Scent of a Kitten

jgaiser · 08-17-2012, 02:39 PM

On the Sue Grafton thread, a couple of the comments touched on the importance of book covers. This morning I ran across this link on MetaFilter. I'm not sure I completely agree with all the points, but it's an interesting article none the less.

Scent of a kitten: the 20 irrefutable theories of book cover design - via:

soulfuldog · 08-17-2012, 03:20 PM

That's an interesting read, but yeah the fluffy kitten (or puppy) wins for me every time

JSWolf · 08-17-2012, 03:36 PM

Quote:

20. Fluffy kitten theory

Nothing draws a reader to a book like a picture of a fluffy kitten.

Total crap. A fluffy kitty would be an excellent reason not to buy the book.

jgaiser · 08-17-2012, 04:32 PM

Thanks Jon. I knew you would add something to the discussion.

JSWolf · 08-17-2012, 04:40 PM

The cover can sometimes be all that stands between the customer and the sale.

Belfaborac · 08-17-2012, 06:01 PM

I'm with the wolf. The very best way to ensure that I never, ever touch a book is to place a fluffy kitten on the cover. Babies also work very well in this respect, as does cute lambs, puppies and such.

Interesting article though and I'm sure the underlying theories are all valid. Just not universally so. The kitten is already ample proof of that.

Catlady · 08-17-2012, 06:50 PM

There were only one or two covers there that appealed to me at all. I thought most of them were quite ugly, in fact. They may be graphically interesting--I might be intrigued if they were product advertisements in a magazine--but they didn't work for me as book covers.

carpetmojo · 08-17-2012, 06:59 PM

Don't forget there's a "toilet tissue" [bog roll?] line that daintily has a sweet adorable puppy embossed on each sheet.

A little strange, really, when you think of what dogs do when getting to know another pooch ................

Or perhaps there's something subliminal going on that has passed me by .....

JSWolf · 08-17-2012, 07:37 PM

If the cover is unappealing, the customer may not bother to give the book a second look. Smashwords is a good example of many books with really hideous covers.

fjtorres · 08-17-2012, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

I thought most of them were quite ugly, in fact. They may be graphically interesting--I might be intrigued if they were product advertisements in a magazine--but they didn't work for me as book covers.

Ditto.
More, I don't think *any* of the principles look too applicable to the genres.

Somehow, I can't see a cute kitten selling a murder mystery.

JSWolf · 08-17-2012, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Ditto.
More, I don't think *any* of the principles look too applicable to the genres.

Somehow, I can't see a cute kitten selling a murder mystery.

Maybe if the cute kitten is road kill.

Requiem · 08-17-2012, 08:15 PM

This was not what I thought this thread was when I opened it....

Moving on....

Catlady · 08-17-2012, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Ditto.
More, I don't think *any* of the principles look too applicable to the genres.

Somehow, I can't see a cute kitten selling a murder mystery.

Cute kittens are all over the cozy mysteries!

DiapDealer · 08-17-2012, 08:40 PM

If I gave two hoots about cover-art and gave it more than a passing glance, I'd probably turn up my nose at kittens—and then go ahead and buy it if the book's premise had already attracted me. I'm defective like that.

Phogg · 08-17-2012, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

If I gave two hoots about cover-art and gave it more than a passing glance, I'd probably turn up my nose at kittens—and then go ahead and buy it if the book's premise had already attracted me. I'm defective like that.

Bet you'd skim a few pages.

08-17-2012, 02:39 PM	#1
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Scent of a Kitten On the Sue Grafton thread, a couple of the comments touched on the importance of book covers. This morning I ran across this link on MetaFilter. I'm not sure I completely agree with all the points, but it's an interesting article none the less. Scent of a kitten: the 20 irrefutable theories of book cover design - via:

08-17-2012, 06:59 PM	#8
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	Herrummph...... Don't forget there's a "toilet tissue" [bog roll?] line that daintily has a sweet adorable puppy embossed on each sheet. A little strange, really, when you think of what dogs do when getting to know another pooch ................ Or perhaps there's something subliminal going on that has passed me by .....

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08-17-2012, 03:20 PM	#2
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	That's an interesting read, but yeah the fluffy kitten (or puppy) wins for me every time

08-17-2012, 04:32 PM	#4
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Thanks Jon. I knew you would add something to the discussion.

08-17-2012, 04:40 PM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,147 Karma: 144284184 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The cover can sometimes be all that stands between the customer and the sale.

08-17-2012, 06:01 PM	#6
Belfaborac Wizard Posts: 1,498 Karma: 5199835 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Norway Device: Sony PRS-505, PRS-950	I'm with the wolf. The very best way to ensure that I never, ever touch a book is to place a fluffy kitten on the cover. Babies also work very well in this respect, as does cute lambs, puppies and such. Interesting article though and I'm sure the underlying theories are all valid. Just not universally so. The kitten is already ample proof of that.

08-17-2012, 06:50 PM	#7
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,407 Karma: 52613881 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	There were only one or two covers there that appealed to me at all. I thought most of them were quite ugly, in fact. They may be graphically interesting--I might be intrigued if they were product advertisements in a magazine--but they didn't work for me as book covers.

08-17-2012, 07:37 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,147 Karma: 144284184 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If the cover is unappealing, the customer may not bother to give the book a second look. Smashwords is a good example of many books with really hideous covers.

08-17-2012, 08:15 PM	#12
Requiem Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 490328 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: USA Device: Asus Transformer	This was not what I thought this thread was when I opened it.... Moving on....

08-17-2012, 08:40 PM	#14
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,358 Karma: 203720150 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	If I gave two hoots about cover-art and gave it more than a passing glance, I'd probably turn up my nose at kittens—and then go ahead and buy it if the book's premise had already attracted me. I'm defective like that.