1. What was the first book you remember reading? Can you describe the cover of the book and did you like the cover?

Suz: The first book (chapter book!) I remember reading was HERE COMES THE BUS by Carolyn Keene, and I do remember that there was a big yellow school bus on the cover. My older sister got it from the school library (I was in preschool at the time), and I remember being really upset that she returned it before I finished it – and no one in my family believed that I was actually reading it! I think I was three… I remember the heft of the book and the way it felt in my hands more than I remember being struck by the cover.

2. Have you ever purchased a book because of the cover alone? If yes, which one and why?

Suz: Actually yes! It was the novel tie-in to the movie SLOW HAND LUKE, starring Paul Newman. I was thirteen and bought the book at Mammoth Mart (seriously!) because Paul was on the cover.

3. When did you first know you were destined to be a writer?

Suz: It was probably back in high school, when I wrote Star Trek stories for my friend, Denny, during chemistry class. Before that, I didn’t realize that everyone didn’t just automatically love to write.

4. Who gave you your first break in publishing?

Suz: Kismet Meteor – My first published book was the last book they published. (Note: Don’t be surprised when a line of category romances called “Meteor” does the crash and burn thing…)

5. What was your first published book and what did the cover look like? Did you love it or hate it and why?

Suz: That book, published by Meteor Kismet, was called FUTURE PERFECT. (Their title – mine was BED AND BREAKFAST.) The cover was lovely, because it was a cover, and my name was on it! I totally loved it. LOL! (I have the artwork up on my website.)

6. What has been your favorite book cover from all of your releases and why?

Suz: I think it’s probably ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT. The cover depicts Boston’s South End in wintertime. And I think I love it so much because I love the book, which features Jules Cassidy and Robin Chadwick’s wedding. It’s a special one for me.

7. What has been your least favorite cover from all of your releases and why?

Suz: That would be GET LUCKY – one of my category romances from the Tall, Dark & Dangerous series about Navy SEAL Team Ten, published by Silhouette Intimate Moments.

The book is about Luke “Lucky” O’Donlon, who is THE most handsome man in a SEAL team of very good looking men. And yet the cover artist put the Pillsbury Doughboy on the cover. Seriously, he was popping out of his dress whites. And he was disproportionate. He had stubby little legs and hot dog fingers. Not exactly dreamboat material. (rolled eyes)

The heroine in the book refers to him as “Ken-doll perfect.” That was a little frustrating, but pretty hilarious. I was able to get readers laughing with me. I kept saying, “You know how authors always claim they have the worst cover EVER? Well, I really do. You’ve got to come to my website to check this puppy out…”

8. Do you believe a cover can increase or decrease the sales of a book? Have any covers affected the sales of your books?

Suz: Absolutely. GET LUCKY sold the least well of all of the books in my TDD series. I think this is particularly true for category romances, because when you have an awful cover, you lose the potential for an impulse buy. (The impulse that GET LUCKY drew was “Ew!” ((grin))

9. What trends do you see in book covers currently and in the future?

Suz: Hmm. I’m the wrong person to ask about this. My focus is on the words inside the covers of the books! And lately that trend seems to be towards paranormals…

10. Do you have a current or upcoming release to share with Cover Cafe? Please give us details & a peek at the cover, too!

Suz: My next hardcover from Ballantine Books, HOT PURSUIT, will be in bookstores on July 28th, 2009 – which is the same date as the paperback reissue of OTHERWISE ENGAGED, a book that was first published years ago by Bantam Loveswept. (Both books have great covers!)

HOT PURSUIT is the 15th installment in my ongoing Troubleshooters series.

In this book, Alyssa (and Sam) tangle with a serial killer known as “the Dentist”. Jules and Robin play a part, as do Navy SEALs Izzy Zanella, Jay Lopez and Danny Gillman. The book is set in New York City, and the cover is a rather nice depiction of the Manhattan skyline.

Oh, and I also wanted to let your readers take a look at the really terrific 2009 covers from the UK publisher, Headline Books. They’re very gritty and action oriented – really terrific stuff.

Update: Suzanne's latest releases from Ballantine Books are the, Hot Pursuit - paperback edition, scheduled for release on March 1st, 2011 and the hardcover edition for Troubleshooters #16, Breaking The Rules, scheduled for release on March 22nd, 2011.

Suzanne Brockmann's website

Linnae Crady ()

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