we’ve lost our way

April 10, 2026 - 19:56 UTC

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My least favorite thing about these modern book covers is I find myself thinking "Oooh that looks like a good graphic novel" and then I crack it open and it's just prose 🙄
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And sadly most authors get little to no say in the cover designs. You cant tell me the person that wrote the books wouldnt be a great resource for that very purpose.
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There is at least one specific sub genre that still has it.
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There's definitely something to be said for the indie/selfpub side of things these days: you get to choose what cover your own dang book gets. And that is definitely worthwhile.
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For example!

bsky.app/profile/marlynnofmany.bsky.social/post/3ldrktq6yek26
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i’m sure someone could word it better than i could but this is the fault of purity culture and the shift of fucking everything to the right
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feels in line with this observer.co.uk/news/columnists/article/why-everyone-is-hot-and-no-one-is-horny
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I call it a flattening -- the search for the broadest audience and to avoid offending *anyone* drives all media to the most boring mean. A thing is best when it is loved by none, hated by none, and easily consumed so as to leave space for the next consumable.
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Fun fact: The lad on that Gideon's Fall cover is Fabio Lanzoni, who graced the covers of over 400 romance novels in the 80s and 90s... as well as selling I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

I do concur with the sentiment however.
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the only romance novel that matters
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CYOA covers were their own special brand of awesome
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You should follow Paul Tobin for the real deal gutter filth paperback artwork
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Orgy oboe is peak.
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FWIW fun romance covers are slowly coming back. Some friends I looked at the slate this year, there’s some new interesting styles. I think a lot of flat covers come from stuff needing a million revisions so it’s being done in house by the designers who even if they can paint, they have no time :(
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