Don't judge a cat book by its cover

Publishers may think a cute animal on the cover is what sells in the supermarket, but ask around online and those who buy pet books will tell you otherwiseThe moment of receiving your first book jacket is one that every author remembers. I was so excited when I got mine – a jacket, for a book, written by me, that was going to be published – it took me a while to realise it wasn't quite right. When the time came for the smaller, mass market paperback edition of the book concerned (a memoir about my golfing adolescence, called Nice Jumper) and my agent and I suggested a change of image, my publishers were only too happy to work towards something that suited everyone. That was 12 years ago, though, and the publishing industry has changed a lot since then, with supermarkets becoming increasingly dominant and power swinging away from editorial and towards sales. It had already changed a lot by early 2009 when Simon & Schuster, the publishers of my fifth book, Under the Paw, sent me their proposal for the book's paperback edition. I instantly knew I hated the cover and instantly knew there was not a lot I could do about it.In Under the Paw, I'd written about the chaos of more than three decades living at the beck and call of several of the world's most demanding felines. I was realistic about the book's marketing: although proper writers such as William Boyd, Kate Atkinson and David Sedaris had said nice stuff about it, it was, after all, a memoir about some cats, and no... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #screen trade #tom cox

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Don't judge a cat book by its cover'


Don't judge a cat book by its cover

Publishers may think a cute animal on the cover is what sells in the supermarket, but ask around online and those who buy pet books will tell you otherwiseThe moment of receiving your first book jacket is one that every author remembers. I was so excited when I got mine – a jacket, for a book,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #screen trade #tom cox


Judge a Book by Its Cover and Get a Perfect Book Recommendation

Got strong opinions about what makes a great book cover? Judge a book by its cover here to get a new read perfectly suited to your tastes. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-05-11 10:36:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #strong opinions #great book


Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover, Judge it By Its Blurbs

The book blurb is one of the longest-running conventions in publishing and is largely a favor passed among writers and friends. But do they sell books? The post Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover, Judge it By Its Blurbs appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book blurb #post don #sell books


The Nine Lives of a Cat (Book Cover)

While others sweat the fate of their book cover, for me, it’s the part of the publishing process I look forward to most. I not only love contemplating book covers and exploring options, but as the former art director at a major publishing house, I have a unique appreciation for how important the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-10-26 08:53:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book cover #publishing process #art director #major publishing


Why “Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover” Is Bad Advice

Who says you shouldn't judge a book based on its cover? The cover has an important job: to capture your attention. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-09-24 10:36:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book based


In the Instagram age, you actually can judge a book by its cover

Social media is now a vital platform to promote new titles. And that means jacket designs that hit you ‘hard and quick’Last week’s big literary event was not the publication of a new book, the million-pound signing of a celebrity author or the announcement of a prestigious prize. Instead, it was... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-04-18 09:00:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #celebrity author #prestigious prize #sally rooney #big deal #danny arter #publishing industry #guardian view #book cover


Judging a Book Cover by Its Color

When you look at your shelves, do you see a dominant color scheme? Dive into the world of book cover colors and what they may denote. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-02-09 11:33:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book cover


You can't judge a book by its cover – if you're a robot

An algorithm has been built to predict a book’s genre by its cover. Sadly for online booksellers, it doesn’t do a very good jobBack in September, a report suggested that robots will have eliminated 6% of jobs in the US by 2021. Fortunately for book designers, it doesn’t look as if androids are... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-11-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cover design #book based #online booksellers #report suggested


Machine Learning: Can a Computer Judge a Book By Its Cover?

Could software someday design book covers that could be judged—correctly—by human readers? Research in Japan says...it depends. The post Machine Learning: Can a Computer Judge a Book By Its Cover? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-11-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #machine learning


Book Designers Judge Go Set a Watchman by Its Cover

Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee’s retro-facing sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, hit bookshelves this week. The story of its discovery—it was actually Lee’s first draft of Mockingbird—and publication reads like a novel of its own, and the whole affair has been mired in controversy. But now it’s... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harper lee #cover appeared


When A Book Cover Judges You

Dutch designer Thijs Biersteker has come up with a book jacket that will only open when a prospective reader shows the right facial expression. The post When A Book Cover Judges You appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book jacket


This Book Cover Judges You Back

You can't open this book—literally—until you make it clear you don't have any preconceived notions.I'll admit it: I definitely judge books by their covers. But this book might train those of us who are prone to snap judgments to become slightly better people. If you look at the book with... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #judge books


Anatomy of a Book Cover: The Process of Book Cover Design

How does book cover design work? Find here an introduction to the process, both in self- and traditional publishing. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-07-10 10:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traditional publishing #book cover


Judge Finds Texas Library's Book Bans Unconstitutional, Orders Books Returned

In a victory for freedom to read advocates, federal judge Robert Pitman found that Llano County's "targeting and removal" of a host of allegedly "inappropriate" books from library shelves constituted viewpoint and content discrimination. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #read advocates #llano county


Go viral, score book deal. 'Cat Person' author sells her debut book in the U.K., with U.S. deal in the works

The debut book from Kristen Roupenian, whose New Yorker short story “Cat Person” went viral far beyond the scope of most short fiction when it was published earlier this month, has been sold to British publisher Jonathan Cape, the Guardian reports. Roupenian's short story collection, “You Know... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kristen roupenian #cat person #debut book #short fiction #published earlier #guardian reports


London Book Fair 2017: Judge Pierre Leval Defends Google Books Decision, Fair Use

The author of the appeals court decision that legalized Google Books last April told attendees that the case was not close. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Classic Book Covers Get Charming Redesigns for the E-Book Age

750 artists redesigned the covers of classic books. Now 50 of them are going on tour. The post Classic Book Covers Get Charming Redesigns for the E-Book Age appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2016-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #classic books


How Pelican Books Is Reimagining The Cover In The Age Of E-Books

Penguin's storied non-fiction brand is trying to redefine the book cover, as well as bridge the gap between physical books and ebooks.The covers of our favorite books are doors that lead into their internal literary worlds, and that's enough to make their designs important: a book's cover is the... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #physical books


Judge Weighs Preliminary Injunction in Alaska Book Banning Lawsuit

The hearing comes nearly year after administrators in the Mat-Su district, located just north of Anchorage, responded to a handful of parental complaints by pulling 56 titles from school libraries without any formal review. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #school libraries #libraries


Tor Books Criticized for Use of AI-Generated Art in 'Gothikana' Cover Design

The use of AI-generated assets in the cover art for the dark academia novel 'Gothikana' by RuNyx, originally self-published and reissued by Tor Books' romance imprint Bramble, has set off a debate about the role of AI in publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-21 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cover design #cover art #originally self-published #tor books