Guest Post with Author Cathy Maxwell and Giveaway

Meet Cathy Maxwell, author of The Bride Says No.

Born in Olathe, Kansas, Cathy Maxwell’s family roots go back to the Mayflower and the Revolutionary War. She has long called Virginia home, noting she is “a Virginian by choice, but a Kansan by nature.” She worked in television news as a broadcaster before spending six years in the Navy. She attended Air Force intelligence school, worked in the Pentagon and did a tour with Naval Intelligence.

Cathy began her writing career in 1991 while her children were still small. “It wasn’t easy,” she says. “I worked full time, my husband travelled, we had three kids, I volunteered and I was writing from four until seven every morning.” Now, twenty years later, she is the author of seventeen national bestsellers and her novels appear regularly on The New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. A rarity in the book world, Cathy has published every one of her novels with the same publisher, Harper Collins/Avon Books.

Places to find Cathy:

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I confess I'm crazy about the covers for my two latest books, THE BRIDE SAYS NO and THE BRIDE SAYS MAYBE. The Avon Art Department is wonderful and these must be the best covers they've given me yet.

Years ago, I listened to some young cover artists talk about the industry speakers who visited their art classes. One of the speakers was the head of the Avon Art Department, a woman whose name I don’t know. She is before my time.

She was late coming to the classroom. She walked in, and without a word, started putting covers up on the board behind her. Row after row of cover flats for all different kinds of books.

When she was finished, she turned and acknowledged the students by announcing, "A good cover is one you want to lick."

The artist telling the story said that, in that moment, he "got it."

I got it, too, when he told me the story. Cover art sells the book but it is also a way of identifying the genre. That is the reason we see strong trends to the art. Years ago, Romance covers were heaving bosoms and near naked bodies or the spunky career gal, steno pad in hand and ready to take on the big city or chase a doctor.

The next wave were discreet bouquets of flowers, rings, and gloves--symbols of adoring affection. Those books sold as well as the naked and spunky ones. They shouted romance.

Change happened once more and we have the "headless" covers. The guys are bare chested, the women have their chest covered, but no one has a head. I have a couple of those. Of course, the ones I think are funny are the military guys because you really can't go around as naked as their covers are. I've gotten so if I see a naked male torso I automatically assume the hero is in Special Forces.

Erotica is intriguing because after the success of the Fifty Shades series, all of their cover came out gray. I think the other publishers are hoping we get confused and buy their books instead of the Fifty Shades ones.

One of the trends in contemporaries right now is the well placed dog. You may not see any of the humans except for their legs, but you do see FrouFou. I actually think kids are hard to draw. Sometimes I'll see a kid on the cover that creeps me out--like the head is too big or the child has bushy eyebrows.

In the past, covers were actual artwork. Most of it is spectacular. In fact, often it is for sale. My friend Robin Lee Hatcher has some incredible covers and owns a number of the pictures. Kat Martin has also purchased some of her cover art. However, today, we are using more and more photography. The covers to my two new books were actually photographs reworked by the art department.

Right now, I'm liking the Young Adult covers. I think they have an edge to them. I also like the covers where there is solid color and the character stands out. You see these with Tessa Dare's new book or a Sarah Maclean novel. Of course, I am always a fan of a cover that has a bit of a fantasy edge to it.

And what about you? Has a cover really caught your eye? Do you buy your books based upon the cover art? Or are there other factors more important? Let's yak!

What happens when a bride says no?

He is the bastard son of a duke, arrogant, handsome, a little bit dangerous, and, of course, one of the most sought-after bachelors in London. He is also about to be publically jilted by some chit of a girl! Blake Stephens' pride isn't about to let him be humiliated, so he charges after his bride to the wilds of Scotland, determined to bring her to the altar. What happens when the heart says yes? He is promised to one woman, but discovers his soul stirred by . . . the chit's sister!

Lady Aileen Davidson's reputation was ruined ages ago, which is why she's buried herself in the country, but her fiery spirit and bold beauty threaten to bring Blake to his knees, making him wonder if he has proposed to the wrong lass. And now he must make a choice: marry for honor . . . or marry for love?

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |

Check out the Brides of Wishmore:

Check out what's up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:

• 1 copy of The Bride Says Maybe

To Enter: 

• Please answer Cathy's question: Has a cover really caught your eye? Do you buy your books based upon the cover art? Or are there other factors more important?
• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck! 

Special thanks to Cathy Maxwell sponsoring this giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway