Survey: Covers and Buyability

[erastes]

Ruth Sims has a series of unofficial survey questions for readers of m/m romance .

Please reply personally to Ruth at RSNewsletter@insightbb.com

1) If m/m romances were readily available and easy to find in stores such as Barnes & Noble would you buy them?

2) Is the author's perceived gender a consideration? Would you buy a m/m romance authored by a man?

3) Women tend to read in public a lot--doctor's offices, etc. The following Amazon titles represent different types of covers. Which one would you be more likely to buy in a store? The titles below were chosen only for their covers as examples, with no consideration given to the author or story. Please just rank them 1 (would buy) 9 for bookstore "buyability". We're not collecting names or information, so any comments you care to make are welcome. The titles were chose at random from the Amazon Top 100 lists – gay fiction, and gay romance.


The Tin Star (Langley)



Racing the Moon (Tortuga)


Walking Wounded (Rowan)


Soul Mates: Bound by Blood (Lane)


Natural Disaster (Owen)


The Price of Temptation (Pearson)


Standish (Erastes)


When You Don't See Me (Beck)


The Back Passage (Lear)


To Love a Cowboy (Aile)

Comments

[semioticwarrior.livejournal.com]

Obviously, I'd feel most comfortable buying and publicly reading Standish and When you don't see me.

I would probably die of embarrassment if I were caught reading The Back Passage or The Price of Temptation with those covers. If there were women depicted that way on either of the covers, I'd feel the same way.

[tharain.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on that. Anny of the others....not so much.

[fleurrochard]

Please just rank them 1 (would buy) 9 for bookstore "buyability".

*peers at the sentence* I have the feeling that there are missing words. Is 1 "would buy"? Is 9 "wouldn't buy" then?

And I think the only cover I'd hesitate to buy (whether in a store or online) is "The Price of Temptation". (The cover of "The Back Passage" for example wouldn't bother me - the title might.)

[tharain.livejournal.com]

1) I might buy them, though "romance" tends not to be a genre I go for too much. Actually, bodice rippers I don't go for. Romance I might.

2) I would be far more likely to buy a m/m romance written by a man. But then, I'm a sexist pig, 'cause I'm a guy.

3) Standish and When You Don't See Me are the only two I'd pick up off the shelf. And I already own Standish! =-D

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

Done. I'm afraid I ran on a bit about the issues with those covers!

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

I like Standish because it says 'Regency novel', and I really like 'When you don't see me' because it looks edgy and professional. I am wondering whether it's worrying that I prefer the ones with the gayness off the cover - though, having said that, I also like 'Walking Wounded'. As for the rest, better no art at all than bad art!

[gavinatlas.livejournal.com]

I noticed this on the EAA loop, but I didn't respond because it looked like she only wanted responses from women. However, I have to say the question about the buyability based on covers seems a bit leading to me. By mentioning that women often read in public, the assumption is that women often read erotica in public. Hmmm. I don't have figures, but I'm pretty sure a major reason why companies like Ellora's Cave and Red Sage have become hugely successful is because there doesn't have to be anything public involved. You buy the book on a website, have it delivered to your house or you read it on your computer, and no one else needs to know. I am sure that is why erotica is the biggest seller for e-publishers. I read at my doctor's office, but I wouldn't bring anything with a cover like Walking Wounded. But that's my favorite cover of this bunch, and if I were buying a book based on a cover (online where no one can judge me), that's what I would pick. Sure, there are people who will think "I can't have a book in my house with that kind of cover. What if my child sees it?" But my publisher will tell you the importance of sensual covers in generating sales, so if a company is worrying about having covers that are acceptable to the public, I suspect that's largely a mistake.

Hmm, maybe the right thing for a POD press would be letting buyers opt out of a sexy cover. Instead they could print off a copy with a cover as plain as the tax code.

[hanks-lil-pit.livejournal.com]

This is, by far, the best comment and I have to agree, across the board. POD allowing an opt out is an excellent idea,and the perfect solution.

Covers will catch my eye, definitely, but the back cover blurb is what will draw me in. I'll read them anywhere.

Hank

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Interesting survey. I think the Standish cover is easily the most public-safe--that was brilliant. Clearly historical, and no hint of what's inside! But I have a slipcover for anything that might scare the horses, and I probably wouldn't be reading m/m in public anyway... I don't take something absorbing along to read if I'm likely to be interrupted often.

[clarediva.livejournal.com]

I replied to this already, it's v interesting. And I had to say how contradictory The Back Passage was - such a fun book, but such a provocative cover!!! *lmao*. I had to hide it in a cupboard in case my teenage boys got hold of it.
^__^

Am I too late?

[gaycrow.livejournal.com]

Hope it's not too late to participate. I've sent an e-mail off anyway.

Interesting questions ... the last is particularly relevant, as I recently bought some of these books, and had a tough time reading them without members of the family seeing (even though they're adult, they don't need to know exactly what I'm reading. ;-) )

Re: Am I too late?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thanks hun - every little helps!