You Can Judge a Book By Its Cover and You Should! By Guest Author Jola Naibi

A book is a dream you hold in your hand
Neil Gaiman

The book cover is the first thing that the reading audience sees. It is their first introduction to the author’s oeuvre. It presents a snapshot of what to expect in the book without giving too much away. If you are a new and emerging author, you want a solid introduction to your potential readers and one way to do that is with an outstanding book cover.

It is interesting that people say: never judge a book by its cover; you could be missing out on a great story. The truth is, the emotional appeal of an outstanding book cover is irresistible to the readers. It is the first introduction to the story – it draws the reader in and makes them want to read the synopsis of the book to respond to the question: I wonder what this book is about?

The reader wants to learn more so that they can determine if reading the book will be a good investment of their time and money.

When I finished writing Terra Cotta Beauty and I knew I had a good piece of work, but then I realized that word of mouth from friends and family would not be enough to draw new readers who I wanted to read, enjoy and even critique my work.

I am a first-time author and even though I had established a small following since I started blogging in 2006, I had to expand beyond that small niche. Yes, I had written a book of short stories, but how was I going to get people to read it? I put myself in the shoes of the potential reader. What would draw me to a book? Simple answer: the cover.

As an avid reader, I am a loyal fan to a number of authors whose books I would gravitate to, even if the cover was as plain as a blank piece of paper. I, however, did not have that luxury.

So, I needed to make sure that the book cover was as captivating as the stories. There was a lot of back of forth between me and the book cover designer. It was an interesting ride and although the result was not what I had in mind when I first started, I was really satisfied with the result.

I felt an even more intense sense of satisfaction when I would get feedback from people about the book cover even before they read the book. You can judge a book by its cover and you should.

Check out my collection of favorite book covers on my Pinterest page.

About The Book - Terracota Beauty

A carefully crafted selection of short stories, this collection examines life in Lagos, Nigeria, during the era of military rule. It reveals the struggles, loves, and hopes of a disparate group of people whose lives always manage to intersect—sometimes in the most devastating of ways.

With each brief conversation and split-second decision containing consequences that reach further than anyone could ever imagine, each of the book’s seven tales is a delicate thread that helps form the social fabric of a nation divided.

From a woman whose journalist husband is jailed for criticizing the government to a young man’s reluctant descent into crime, Terra Cotta Beauty acts as a carefully crafted ode to the essence of Lagos itself: its people.

Buy Terra Cotta Beauty on Amazon

About The Author - Jola Naibi



Jola Naibi was raised in Lagos, Nigeria and studied in in the United Kingdom. She enjoys writing and blogging as a way to satisfy and extremely eager imagination.

Website http://www.jolanaibi.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JolaNaibi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerraCottaBeauty