Thought you all might find this interesting.

Take a look at the cover of this book: The Mark of the Horse Lord

Now look at this on: Lover Avenged

Notice anything strange? Well a member of J.R. Wards Yahoo group did and let the Warden know so here's what's happening now.

> Rehv's Cover- Many Thanks
>
> Thank you SO much to the folks who identified Rehv's cover image as
> having been used before- neither me nor my publisher had any idea it
> had been on anyone else's books. As a result of those kind folks who
> flagged it as an issue, my publisher is going to reshoot the cover.
> They were very surprised and disappointed- and they're going to fix it
> fast.
>
> So thank you so much for being on the ball- and I'll put up Rehv's
> reshoot as soon as I get it!
>
> Your grateful WARDen/Author, J.R.

That's the problem with using stock photos. I hate it when the guy or girl on the cover doesn't resemble the character in the book at all. Why can't they find a model who looks the part and take some pictures? I guess it's too expensive and that's why the use the stock photos but there's a real lack of imagination when they do that. It's not the authors fault but the publishers.

I don't think it's a stock photo, Lori, but sometimes people will try and get more by selling the same art twice.

I didn't really like that cover anyway lol!

LOL, I liked it. :( I bet the Mark of the Horse Lord has never gotten so much publicity, LOL.

Actually, I think a lot of the images used on book covers are stock. The publishing companies often don't buy exclusive rights, so you get lots of duplicate covers. The Smart Bitches blog has a bunch of posts with duplicate covers (and lots of posts with hilarious covers, heh).

This is totally off topic, but new_user, you've got a North & South pic! I love that movie. :D Richard Armitage is magnificent.

Yeah, I love him, he's one of my favorite actors and N&S is definitely one of my favorite films (dreamy sigh). He does the brooding stare so well. I was considering watching Robin Hood just for him, LOL.

That's it... I'm getting a Rosemary S. book out of the library - the woman's history is amazing!(unfortunately, they don't have "Mark of the the Horse Lord" - phooey!)

I think stock covers are probably more likely in e- and small- presses, which rely more on stock photos. Also, some publishers do recycle work (I have a friend who ended up with the same pic, only slightly changed, for two of her books a decade or so ago).

Berkley, however, commissions original artwork for the majority of their romances. The cover for Immortal Warrior was created by Tony Mauro, who also does Yasmine Galenorn's Otherworld covers. He was a Hollywood graphic designer and did movie posters for Pirates of the Caribbean, Lady in the Water, etc. (You can see more of his work on his MySpace page).

Yeah, I've generally seen original artwork for the bigger publishers.

I like your cover, Lisa, it's pretty creative with the angle and pose, him in shadow and the eagle's wings outlined behind him like that, like sunlight.

Thanks, @new_user. I like it, too -- and you ought to check it out in person. The cover is matte, but the wings are highlighted with a glossy overprint. Then they put a "ghost" wing overlaying his image on the spine and back using just the glossy stuff. It's very cool.

I can hardly wait to see what Berkley's Art Department does for the next book (Immortal Outlaw). I've seen the art, which shows the hero from the back--a very sexy back at that -- and a stylized lion floating up in the background, but don't know what they're doing with special effects. I just know it will be gorgeous.

That is the problem with stock art, but it's ALSO a problem with some artists. I've seen covers that are elements of my CGI OOP covers, placed with a new background (or not). It really irks me, because it seems cheap and rather tacky to reuse covers like that.

Brenna

I think that's the first time I've ever seen the same cover art for two totally different books. Glad they responded and are going to clear it up.

LOL, confusing enough when the same titles are used by different authors, LOL!

Wow, that's the first time I've ever seen that happen! I'm curious to find other examples of covers using the same images now.

I agree with others who said that the characters on book covers really should make some effort to resemble the character they're supposed to. That's one of the things that really worries me, as I'm hoping to be a published author soon. I'm always worrying about the covers!

Lisa..my June 08 Kensington release has the same stock art as Lora Leigh's January 09 Berkley release, so it's not just E and small presses. Heeh!

A friend of mine actually saw the stock photo for her cover used in a print ad in People magazine - NOT for her book(and she's a NYT bestselling author)- so it happens to all of us.

