I Love My Cover

By Ellen Sussman

I love my book cover.

I’ve never been able to say that before. And damn, it feels good.

Writers dreams of the day when they’ll hold their book in their hands, when they’ll show it to friends, when they’ll see it on the front table of their local independent bookstore. And yet, so many writers I know have confessed a dirty little secret: They don’t like their covers. They’re not usually comfortable talking about this — after all, we’re the lucky writers who actually see our books make it into print. And our publishers are doing so much to make our books succeed (or so we want to think), how can we be unappreciative? Besides, what do we know about marketing? We’re the writers, not the publicists or editors or marketing and sales geniuses, all of whom spent many a long meeting trying to package each book in such a way as to lure every passerby to pick it up, run their hands lovingly over the cover and dash to the cash register.

So we tell each other in quiet murmurs, “I think this cover gives the wrong message about the book,” or “I hate being categorized as chick lit” (romance, historical, regional, fill in the blank) or “I just don’t like it!” And sometimes we’re right — we have the right instinct about this sort of thing.

My novel, On a Night Like This, was published by Warner Books in 2004. It sports a cover with the Golden Gate bridge as seen through a thicket of trees. It’s dark, murky and way too busy — it’s got too many branches, too much stuff going on. The editor, with whom I loved working, was very gracious about the choice of the book cover. She FedExed me four options and I spread them all on the dining table to ogle for a long decision-making weekend. I loved one immediately, and by the end of the weekend I was convinced it was the right choice. I emailed her on Monday with my final answer. Good to hear, she said. Warner chose a different cover.

As thrilled as I was to have my book in print, I was always a little uncomfortable about the cover. It felt like I had dressed my baby in ill-fitting clothing.

Last year, WW Norton published my anthology, Bad Girls: 26 Writers Misbehave. The title (which was mine) suggests that the essays within the book might be fun to read, but they’ll also be literary — these are writers misbehaving after all. I think Norton was scared that the fun element wasn’t clear enough, and so they went all out in their efforts to suggest a good time. The cover shows red lips, in a kind of pout, with an ID necklace hanging from the teeth. The necklace says BAD GIRLS. I’ve never quite understood the necklace thing: Are those back in style? Is that what party girls wear? Why dangle it from your teeth? And why do those lips look so mean?

In a month, Bloomsbury will publish my new book, Dirty Words: A Literary Encyclopedia of Sex. This is the cover that knocks me out. I’ve already written an email to the designer, Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich, thanking him for his brilliant work. And I applaud my editor and the brave folks at Bloomsbury who have created a package that is bold, gutsy and out there. The cover is, appropriately, an orgy of dirty words. The words run together, but because of the clever use of colors and font size, they pop out, disappear, make room for other words. The words are funny, silly, sexy, surprising and sometimes shocking. “Blow jobs” runs into “erection” which runs into “lust” and “orgasm.” Anyone who passes by this book on the shelf or table will have to pick it up and take a look! The cover is also the perfect expression of the book’s concept. I’ve put the essays together in an encyclopedia format, and the cover focuses on the words themselves. It’s literary, it’s sexy, it’s wild.

We writers are proud of all of our books, even if we cringe a little when we show off the cover. But when the publisher gets the package right, we might just love those babies a little bit more.

—Ellen Sussman's Dirty Words will be published in June. Her anthology Bad Girls: 26 Writers Misbehave was a New York Times Editors Choice and a San Francisco Chronicle bestseller. On a Night Like This was also a San Francisco Chronicle bestseller; it has been translated into six languages and is a bestseller in France. She has published numerous essays in anthologies, including The Other Woman, and a dozen of her short stories have appeared in literary and commercial magazines. She just finished reading The Disagreement, a wonderful historical novel by Nick Taylor. Next up is Meg Waite Clayton's The Wednesday Sisters.

Comments

[Karen Templer]

Ellen, how do you feel about the cover for the Bad Girls paperback? I think it's pretty great!

[NancyS]

Ellen!! I just logged in to Rville to report that I saw your book (and a picture of it) in this month's "O Magazine." I was thrilled.

You know I'm a big fan of "On a Night Like This" and "Bad Girls," so I'm ordering this one today.

Congratulations.

[YvonneM.]

That is one awesome cover, just imagine the conversations that will spark while reading in public.

[Ellen Sussman]

Karen: I do like the paperback cover of Bad Girls much better! (though I wish the apple were on the front cover)

NancyS: you're the best! thanks. Yes, I just picked up O Magazine today. very exciting. There's also an interview with me in this month's Penthouse. How wild is that -- from O to Penthouse!

[Ellen Sussman]

Hi, Yvonne. I gave a reading from Bad Girls last night and brought Dirty Words to show to the group. Everyone wanted to talk about Dirty Words! Yes, it's great fun -- lots to discuss...

[Kat Warren]

I do like the cover ... but it doesn't feature any earthy or shocking words and a few sprinkled about would have crowned the achievement. Mind you, don't take refuge in the "you can't do that" because ... actually it can be done; has been done.

[lisapeet]

It is a great-looking cover, Ellen. I know what you mean about the less-than-great covers, though -- especially having to watch other people's reactions when they're not exactly sure how you feel about it. Also known as the "Now that's a baby!" syndrome.

[Kaethe]

Great cover, Ellen. I'm really looking forward to looking at the book.

[Tramp Louie]

Mommy, what's a clitoris?

[Ellen Sussman]

Kat: it does have cunt as well as pussy and cock and cum and fellatio and plenty of words that i'd consider earthy or shocking. in fact, i'm wondering if some of the bookstores won't put in on the shelves. In the O Magazine review they photoshopped the cover so you couldn't read the words!

[Kat Warren]

Oh good, Ellen. Then it's just about perfect.

[Karen Templer]

Ellen's book turned up in my mail yesterday and there's a bigger pick-me-up factor than the cover itself. It's a small format book — 6x9ish — and there's no dustjacket. It's glossy black boards with the words printed directly on. That combination, for me — small and jacketless — always appeals. It's such a tidy package that way. (Er, even covered in smutty words.)

I also love that the words are all over the spine as well, so a bookseller who's feeling timid can't even just make sure it's never faced out.

[Ellen Sussman]

that's just what i thought when i saw the book, Karen. no hiding what it's all about, even on the spine! so glad you like it.

now let's see what the booksellers do...