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Aug 3, 2012

Bad book covers are not limited to self publishing

My library has been thinning out the collection in preparation for changing over to a centralised all-in-one state system.  There’s been a few gems that I have picked up as a result.  Some Arthur Upfield’s for my mother and a very nice faux leather bound edition of The Invisible Man.

But this one I just had to bring home so I could show you my dear reader.  Witness the ‘horribleness’ of this version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World.

2012-08-03 09.54.31

Yes that is a toy dinosaur, in a bed of sand with some plastic aquarium fronds.  I can actually see the mold lines on the dinosaur.

Bonus points if you can guess the decade it was published in.  I can’t for the life of me think why they thought that this cover was better than the cloth cover that it conceals.

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Posted by Sean Wright at 12:53 PM

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Bruce · 658 weeks ago

I'm guessing early 80s, but it could be seventies, I guess. Of course, people can try being 'different' or 'retro' in any decade.

What a shocker of a cover!
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SB Wright 110p · 658 weeks ago

1984 to be exact. As a miniature diorama enthusiast my heart breaks at this one.
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Bruce · 658 weeks ago

I'd play a violin, only T-Rex arms there would get envious of my hands and bite 'em off.
My recent post …joking aside
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Sue Bursztynski · 658 weeks ago

Ghu, that's awful! I never thought such dreadful covers could exist. Arthur Conan Dyle would turn over in his grave.

Actually, self-published covers these days can be BETTER than traditional ones, because the authors take the trouble to hire artists they like, such as the wonderful Duncan Long, who did a guest post on my blog recently and who makes most of his living from self-published book covers. As long as they let the artist get on with it, they can come up with something much better than the photo library stuff many regular books have.
My recent post Middle Grade Reading: Booktalkers 2 for 2012
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SB Wright 110p · 658 weeks ago

I agree they can be, having just looked through some google ebook selections though some of them give this one a run for its money.
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raventracks 46p · 658 weeks ago

Duncan says some authors are very controlling. They keep changing their minds about what they want and being insistent he change the art. And in the end, they're paying the fee. I doubt I will ever self-publish a book, but if I did I thank my experience dealing with artists for ASIM for the fact that I'd give the artist a brief and let them get on with it. In fact, that's what I always advise editors to do. The cover above would have been designed in-house by people who figured the author was dead and unlikely to kick up a fuss. And I bet the covers you saw in google e-books were created by authors too cheap to hire anyone. ;-)
My recent post Middle Grade Reading: Booktalkers 2 for 2012
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SB Wright 110p · 658 weeks ago

I think with the cover above that the publisher went with the cheapest option. Out of copyright book, no author to pay. I don't know why they thought a plastic dinosaur was better than a line drawing :)
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Sue Bursztynski · 658 weeks ago

Sorry, that was me, Sean. Raventracks is my Wordpress login, long story. Not sure how it turned up here, but have logged out.
Sue
My recent post Middle Grade Reading: Booktalkers 2 for 2012
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SB Wright 110p · 658 weeks ago

No worries Sue. It still had your mail attached to it so it was n't hard to figure out.
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DenyE · 258 weeks ago

Looks like you guys have had a great time - the island definitely has loads to do and there is plenty for everyone! I would enjoy the cycling as well as visiting the beautiful birds! Thanks for sharing

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