Deciding on covers for a new series can be a difficult task. Artwork is subjective. What one person loves; another is “meh.” Something completely awe-inspiring to one viewer might not even catch the attention of another.
One of the great things independent authors enjoy is the ability to choose their own cover design. Even if we miss the first time, we can try again. Sometimes it takes more than one time to get something that resonates with a wide demographic.
I completely missed with my first attempt at the Higgins & Hawke series covers.
And while my second attempt wasn’t bad (and this is no reflection on the talented illustrator) I don’t think they had the wow factor they needed.
So now we have version three!
People really do judge a book by its cover, and I hope these ones will be more attention grabbing.
I’m very proud of this series. Not only does it feature a fabulous character from my popular Ginger Gold Mystery series, but it’s set in an intriguing time period in American history and one of America’s coolest cities—Boston!
Haley Higgins, like Ginger Gold, is a woman before her time, taking bruises for the team as she pushes into the medical arena dominated by men. Especially in the area of early forensic science. I paired her with Samantha Hawke, an everyday girl trying to make it on her own with a young daughter during the depression years. She has no choice but to enter the workforce with her elbows out, battling the prejudice and stigma experienced by working women of the times, especially those in male dominated fields like journalism.
My inspiration for Haley and Samantha and their unlikely friendship came from their contemporary counterparts, Rizzoli & Isles (the TV show). Based on books by Tess Gerritsen, Jane Rizzoli is a tough-as-nails detective paired with a more feminine, fashion-conscious pathologist. I swapped the character traits in my books, giving Haley, the pathologist, more tomboy traits and Samantha, the investigative journalist, the love of fashion and make up (though she’d rather not be given the ladies pages, thank you very much.)
I admit, I’ve been slow to get these books out, but I’m excited for the fifth one coming December 26. Haley and Samantha are finding their way in friendship and their jobs, though their love lives are still a difficult maze.
Death on Tremont Row
What readers are saying about the Higgins & Hawke series:
“Death at the Tavern is the first of a series - I can't want to tackle the rest. This story is upbeat, crisp and hard to put aside.”
“Thanks Lee for a great well-written new series!”
“These two gal pals, what a budding reporter and the other a medical examiner, take on cases they feel haven’t been given their due. An interesting look at Depression era lives, as well.”
“I really enjoyed this book! This look had so many twists and turns I couldn’t quite pin down who the murder was. Once again Samantha and Haley were put into a precarious situation and came out on top! I would recommend this pool to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and a good who done it story!”
If you haven't checked out this series yet, you can do so today. Shop at leestraussbooks.com and get 15% off your first purchase when you sign up for my *new* newsletter.
Buy it here: https://leestraussbooks.com/products/higgins-hawke-mystery-books-1-3-bundle
4 comments
Lol – I just read the comments above & actually laughed out loud. Please don’t be discouraged. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You will never please all the people all time. I like all the styles. The new covers are very crisp & clean & fit in with a series. I hope this generates more interest in your work & ultimately more revenue foryou. I guess covers can persuade us to buy or not buy but for me it isn’t a big deal. I purchase or borrow mine for my kindle & frankly I hardly ever see the covers. So go with whatever mode will make your books more marketable. I’m looking forward to the newest book in the series! Best wishes!
Sorry to say this but the original covers were the best. I don’t want to see the characters, preferring instead to use the author’s words to visualize them in my mind.
Sigh, I have the first two (maybe 3) in original cover. Now my set won’t match 😿
The only issue I have with the covers is that the style for each book is so similar. I actually preferred the original covers where each one is unique. I’ll get used to these new ones.