In the previous post, I began updating you on “the state of the books” – my journey through the publishing industry in the quest to get two books about adoption published. Today, we’ll talk about book covers.

The long-awaited cover proof for The Adoption Decision: 15 Things You Want to Know Before Adopting arrived last week. After the hoopla concerning the book’s title, I’d been a tad anxious that we’d go though the same thing again with the cover. Not so. The cover is beautiful! It has several colorful photos that depict children of different ages and ethnicities. The title and subtitle are nice and bold. It looks classy.

Here’s the fun part: At the top, right under my name, it says, “Host of the award-winning Exploring Adoption Blog.” I feel like a celebrity!

Two cover mockups for The Adoption Network: Your Guide to Starting a Support System arrived yesterday. I took them to my writers’ group last night and got input from a dozen people. Of course, half loved one cover and half loved the other. What a quandary!

The designer is tweaking both samples today and then I’ll take another look at them.

A few days before the cover proof of Book A arrived in the mail, I received a draft of the back cover copy. The back cover is a book’s second-most important “selling point” (after the front cover/title).

My editor wrote the back cover copy, based on his “take” about the book’s theme, important points, and of course, his knowledge of what will sell the book.

Here’s a taste of what you might be seeing on the back cover:
This quick-start resource grounds adoption in God’s master plan for His family, while recounting miracles and mishaps of real-life adoptive families. All this helps you see adoption as it is today, get a better grasp on its challenges and joys, and confidently build your plan on a firm emotional and spiritual footing.

The other important consideration concerning covers is whether the finish should be glossy or matte. I prefer the look of a matte finish, but my editor told me the cover will be high-gloss. Here’s why:

On books sold via the “rack” market, a gloss finish stands out better and more effectively resists dirt from handling.

Who woulda thunk that gloss vs. matte made such a difference? When I was in Barnes & Noble recently, I tested this theory. Sure enough, most of the books at the front of the store—the ones that were getting manhandled the most—had a glossy finish.

When I was in B&N, I also checked out “trim sizes” (that’s the finished size of a book). Most of the “manhandled” books were 5.5 x 8.5 inches (the same size as both my books). I hope that bodes well.

So, what’s the “rack” market? My editor tells me books sold on the “rack” market appear in places like grocery stores, drug stores, airport kiosks, doctors’ and dentists’ offices, and car washes.

CAR WASHES???!!!

When I heard that, I asked my editor if the cover is going to be waterproof.

Part 1: Titling My Adoption Books: An Insider’s Look into the Publishing Industry