-off face – you know showing a mouth and nose but cutting off the eyes and top of the head. I like the cut-off to occur before the face starts!
I really enjoyed Jennifer Becton’s cover for Charlotte Collins. The cut off head threw me a first, but then it became intriguing.
I absolutly LOVE the cover of Nachtsturm Castle by Emily Snyder.
I enjoy covers that bring multiple levels without being too busy. I like both landscapes and people. I prefer the cut off head look or the face turned away, the suggestion of the hero without the actual face so I can image the face as I read. I browse the covers in bookstores looking for something to catch my eye. I love reading on my kindle, but I definalately miss the covers!
I had so wanted to get to this. I just haven’t had a chance to look thru all my covers yet. I can say I dislike when the same picture is used for different books. It’s confusing. It has happened recently with a Heyer and an Austen sequel and I just don’t care for it. I know it’s probably blasphemy but I like Lauren Willig’s covers (even tho’ her books have nothing to do with Austen, Bronte, Heyer or Gaskell). I find they are very well done – both the picture and the actual feel of it. The embossing or whatever is discreetly done on the paper itself is magnificent. The paper texture itself in the books like the Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen or something similiar are magnificent also. I just prefer it to be something that helps me remember the book whether person, place or thing. I’ll have to look for specifics and narrow it down. Very interesting topic. It really makes one think. suzan
I love a good cover. A nice one will entice me to buy a book a lot of the time.
To recent ones that I love are The Truth About Mr. Darcy and Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman. Both very pretty.
I admit I’m not a fan of re-used images, however one thing that makes the difference to me is when there are a series of books, and they have complementing covers. I hate seeing a series of books with vastly different, unmatching covers!
Oh yes, covers make a difference. I just bought another copy of P&P because it was the tie-in to the 95 miniseries…I love seeing Austenesque covers with paintings, but I hate it when it’s a dark, dowdy painting. Use a bright pretty one!
Oh my goodness!!! I absolutely LOVE cover art!! I can’t say it’s only people, or only landscapes… if the cover is well done, or just simply beautiful… then it has my attention. I think my most favorite cover is from the newest annotated edition of Pride & Prejudice. I can’t remember the editor’s name off hand, but the cover is from one of Cassandra Austen’s paintings of Jane Austen – the one of her holding the bonnet in her hand. It’s simply beautiful 🙂 As for the cover art on Austenesque books, I wouldn’t know where to start… or stop, for that matter, because I just love SO many of them that I wouldn’t be able to quit listing them all! LOL
Too many to chose from, I dare say!
I agree with the choice of Beth Patillo’s books… they are all inviting and well done. I also like the new trend that uses regency art…such as Charlotte Collins by Jennifer Becton, and Willoughby’s Return by Jane Odiwe.
I am totally a cover junkie! But I know that what’s on the page is more important, of course. I like all sorts of covers, abstract, landscapes, people, people, people, a scence from the book, dreams or visions that a character had, ect. It’s all good, as long as it’s not good. There are a lot of great covers out there.
I also enjoy the new trend of using regency Art. some of my favorites would be from Amanda Grange and her “diaries” series but there are so many other good ones out there! But I think the covers need to be possibly the characters in the book, not just some random lovely picture.