Susan Grant and Caridad Pineiro shared the same cover--they just changed the color overlay wash.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Reunion-I...

http://www.amazon.com/Moonstruck-Borderl...

The only plus was that Pineiro's book was a UK release, though Grant's books are over there as well. But US readers didn't notice the problem. ;-)

With my own books, my cover artist--Stephen Youll--is "reusing" faces. The guy on my upcoming Hope's Folly is the same guy (facing opposite direction and with dark hair) on AN ACCIDENTAL GODDESS. And the guy on my FINDERS KEEPERS was originally used on THE DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES (that cover was changed before release). I get this feeling my artist has these disembodied heads in his closet and he pulls them out weekly and plops new wigs on them... ;-)

~Linnea

Wow -- Amie and Linnea. Didn't know the bigger publishers were doing this. Thanks for pointing it out. Come to think of it, I've had a couple of people point out a certain amount of art reuse by Harlequin.

However, even when the covers are different, sometimes it turns out they're not. Years ago, when my now nearly 18 year old son was about 3, I had a bunch of RT's lying on the floor face down. He started "matching" them. Turns out, all the covers were by Pino, who tended to use the same models over and over, though he changed details like hair color, clothes, etc. to match the book. My son lined up all the ones with "the same lady" -- 8 out of 10 covers. Then the ones with the same man -- about the same. Some were clearly even from the same shoot. I hadn't even noticed!

Anyway, the "reused" face you point out, Linnea, is probably more a matter of habitually using the same model, rather than just plugging a certain face on multiple bodies. Most of the artists tend to do this (not just Pino). Perhaps you should point this out to your editor, so they can ask the artist to use a different model for the next covers.

Yeah, I think it's expected that stock art/photos and models will be reused (remember Fabio?), LOL.

Lisa wrote: "Anyway, the "reused" face you point out, Linnea, is probably more a matter of habitually using the same model, rather than just plugging a certain face on multiple bodies. Most of the artists tend to do this (not just Pino). Perhaps you should point this out to your editor, so they can ask the artist to use a different model for the next covers...."

I have had this discussion with my editor (and my agent), Lisa. Keep in mind many book contracts don't even require the house to listen to an author. Mine specifically has "cover art consultation" but that and $4.50 will get you a latte at Starbucks... that is, I can express an opinion but they're not required to listen to it.

Though in all fairness, they do try if there is room to try. They do ask--at times they even listen. I've been luckier than many with my covers.

The funny thing is, there was one cover where I needed the models to be the same as the books are a series. In that one, it's the same gal (yay!) but there's no way it's the same guy. It's close but it's not the same guy (and I'm a graphic artist on the side so I know how this stuff is done and I know how to overlay images and compare.) (And I'm talking Gabriel's Ghost and Shades of Dark, if anyone wans to go peek at the covers. ;-)
~Linnea

Linnea wrote: Keep in mind many book contracts don't even require the house to listen to an author. Mine specifically has "cover art consultation" but that and $4.50 will get you a latte at Starbucks...

And Linnea's the lucky one ( i say that with tongue in cheek and a big grin on my face)...I see my cover in the catalog or when cover flats land on my doorstep. that said, Aphro has done a fabulous job with their covers and I've been very lucky!

Know what, Linnea? I hadn't even noticed the two covers don't have the same guy. 'Scuse me while I go look again. LOL!

I think that it's true that cover art should do a little more to not only resemble the character, but also to better represent the book. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but it is easier to pick up a book with a cover that really catches the eye. I have to admit though that this is the first time I hear of 2 books with the same cover art.

I've seen it happen before. It's very common, actually. The problem is, creating covers can be VERY expensive if you use custom artwork/photography. Smaller houses often make use of stock photography/artwork for covers to keep the cost down. It's not at all unusual, and it's perfectly legal because of the licenses the stock photo/image companies issue.

And considering how many small presses are out there, what's really amazing is that it doesn't happen more often. *LOL*

As far as titles go (regarding an earlier post) -- any writer who doesn't Google/Amazon.com search a title when they come up with it is asking for trouble. *LOL* This is why publishers usually have a clause in the contract giving them the right to change the book title if they see fit. If you've got multiple books in a database with the same title, that can cut down your sales. Unique titles are always best.

It's becoming more common.