Everybody loves a little refresh in the new year, right? Well, Bad Bachelor is getting a brand new look! It’s hard to believe this book came out two years ago. In that time cover trends have changed a bit.
The original Bad Bachelor cover with the very sexy Reed in his signature suit.
Bad Bachelor came out right on the cusp of this latest resurgence of romantic comedy. Did I plan to write romantic comedy? Not specifically, no. But my books have always included humour because that’s the kind of person I am (if you spent five minutes around my husband I, you’d see we don’t take anything too seriously.)
Some people don’t consider my books romantic comedies because they’re not funny all the way through. I tackle serious issues and deep emotions, the Bad Bachelor series included. But to me, the best comedies have shade and light. Humour is an incredible contrast to pain, which all characters have to experience if they’re to grow. Which means that how a person (whether inside the publisher or a reviewer or reader) wants to categorize my book isn’t really something that concerns me.
But the categorization of a book is important when it comes to finding readers. A cover is critical to conveying genre, tone, themes and setting. The original Bad Bachelor cover did this really well. It shows a broody hero (tick) against a city backdrop (tick) and the shades of light and dark reflect the highs and lows in the story (tick.)
So how can a brand new cover also perfectly represent the story? Well, it focuses on different things. For lack of a more pleasant expression, there’s more than one way to skin a cat.
This version of Bad Bachelor represents some different aspects of the story. The city backdrop is still there, but the yellow cabs scream New York City (tick). The adorable cartoon characters are also holding phones which speak to the core concept of the series (tick.) The cartoon elements hints at the humorous elements of the story (tick.)
So, both covers really suit the story but for different reasons.
Why do books get new covers?
Often, it’s because something has shifted in the market and the publisher believes they can capture a new segment of readership with a different look. As much as I love a sexy dude on the cover of a book, there are some people who don’t like that style of cover.
This new version is also being released in Trade format (taller, slightly bigger book) which some people prefer the feel of to a more compact mass market paperback. In complete honesty, I actually prefer the experience of reading a larger-format book from a tactile perspective. But people who like to carry books around might prefer the compact format of the mass market paperback.
Essentially, a redesign is about finding more readers.
What about Bad Reputation and Bad Influence?
I hope they’ll get a makeover too! So, if you like the new look be sure to pick up a copy and let the publisher know you want to see the rest of the series get the cartoon treatment.
When will this beauty be available?
The Bad Bachelor redesign will hit shelves in March 2020. To my knowledge the original version will also still be available, so if you’re new to the series you can take your pick and get whichever cover you love most.