Well, rages on might be a bit strong. Let’s say ‘continues’.

At a few of the stops on my blog tour, my hosts have questioned the appropriateness of the cover of The Letters. They (and they are usually either men or women who tend to read novels from the ‘literary’ end of the scale) said that they wouldn’t have picked the book up in a bookshop.

In response to these misgivings, my editor Emma has written a very good piece about Snowbooks policy on cover design here. She really knows her stuff.

What do you think? Do covers matter to you? Do you think this is a feminist issue? What do you think it says about the mass market of readers? Do comment here or over at the Snowblog.

My thoughts, for what it’s worth, are that I’d rather my book was picked up and read by as many people as possible – and these covers have made that possible. I wasn’t so sure about this earlier on, and my ego received some much-needed puncturing as a part of the process.

Although I must say I still hanker for a woman with some trees or plants behind her for the next book, The Blue Handbag – Leonard would like a bit of greenery on there somewhere. Don’t tell Emma ; )