Newsletter reader Daphne Selvaraj Reyes is curious about how book covers are produced.  So this month's FAQ is, "Do you create your own covers?  Do you know those people on the cover?"

Authors usually have very little control over their covers.  Harlequin has an entire department that does nothing but create the beautiful covers on our books.  They do studies that help determine what colors sell best, what words in the title readers are drawn to (which changes year to year), what images will make a reader want to pick up and buy a book.

But the artists need help in knowing what the book is about, because they can't read every single book.  So the author fills out a long, long form called the Art Fact Sheet.  We provide information about the characters' names, physical appearance, occupations, personalities, etc.  We describe the setting of the book, the tone (a three-hanky book will have a much different cover than a romantic comedy), the conflict, and give a brief synopsis.

We used to have to fill out this form using a typewriter.  But now that almost all writers work on computer, Harlequin provides us with a website where we can fill out the form.  Sometimes I provide pictures from magazines or photographs of the setting (which I snail mail to my editor).  I try to do the most thorough job I can, because the cover makes or breaks the book.  Sometimes bits of my synopsis will appear as back cover copy;  Once, the cover artist painted the picture for the cover from one of my snapshots.  I've even sent certain models' pictures in, because they look the way I picture my characters, and the cover artist will track down the same model for the cover!

Most of the covers are paintings.  The artist usually sets up photographs of appropriate models, then paints them with the appropriate background.  As I'm sure you've noticed, romance covers are much more creative these days.  The heaving-bosom clinch is gone.  Some covers don't even have people on them, just a still-life or landscape scene.

My e-books are a different story.  I've created most of the covers myself, using PhotoShop.

Alas, I don't know any of the cover models.  I had my picture taken with one at a conference one time, but that's all.  Although there is this one book of mine, HELL ON WHEELS (by Karen Leabo, Bantam Loveswept), where the model was soooo gorgeous, I told people he was my boyfriend.