Beth Fehlbaum's Blog, page 7

A literary agent's perspective on the debate: No Fat Girls Allowed (on book covers?)

Actual cover created by publisher for BIG FAT DISASTER By Gina Panettieri,
President, Talcott Notch Literary Services, LLC


As an agent, I deal with cover art issues all the time. Does it pop, does it speak? Can it translate to an Amazon thumbnail as successfully as a full-size cover on a bookshelf? Does it accurately represent the author’s story while still be visually arresting? Most of the time I find myself negotiating with the publisher to try to find a happy medium between what the author envisioned and what the art director and the editors determined will works best from their perspective.

When the genre of the book is YA realistic fiction, the challenge is amped up even more. The accepted wisdom from the publishers’ perspective is that teens come at books with a certain aesthetic, and this opinion, they feel, is borne out by sales. Pretty covers, with pretty images of pretty people sell more books. If you scan the YA aisles in any bookstore, you’ll see beautiful and beguiling covers featuring lovely, thin, gorgeously –dressed young women with impossibly perfect features and thick, glossy hair. It’s a style you’ll recognize from the cover of any fashion or beauty magazine.







But what do you do when your protagonist ISN’T thin and beautiful with perfect skin and a wardrobe out of Teen Vogue? Publishers have been struggling with the quandary of balancing the accepted teen aesthetic and the reality of their novels for years, and for the most part, the solution has been to ‘hide the heroine’ (or hero). Carolyn Mackler’s wonderful THE EARTH, MY BUTT AND OTHER BIG, ROUND THINGS shows only a shapely girl’s bottom in jeans. Curvey, not fat. BUTTER by Erin Jade Lange, a powerful novel about a dangerously obese boy who vows to eat himself to death live on the internet, pictures only a butter dish, not the story’s obese, sad protagonist. SKINNY by Donna Cooner pictures a beautiful, thin girl, the idealized ‘after’ image in this story about a girl taunted by her own inner demons into deciding on bariatric surgery. But were the images censored to appeal to a teen sensibility based on facts?

The basic understanding at play in creating a cover is that you need to design something  that will cause readers to stop and look, and ultimately pick up the book, and that this needs to happen before they will read the story. You need to get past first base. It doesn’t matter how incredible and meaningful your story is if the readers won’t open the book.  But is that ‘thing’ that makes them stop really what we’ve been taught it is? Does it have to be a pretty image, of pretty thin white girls, or an inanimate object stand-in for our less-than-perfect characters that will, at best, be deemed inoffensive? Or have we been underestimating our young readers and their emotional intelligence and discernment? Are we perhaps even missing the point entirely with book covers by coating them with glossy, frilly images rather than using them much as we use the books themselves, to spark a dialogue, to inform, to educate, to be a vehicle for change?

When Beth and I decided to examine this lack of diversity in YA covers, there were several questions that immediately came to mind. Did the readers really reject the realistic image? If so, why? Was there an age element to the bias? The answers we got seemed very clear.

Mock-up cover for purpose of discussing this issue Overall, the respondents showed no clear rejection of the realistic image, and there was a marked preference for it over the ‘object’ cover. Respondents felt a connection to the story, and felt the realistic cover created an emotional quotient. It created a dynamic relationship with the reader, and many comments mentioned personal experiences the reader could relate to the cover. And most clearly, there was no age bias toward the object cover, rejecting the realistic cover. Younger readers were not shying away from the ‘unpretty’ cover, and they had a lot to say about why they liked it.

As an agent, this was very important to me. For writers, creating a relationship with the reader is gold. It’s what they all strive for. If the cover can accomplish that?  It wasn’t necessary for the reader herself to be as heavy as Colby, or in the same situations. There was empathy. She’s hurting? I’ve been there. She feels humiliated? Been there, too.

I feel pretty hopeful in reading these responses. I feel hopeful that we can present kids, and ourselves, too, with diverse and realistic images that will broaden their minds and strengthen their compassion. That a realistic image of an overweight person doesn’t need to be perceived as ‘commercially unviable’, but just representative of the character, and a lot of the population. That younger readers WILL pick up books that show people as they really are, and the emotion compelling them to pick that book up will be a good one. I guess in a way this was all about trust. I think we won that bet.

To read the initial post on this topic "No Fat Girls Allowed (on book covers?)", click here. For the survey results and our preliminary conclusions, click here. To read a summary of voices calling for a shift in thinking regarding this issue, click here.

From the blogosphere: A growing demand for fat girls on book covers

67/110 of respondents preferred this cover. Today's post is a follow-up to last week's survey about overweight characters on YA book covers. My agent, Gina Panettieri, and I concluded that based on a survey of 110 survey respondents, there appears to be little to no bias toward the image of a fat girl on a book cover. The survey results of readers of all ages showed that the image of an overweight person on the cover not a deciding factor for them to pick up a book. They rely much heavier on the book jacket description and what they've heard about the story. In fact, the majority of respondents preferred the mock-up cover depicting an overweight teen girl in jeans (to the right) to that of the actual cover which depicts the teen's arms/hands holding a cupcake (below).

[...I will pause here to insert the disclaimer that I am comfortable with the cover my publisher chose to go with and that this discussion is intended ONLY to spark discussion of weight bias, not to lobby my publisher for a change in covers. I would have been comfortable with a cover depicting the body of a fat person, too.]


The accepting-of-a-fat-body point-of-view demonstrated by survey respondents runs contrary to what appears to be a bias in the publishing industry against depicting an overweight person on a book cover out of fear that potential readers will bypass that book because they will be so turned off by the image.

To read the initial post on this topic "No Fat Girls Allowed (on book covers?)", click here.

For the survey results and our preliminary conclusions, click here.

Today's focus is on what bloggers are saying about fat characters in YA fiction:

Writing Fat Characters by Sarah Hollowell

YA Fatphobia (Horn Book)

Body Positivity and Fat Acceptance in Contemporary YA Fiction (YALSA)

& Slideshow linking to this presentation & the source material from the blog, "Fat Girl Reading"

Outside the Norm: Overweight Female Protagonists (YALSA)

Top 10 Fat Books, by Karin Perry

Fat is not a disability: it's a book deal breaker

Is Fat the Last Acceptable Prejudice?

Random Hour: Body Diversity in YA

...And what they are saying about fat characters on YA book covers:

Overweight and Invisible, by Elizabeth Bird

Are all book covers created equal?

Overweight and Invisible, by Tanita S. Davis

Can We Show an Actual Fat Teen on a Book Cover?

Creating Book Covers as Both a Mirror and a Window

Why YA Book Covers Are Hard

Cover Story: Body Image and YA Lit

BE SURE TO ENTER MY NOVEMBER Big Fat Disaster GIVEAWAY! CLICK HERE! YOU COULD WIN AN APPLE iPAD 2!

43/110 respondents preferred this cover. What do you think, readers? The overwhelming theme of the blog posts on book covers is that fat characters need to be shown on them. So, what can be done to get the message across to the publishing industry that an overweight human body is perfectly acceptable to portray on a book cover?

Please respond in comments below.

Coming up next:

Wednesday, November 27: A literary agent's perspective on size bias

Wednesday, December 4: So, what about those books with realistic people on the cover?

Wednesday, December 11: Your voice: Readers speak out on this topic

Wednesday, December 18: A sociologist's perspective on body image and sizeism


Saturday, January 4: Twitter Chat: "No Fat Girls Allowed (on book covers?)"

Wednesday, January 8: The call for diversity in body types in YA fiction: librarians speak out

Wednesday, January 15: Teen readers speak out: seeing themselves in YA fiction

Wednesday, January 22: Where do we go from here?

BIG FAT DISASTER November Contest!

a Rafflecopter giveaway BIG FAT DISASTER releases from Merit Press in ebook in March, 2014, and in hardcover in April, 2014. It's 5 months away, but it's not too early to have some fun while we're waiting!

I have cooked up a contest for my readers that is sweet and satisfying!

Each month, I will award one lucky winner a box of eight Hostess Cupcakes, signed copies of my first 2 books, COURAGE in PATIENCE and HOPE in PATIENCE, and a signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER.

***Yes, yes, you'll have to wait until April to receive your hardcover copy of BIG FAT DISASTER, but while you're waiting, have a cupcake or two, and read my first 2 books!



And...ONE Grand Prize winner out of

ALL THE ENTRANTS will receive an

Apple iPad 2!
 


Click here to read Chapter One of BIG FAT DISASTER!

Purchase is not necessary to enter, BUT, when you preorder BIG FAT DISASTER either online or at your favorite local bookseller and send me the receipt, your name is entered TEN TIMES for every copy you purchase.

Check it out:
BIG FAT DISASTER is on Amazon! Click here.
And Amazon.ca!
BIG FAT DISASTER is on Barnes & Noble's website! Click here.
And IndieBound!
Don't forget, BIG FAT DISASTER is at Books A Million!


November's contest runs from 12 Midnight on November 1 through November 30 at 11:59 PM. Then, a brand new shiny contest begins December 1 at midnight, and continues as such through March 31, 2014! Every month, you have a whole new chance to win that iPad 2, not to mention a signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER, COURAGE IN PATIENCE, HOPE IN PATIENCE and a box of Hostess Cupcakes to enjoy while you're waiting for BIG FAT DISASTER to release.

READY to enter? Go for it! *If you have any questions, check out the F.A.Q.s under the cupcake below:

1. If I already preordered a copy of BIG FAT DISASTER when you first announced it was available for preorder, may I still send the receipt?

YES!

2. I preordered BIG FAT DISASTER in a bookstore, not online. How do I send my receipt?

Simply scan in the receipt then attach it to an email. Need help figuring out how to do that? Check this out:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4884235_attach-scanned-document-email.html

No Fat Girls Allowed (on book covers?) Survey Results & Preliminary Thoughts on Them...

Survey Results (See original post with comments here.)
My preliminary thoughts: from this survey, I think it's safe to say that the majority of readers would not automatically bypass a book that features a fat character on it. And, I think Gina Panettieri, my agent, sums it up quite nicely:

"I think the results are wide enough to draw some conclusions. There is NO bias against realistic images that would cause women to reject a book based on a less-than-perfect female image on the cover. 3 people out of 110  stated they would not buy a book with an overweight woman on the cover.

I suspect that the homogenization of images publishing is presenting to teen and young adult females is based on a largely false belief that younger people will reject 'unpretty' images and that the audience is actually far more capable and trustworthy than they're credited for. Beyond that, I believe we may be perpetuating false shame and a sense of disconnect with those people who don't see themselves represented in the media. Obviously, they must sense there's something 'wrong' and 'unacceptable' about how they look if a book about an overweight girl can't even picture that type of girl on the cover, right? 

Book covers are seen as the principle marketing tool, the 'ad' for the book. Art directors strive to make them striking and beautiful. But these are books, not fashion magazines. They're meant to be read, to provoke thought and discussion, not just be looked at. the covers should be as challenging and provoking, and as diverse and representative, as the contents."

Overall Results:

If a fat person was featured on a YA fiction book cover, would you more likely-- *

Pass up the book: 3 respondents

Pick up the book: 31 respondents

Depends on the jacket description: 54 respondents

Depends on what I've heard about the story: 22 respondents

What is your age? *

Less than 13: 1 respondent

13-18: 3 respondents

19-25: 18 respondents

26-35: 42 respondents

36-50 : 19 respondents

Over 50: 25 respondents

Prefer not to say: 2 respondents

Which cover do you prefer? *

Hands with cupcake: 43 respondents

Body in jeans: 67 respondents

                                            ** Survey Results of Cover Preferences by Age**

                                                Hands with Cupcake             Body in Jeans

Less than age 13:                                 1                                                0

Ages 19-25:                                         4                                              15

Ages 26-35:                                       14                                             24

Ages 36-50:                                       12                                              9

Age 50+:                                             9                                             16

Prefer not to say:                                 1                                               1



AND...the randomly chosen winner from all who commented is SCHUYLER ESPERANZA! I'll be emailing you momentarily, Schuyler! Congratulations!

Coming up next:

Wednesday, November 20: Around the interwebs: others' thoughts on fatphobia in YA literature

Wednesday, November 27: A literary agent's perspective on size bias

Wednesday, December 4: So, what about those books with realistic people on the cover?

Wednesday, December 11: Your voice: Readers speak out on this topic

Wednesday, December 18: A sociologist's perspective on body image and sizeism

Saturday, January 4: Twitter Chat: "No Fat Girls Allowed (on book covers?)"

January 8: The call for diversity in body types in YA fiction: librarians speak out

January 15: Teen readers speak out: seeing themselves in YA fiction

January 22: Where do we go from here?

No Fat Girls Allowed (on book covers?)

My novel, BIG FAT DISASTER, releases this coming spring, and I am thrilled to share Colby Denton's story!

Read the synopsis here.
...Intrigued? Read Chapter One here.

Recent discussions concerning the book cover brought to light the belief on some people's parts that "nobody would buy a book with a fat girl on the cover."... "It would be aesthetically unpleasing."

The thing that makes this projected belief really surprising is that the book itself is about a girl who is rejected by others based on their perception of her as nothing more than "The Fat Girl".

This got me and my agent, Gina Panettieri, thinking: YA fiction gatekeepers (librarians, teachers, booksellers, editors) and readers have expressed a desire for more diversity in characters. To our thinking, this includes differences in people, cultures, and perspectives.

Sooooooo...What's so shameful about featuring a fat person on a book cover?

One of the other agents in Gina's office, Jessica Negrón, designed a version of the book cover that we had suggested, and we decided to use this cover as a jumping off point for a discussion of size bias in the publishing industry, which is of course a reflection of society. It's the version of Colby in jeans, below.

The "official" cover that shows Colby's hands holding a cupcake is immediately beneath this post. I like both covers a lot, and I am in no way "lobbying" my publisher to change the official cover (which is a version of what I initially had suggested, involving the character holding a cupcake since she works in a bakery and sweets are her "drug of choice.") Then when the first version of the cover came back, prior to it being redone, Gina and I did some brainstorming and came up with the idea of showing Colby in jeans, which we realllllllly liked a lot.

Throughout the coming weeks, I will be writing a series, "No Fat Girls Allowed (on book covers?)" I am aware that there are some YA books out there with overweight people depicted on them. But I am interested in having a discussion about this topic because I have heard from more than one party, for example, that they wouldn't want to see "back fat" on a book cover.

I look forward to your thoughts!

Please answer the 3-question survey below this post, and leave a comment about your answers, too! Wednesday, November 13, I'll reveal the results of the survey, draw a name from all the commenters,  and send that person signed copies of my first two books-- COURAGE IN PATIENCE and HOPE IN PATIENCE-- as well as an I.O.U. for a signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER when it releases in April in hardcover!

Coming up:

Wednesday, November 13: Survey Results, announce the winning commenter, and discuss what the results could mean

Wednesday, November 20: Around the interwebs: others' thoughts on fatphobia in YA literature

Wednesday, November 27: A literary agent's perspective on size bias

Wednesday, December 4: So, what about those books with realistic people on the cover?

Wednesday, December 11: Your voice: Readers speak out on this topic

Wednesday, December 18: A sociologist's perspective on body image and sizeism

Saturday, January 4: Twitter Chat: "No Fat Girls Allowed (on book covers?)"

January 8: The call for diversity in body types in YA fiction: librarians speak out

January 15: Teen readers speak out: seeing themselves in YA fiction

January 22: Where do we go from here?

Thank you for answering my survey! Be sure to enter my monthly BIG FAT DISASTER Giveaway! http://bethfehlbaumbooks.com/1/post/2013/10/big-fat-disaster-november-contest.html If a fat person was featured on a YA fiction book cover, would you more likely-- * Pass up the book Pick up the book Depends on the jacket description What is your age? * Less than 13 13-18 19-25 26-35 36-50 Over 50 Prefer not to say Which cover do you prefer, below? Please leave a comment explaining your choice! * Hands with cupcake Body in jeans Submit

November UncommonYA Giveaway!

We are a collective of YA authors who have come together to spread the word about the newest, bold, gritty fiction. Our genres include realistic, contemporary, historical, magical realism, and paranormal--with a healthy dose of suspense woven through all of them.  
 
Uncommon YA features not only the latest titles from the above montage but it has heaps of other features that will interest you. Whether you are a reader, writer or both, there is something to suit all interests. Shout out! Saturdays. BLAST events Meet my Main Character. Behind the Scenes in Publishing. Interview an Agent. Talking to my Teenage Self + more! For a short time Uncommon YA is offering YOU the chance to choose your prize. Click on the titles below to learn more about each one. You can add it to your Goodreads shelf while you're there! WARNING. It will be a tough choice choosing just one to win!   The 6 titles you can choose from.        
ENTER NOW!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

3 people will win their choice of 1 Ebook of selected titles. Or a 10 page critique is also available from the authors of your work in progress!  

BIG FAT DISASTER November Contest!

a Rafflecopter giveaway BIG FAT DISASTER releases from Merit Press in ebook in March, 2014, and in hardcover in April, 2014. It's 5 months away, but it's not too early to have some fun while we're waiting!

I have cooked up a contest for my readers that is sweet and satisfying!

Each month, I will award one lucky winner a box of eight Hostess Cupcakes, signed copies of my first 2 books, COURAGE in PATIENCE and HOPE in PATIENCE, and a signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER.

***Yes, yes, you'll have to wait until April to receive your hardcover copy of BIG FAT DISASTER, but while you're waiting, have a cupcake or two, and read my first 2 books!



And...ONE Grand Prize winner out of

ALL THE ENTRANTS will receive an

Apple iPad 2!
 


Click here to read Chapter One of BIG FAT DISASTER!

Purchase is not necessary to enter, BUT, when you preorder BIG FAT DISASTER either online or at your favorite local bookseller and send me the receipt, your name is entered TEN TIMES for every copy you purchase.

Check it out:
BIG FAT DISASTER is on Amazon! Click here.
And Amazon.ca!
BIG FAT DISASTER is on Barnes & Noble's website! Click here.
And IndieBound!
Don't forget, BIG FAT DISASTER is at Books A Million!


November's contest runs from 12 Midnight on November 1 through November 30 at 11:59 PM. Then, a brand new shiny contest begins December 1 at midnight, and continues as such through March 31, 2014! Every month, you have a whole new chance to win that iPad 2, not to mention a signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER, COURAGE IN PATIENCE, HOPE IN PATIENCE and a box of Hostess Cupcakes to enjoy while you're waiting for BIG FAT DISASTER to release.

READY to enter? Go for it! *If you have any questions, check out the F.A.Q.s under the cupcake below:

1. If I already preordered a copy of BIG FAT DISASTER when you first announced it was available for preorder, may I still send the receipt?

YES!

2. I preordered BIG FAT DISASTER in a bookstore, not online. How do I send my receipt?

Simply scan in the receipt then attach it to an email. Need help figuring out how to do that? Check this out:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4884235_attach-scanned-document-email.html

BIG FAT Celebration of BIG FAT DISASTER!

BIG FAT DISASTER releases from Merit Press in ebook in March, 2014, and in hardcover in April, 2014. It's six months away, but it's not too early to have some fun while we're waiting!

I have cooked up a contest for my readers that is sweet and satisfying!

Each month, I will award one lucky winner a box of eight Hostess Cupcakes and a signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER.

Yes, yes, you'll have to wait until April to receive your hardcover copy of BIG FAT DISASTER, but while you're waiting, have a cupcake or two.


And...ONE Grand Prize winner out of ALL THE ENTRANTS will receive an Apple iPad 2! Click here to read Chapter One of BIG FAT DISASTER!

Purchase is not necessary to enter, BUT, when you preorder BIG FAT DISASTER either online or at your favorite local bookseller and send me the receipt, your name is entered TEN TIMES for every copy you purchase.

