Heather sent me a pile of links to epic covers awhile back, and I realized, as I was looking at them for about the fifth time, we haven't discussed the TRUE COLOR OF ROMANCE in awhile.
That would be fuchsia, if you're curious. Only because of this site have I memorized how to spell “fuchsia.” It used to be one of those words I could never get right on the first try – but now, it's all good, mostly because of old skool romance covers. Fuchsia is named for the fuchsia flower, which I happen to love a lot for hanging baskets, but the color itself I love even MORE.
And fuchsia is one of those colors we don't see much of anymore. Covers that are redone for reissues are rarely replete with the fuchsia. For example:
Oh, yeah. That's some fuchsia. The dress, the backdrop, even the hero's hair is echoing a little bit of the fuchsia.
The new cover is Not the Fuchsia:
Which do you like better? I'm all about the fuchsia, though I know that cover on the shelf wouldn't work with all it's fuchesty.
What, more fuchsia? Oh, yeah. Heather found ALL the best fuchsia.
FUCHSIA and a CURLY MULLET?! I need to go to bed now, becuase there's no way the day can get any better than Fuchsia + Curly Mullet.
And Sweet Holy Soul Glo, that's about the curliest mullet I've ever seen. (And good golly, no wonder he hasn't lifted her up – her hair must weigh six stone.)
Anyway, back in the day, fuchsia was everywhere. EVERYWHERE.
When Fuchia was in Egypt's Laaaaaaaand! Egypt was fuchia and populated with very fair women and pink-haired Fabio? I had no idea!
Also: this book is about Anqet and Count Seth. I don't think I could love a hero name more than “Count Seth.”
This image is from the Fabio fanclub website, which is about the best fuchia and mantitty repository ever assembled.
The Goodreads review stars for this book seem very complimentary, so I'm curious about it. But I confess, I like the original cover much better than the Subtle Bejeweled Peen cover.
Not nearly enough fuchsia in that cover. So, what's your favorite fuchsia cover from days of yore? Share share!
I think I’m in love with pink-haired Fabio! It’s the perfect muscles and My Little Pony combination.
It’s rather stunning isn’t it? I’m also going to insist that everyone call me “Count Seth” today.
Don’t despair Sarah, I can tell you that fuschia is alive and well! Have just received the cover art for an upcoming release with Ellora’s Cave which features – sit down now in case you come over faint with excitement – a hunk of man flesh bound to a bed swathed in fuschia satin pillow cases and sheets.
The Windflower!! http://www.amazon.com/gp/custo…
I read about here a while ago and wanted to not only read it ASAP but also OWN it IN THIS COVER! The FUCHSIA ONE!!
Don’t despair Sarah, I can tell you that fuschia is alive and well! Have just received the cover art for an upcoming release with Ellora’s Cave which features – sit down now in case you come over faint with excitement – a hunk of man flesh bound to a bed swathed in fuschia satin pillow cases and sheets.
FUCHSIA SATIN PILLOW CASES. I have swooned. For real. I’m on the floor.
Sorry for the repeat – am trying to send the image through. Attempting again now so you might want to stay down on the floor just in case it works!
Who knew, the heart of the Falcon was hiding in Count Seth’s crystal testicle.
“…best fuchia and mantitty repository ever assembled.” If you hear a swishing sound, don’t worry – it’s just the time suck that shall commence once I click on the Fabio link.
Wow… This really highlights how I have very different expectations for books depending on their covers. In the Fuchsia Universe, I expect mantitty and crazysauce, but not good writing. In the Reprint World, I expect good writing and no crazysauce.
*Sigh* I really have an affection for older romance covers. The new covers are so bland and dime a dozen with no sense of pizazz or way too sexy when there’s a real story in them. Those old artists who drew these covers need to be saluted.
Here’s to hoping for a resurgence of hand drawn covers!
Hey SB Sarah, I mean Count Seth, once you’ve picked yourseld up and dusted yourself off would you consider trying to get one of those old skool cover artists to submit (snerk) to an interview here? I’m sure we ALL have questions, n’cest pas bitches?
I challenge you to find a more fuchsia-covered cover than this: http://www.fabioifc.com/BOOKCO…
I too need to own this cover, not because of the fuchsia sky & floral elements, but because that chick is coming in for an excellent left side seoi nage. All she needs is to bend her knees a tad, lift, and that boy is on the mat gasping for air the minute he moves toward her. ‘Course it would be more romantic in a judo gi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S…
The fuchsia makes my eyes bleed. Truly. I have an almost 2 year old girl and EVERY DANG THING IS FUCHSIA! I could ask her what color the banana at the store is… pink. What color is the black fridge? Pink. Oh mah gawd. Pinkpinkpinkpinkfucshia!!!!! I cannot escape it. At this point I”m secretly hoping she’ll turn goth in high school so I get a break from all this fuchsia.
The mullet on the “A Rose At Midnight” cover is very Kirk Hammett* circa “Garage, Inc.” Frankly, it’s very Kirk Hammett, period, but I think the length is about right for mid-nineties Metallica.
*Crazy mullet and facial hair aside, Kirk is still on my laminated list, thanks to the sheer magnitude of his… talent.
When I was little I was in luuuuvvvvvv with pink. My bedroom was the color of the side bar here and I had a canopy bed to match. It was a Pepto Bismol heaven of pink wonderment.
Here’s my favorite! Warrior’s Woman by Johanna Lindsey.
I’m still in love with pink.
My bedroom? Pink. Well, pink and green. One of the advantages of singledom. 😀
I’ve noticed that while many new romances have the traditional “pushing away at the top, groins pressed together,” a lot of reissues don’t even have people. There’ll be a mansion, a bunch of flowers, what looks like a tablecloth, etc.
Who knew Jeff Goldblum was a romance cover model!! Much less annoying than the role he played in Jurassic Park.
I love fuchsia. I had hair that color in the 80s. 🙂
I appreciate the subtle use of Fuchsia on the cover of Shirle Henke’s “McCrory’s Lady” which I also refer to as “She Ain’t No Lady” and now possibly “50 Shades of Fuchsia”…
The new e-version of this book has an almost fuchsia-free cover. 🙁
Not an answer to your question but I had to laugh thinking of the word ‘fuchsia’ (so hard to spell!). In Italian the same word – which means pink – is pronounced fooksia. Thought you might laugh.
Just for the record, I would totally read something called “50 shades of Fuchsia.” When I once had a CSR position, I had a guy tell me his 4wd vehicle was fuchsia. Dead silence ensued while I squinted at the phone. “So our driver is going to be looking for a car that’s a bright shade of pink?” Unfortunately, the guy answered in the negative. Because really, that would’ve been awesome.
Well, as of this morning my hair is fuchsia. No report yet on whether it has increased my romance writing powers.
I stole that very book from my mother’s bedside table at age 5. And now I write erotic romance. BEHOLD THE POWER OF FUCHSIA!
Proof that fuchsia will never entirely die: this recent Loretta Chase!
I was thinking that’s some tight perms on those two models. I wonder how she even managed to comb hers…
“Sweet Holy Soul Glo”… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The fuchsia colors give it this dream-land unicorn fantasy feelings to the cover (any chance the novels are replete with men who are harsh?) it seems that modern re-issue of the first book take that unicorn feeling away and instead there is some kind of harsh treatment to it. My opinion though.
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I interviewed one for Beyond Heaving Bosoms – was illuminating! I know of a few cover artists who have worked for the past 30 years through old skool to new, and I could try to contact them. What questions would you have?
THE FUCHSIA IS EATING HER LEGS! RUN, GIRL! RUN!
Is the demand for old skool still strong or are things changing to the newer style? Who makes the decision about the cover? What do the artists think is driving the change in cover style(s)? Have they seen this happen before? Are there any absolute must haves or never do’s when it comes to cover art? How did they get into doing cover art for Romance? Do they do covers for other books as well? Do they still get to use all their art skills or has the digital replaced the digits so to speak?
At first I confused fuchsia with the color in a book I read about a year ago, but turns out that was “Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color That Changed the World” by Simon Garfield. Looks like for the characters in these old skool romances, fuchsia was the color that rocked their world (although if truth be told, it’s not all that different from mauve). Not only are these books replete with men who are harsh, all of their kisses are punishing.
Looked around and there were several on the bookcases in my office including Summer Storm by Denise Domning, The Charm School (original cover) by Susan Wiggs and serious fuchsia glory is found can be found in even romantic suspense on the cover of Edge of Darkness by Cherry Adair. http://cherryadair.com/#/books…
Lost Love Found by Bertrice Small. Unfortunately, Skye O’Malley didn’t rock the fuchsia. It was her daughter Valentina.
Oh, now I have to go order this book – it sounds fascinating.
Susan/DC, you are magical! I have been trying to remember what that title was for two solid weeks—I kept thinking the invented color was magenta, so searches led me nowhere. A thousand thanks!
Errrr … did you notice that you misspelled ‘fuchsia’ as ‘fuchia’? Twice?
I noticed the same thing!