Within the last year, I came across these covers:
This paperback of Lisa Unger’s book came out in June 2012.
The same month, the cover below for Michael Robotham’s new book, due October 2012, was revealed on his Facebook page.
After I commented that it was similar to the Unger cover, I received an ARC of Sorry with the following cover (I am not claiming I instigated the change or had anything to do with it):
Looks like the image was reversed, and some minor changes were made, including one arm being tucked in. This version appeared on the finished book.
A couple months ago, I received the ARC below (the book came out Feb. 5). There in the background is the tucked-arm girl!
I don’t know anything about cover design, but if the person who created the image of the girl receives payment for each usage, he/she is having a pretty good run. Maybe next time, the girl in red will be running toward us, or even upside down!
3 Comments
NJH
February 20, 2013 at 8:20 amHank Phillippi Ryan’s The Other Woman has another version of this same girl. Like you said, if the creator of this image gets a per usage payment they are banking for sure.
You’d think they could have at least changed the coat color for variety sake if nothing else.
Eirego
February 20, 2013 at 10:10 amI could totally out run her! Very funny stuff, PCN.
Typical oversaturation. Guess the licensing person just kept selling it and nobody asked any questions.
Jen Forbus
February 20, 2013 at 12:22 pmI am sooooo sick of running women and running men on covers. I half want to boycott reading any books with covers like that, just in hopes that they’d stop reproducing the darned concept.