Check it out:
BIG FAT DISASTER is on Amazon! Click here.
And Amazon.ca!
BIG FAT DISASTER is on Barnes & Noble's website! Click here.
And IndieBound!
Don't forget, BIG FAT DISASTER is at Books A Million!


October's contest begins Monday, October 7, at midnight, and concludes on Thursday, October 31, at 11:59 PM. Then, a brand new shiny contest begins November 1 at midnight, and continues as such through March 31, 2014! Every month, you have a whole new chance to win that iPad 2, not to mention a signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER and a box of Hostess Cupcakes to enjoy while you're waiting for BIG FAT DISASTER to release.

READY to enter? Go for it! *If you have any questions, check out the F.A.Q.s under the entry form below...
a Rafflecopter giveaway F.A.Q.s:

1. If I already preordered a copy of BIG FAT DISASTER when you first announced it was available for preorder, may I still send the receipt?

YES! For October's contest ONLY, you may do that.

2. I preordered BIG FAT DISASTER in a bookstore, not online. How do I send my receipt?

Simply scan in the receipt then attach it to an email. Need help figuring out how to do that? Check this out:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4884235_attach-scanned-document-email.html

BIG FAT DISASTER Giveaway, October 2013

BIG FAT DISASTER releases from Merit Press in ebook in March, 2014, and in hardcover in April, 2014. It's six months away, but it's not too early to have some fun while we're waiting!

I have cooked up a contest for my readers that is sweet and satisfying!

Each month, I will award one lucky winner a box of eight Hostess Cupcakes and a signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER.

Yes, yes, you'll have to wait until April to receive your hardcover copy of BIG FAT DISASTER, but while you're waiting, have a cupcake or two.


And...ONE Grand Prize winner out of ALL THE ENTRANTS will receive an Apple iPad 2! Click here to read Chapter One of BIG FAT DISASTER!

Purchase is not necessary to enter, BUT, when you preorder BIG FAT DISASTER either online or at your favorite local bookseller and send me the receipt, your name is entered TEN TIMES for every copy you purchase.

Check it out:
BIG FAT DISASTER is on Amazon! Click here.
And Amazon.ca!
BIG FAT DISASTER is on Barnes & Noble's website! Click here.
And IndieBound!
Don't forget, BIG FAT DISASTER is at Books A Million!


October's contest begins Monday, October 7, at midnight, and concludes on Thursday, October 31, at 11:59 PM. Then, a brand new shiny contest begins November 1 at midnight, and continues as such through March 31, 2014! Every month, you have a whole new chance to win that iPad 2, not to mention a signed copy of BIG FAT DISASTER and a box of Hostess Cupcakes to enjoy while you're waiting for BIG FAT DISASTER to release.

READY to enter? Go for it! *If you have any questions, check out the F.A.Q.s under the entry form below...
a Rafflecopter giveaway F.A.Q.s:

1. If I already preordered a copy of BIG FAT DISASTER when you first announced it was released, may I still send the receipt?

YES! For October's contest ONLY, you may do that.

2. I preordered BIG FAT DISASTER in a bookstore, not online. How do I send my receipt?

Simply scan in the receipt then attach it to an email. Need help figuring out how to do that? Check this out:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4884235_attach-scanned-document-email.html

ALAN Convention in Boston? I'm there! YALSA in Austin? Cross your fingers!

Woohoo! Just submitted our proposal for YALSA 2014 in Austin, Texas! It's called, "Must You Use That Language? Authors of Gritty YA Speak Loudly". So: Selene Joy Castrovilla, Alison Ashley Formento, Elisa Nader, Christine Rhodeback Kohler, Eric Devine, and Steve Parlato, cross your fingers that our kick-ass proposal is accepted! Now I'm off to research for the handout we'll give out at the ALAN panel that I'm on next month in Boston with Shannon Delany, Jeri Smith-Ready, Ellen Hopkins, Selene Castrovilla, and Christine Kohler! BTW, readers, if you're going to ALAN & want to catch us there, the title of our program is: "Coming of Age, Then and Now: The Truth Remains the Same", and we're presenting on Monday, Nov. 25, around 11 AM or so.