As you may know, I changed the covers for the first two books in the Sunblinded trilogy. Immediately, I noticed an improvement in my sales for Running Out of Space. However, as we sat down and looked at the last six months, cover maven, Mhairi and I realised that the new cover for Dying for Space had absolutely no impact. Not a single person felt drawn to buy it after the initial flurry died down after the book launch blog tour.
I wondered whether this one looked a bit ‘death mask’ and that was putting off potential readers, given the title is Dying for Space. Mhairi speculated that with the pink tint and her closed eyes, Lizzy looked as though she was… um… having a very nice time. And as I haven’t been targetting a readership interested in erotic fiction in space, Mhairi thought the possibility might be disuading readers from giving this one a go.
So she’s come up with this one, instead. It definitely still has the same branding as the first book, with the advantage that Lizzy is clearly alive if a tad pensive – and there is no possibility that this can mistaken for anything other than a space opera adventure featuring a heroine, whose action scenes take place outside the bedroom… This one is going live on Thursday, but I thought I’d share it with you all, first.
Do let me know what you think!
Brainfluff 
I like it, I hadn’t realized that the first cover looked a little…odd, but I think this was a good decision😊
Thank you, Tammy – and my marvellous friend is now considering adding a spaceship. Just in case readers haven’t yet got the fact that it is space opera…
Ha! I hadn’t really thought about the possibilities of the old cover…but yes, I think the new one looks great, and is much more clear about the book’s genre 🙂 Here’s hoping it catches the eye of many readers!
Yes… it’s figuring out what is stopping readers from buying it! We needed to put on our thinking caps and work out what the problem is, as the feedback I’ve had from those who have read it is very positive. Thank you for your kind encouragement, Anne – fingers crossed that we have at least more positively established exactly what the genre is – and what it isn’t!
Yup like the new cover better. Not that I had a problem with the old one mind ye. But yes good change. Be interested to see if the new cover leads to new sales. I hope so!
x The Captain
Thank you, Cap – I hope so, too!
The new cover looks great and I don’t think it has any hint of erotic fiction in space, lol.
Thank you, Suzanne – that’s relief! Not that I have anything against erotic fiction in space – it’s just that I don’t write it…
The new cover rocks! Go, girl… 🙂 xo
Thank you, Bette – I’m glad you approve:))
Love the changes!
Thank you! There are more coming – on Thursday we are unveiling the newest iteration… And already the change to the Running Out of Space cover has impacted my sales – in a good way:))
Huzzah! 😀