Brand new covers for the Madeleine Milburn Agency’s 2014 publications are being revealed this month.
Above from left to right: IF YOU’RE NOT THE ONE by Jemma Forte will be published by Mira Books in February 2014. This gorgeous cover is a suitable fit for the current women’s fiction market (think Jojo Moye’s Me Before You and Anouska Knight’s Since You’ve been Gone) but also establishes a unique look and a strong author brand.
NIGHT SCHOOL: RESISTANCE by C.J. Daugherty marks the fourth book in the international bestselling series NIGHT SCHOOL, a world of mystery, danger, romance and thrills. The last installment hit the No.6 spot on the German bestseller charts and No.1 on the Polish charts. The new cover features the strong, feisty protagonist Ally Sheridan against the backdrop of the mysterious Cimmeria Academy, and resonates with the series look.
THE DARK INSIDE by Rupert Wallis will be published by Simon & Schuster as a hardback edition in January 2014. Pre-publication reviews include Bookbag’s description as ‘a contemporary fairy tale that touches on problems and emotions that affect human beings throughout their lives. It is sometimes frightening, sometimes touching, sometimes exciting and always thought-provoking.’ The cover is simple and eye-catching and also non-age specific, so should appeal to adults and teenagers.
MOTHER OF THE YEAR by Karen Ross, shortlisted for the prestigious Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize, will be published by Penguin Random House/Ebury Press in February 2014. A fun and retro cover featuring CAKE with strong gift appeal for Mother’s Day.
THE MANIFESTO ON HOW TO BE INTERESTING by Holly Bourne will be published by Usborne in August 2014. A bright and daring cover listing six rules that make a person interesting, giving us an instant insight into this dark-humoured contemporary Young Adult novel.
A BOY CALLED HOPE by Lara Williamson will be Usborne’s lead title for 9-12 year old’s in March 2014. A Fun and vibrant cover with a magical quality. Think all things children love….scrapbooks and scratch and sniff stickers!
DON’T STAND SO CLOSE by Luana Lewis is Transworld’s new psychological suspense for March 2014, featuring a haunting image of a girl who turns up on the protagonist Stella’s doorstep one night and attempts to unravel this woman’s carefully controlled life. A striking cover that promises something darker…
WHERE MEMORIES ARE MADE by Lynda Page will be published by Headline in January 2014 in hardback. Following on from the success of THE TIME OF OUR LIVES, Headline’s cover for Lynda’s 29th saga depicts the nostalgic and heartwarming atmosphere of Jolly’s holiday camp in the 1960s.
THE TRAVELLING TEASHOP is the 12th book by bestselling author, Belinda Jones, and will be published by Hodder in May 2014. This is a deliciously funny and moving novel that takes us on a tour of cake shops around America, with a cover that is perfect for anyone with an appetite for baked goods and sweet romance.
Books that have sold over a million copies with strong covers, from left to right:
ONE DAY by David Nicholls (Hodder), essentially a love story with a bright orange unisex cover and a shouty jacket quote appealing to both men and women.
GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn (Random House), psychological suspense with one of the most eye-catching covers of the 21st Century. Bright orange neon lettering on a bold black cover with a few nothing more than a few wisps of hair.
BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP by S.J. Watson (Transworld), a psychological suspense with a close up of an eye to immediately challenge the reader. Research has found that closeups of faces have a very positive affect on sales.
Follow the Madeleine Milburn Agency blog for more posts about covers. Next up will be the difference between UK and US cover looks.
