Devil Speak Contest!

28 July 2009 Jackie Contests, Uncategorized 32

You know what….I’m tired of hearing about how “UF/PNR is unrespected due to their covers” bull that has been going on lately.  There are some GREAT stories behind these covers and people are not focusing on that.  And yes, there may be some Tramp Stampin’ going on with them, but the authors have no control over what their covers look like.  So instead of running a new “cleaning the shelves” contest, I’m doing this one instead.

Up for grabs, a brand new copy of Jenna Black’s Speak of the Devil.  Of all the books out there, it seems like people have been focusing on the cover for this novel and I’m not sure why.  I honestly love this series.  It’s not your typical vampire/shapeshifter novel, it has some excellent characters and there’s very little sex regardless of what the blurb says.  In fact, I’m still waiting for it.  So, to support Jenna and this amazing series, I’m giving away a copy of Speak of the Devil.

Morgan Kingsley, America’s most successful exorcist, is paying the price for an exorcism gone wrong. The victim’s family is suing the daylights out of her, the Exorcism Board has suspended her, and now she’s living on a diet of ramen noodles and bad coffee. But Morgan has a few good men at her side. One is her current boyfriend, nice-guy legal-eagle Brian, who’s starting to reveal his inner bad boy. The other is Philly cop Adam White, who’s trying to help Morgan find out who sent her a little present—a severed human hand—and why someone seems determined to destroy her.

As her stalker turns more violent, leaving dead bodies in his wake, Morgan turns to the dark side of her life: a group of demons seeped in secrets, sinful eroticism, and otherworldly family feuds, including one sexy beast who shares Morgan’s body—and some X-rated fantasies. Soon Morgan must choose between her friends, her enemies, and her libido: to escape a mad demon determined to destroy her completely.

I’ll add more incentive for everyone to show those naysayers what they’re missing.  Let’s get these books into the hands of people who have missed out.  Purchase a copy of either The Devil Inside, The Devil You Know and/or The Devil’s Due through LE’s Amazon store, and for every fifteen books purchased, I’ll add another copy of Speak of the Devil to the prize pool.

So Here’s The Details:
The contest is open to everyone, so everyone overseas can join in the fun as well.  However, you must answer this question in order to be entered.  No answer, no entry.  It’s as simple as that.

What other novels have been grossly underappreciated due to the Tramp Stampin’ trend?  For all those “meh cover, story not worth it” attitudes, what have they missed out on?

As always, if you want more chances to win, you can post about today’s contest on your blog, social network, or anywhere you can. Digg it, stumble it, twit it (#litesc), share it with the world. Wherever you share it, make sure you add a link to it along with your answer (in the same post). The more places you share it, the more entries you get.

For more entries, purchase the first three novels in Jenna’s series – The Devil Inside, The Devil You Know and The Devil’s Due – through LE’s Amazon store sometime during this contest and send a copy of the receipt VIA email for your purchase to: myjaxon AT gmail DOT com.  Each purchase is one entry and it has to be through the LE Link.

Join the Literary Escapism Facebook page and you’ll get an additional entry. Make sure you leave a comment so I know that’s why you’re joining. Only new readers to the group will be considered.

For an additional entry, subscribe to Literary Escapism’s newsletter in the sidebar. This is for new subscribers only.

I’ll determine the winner with help from the Research Randomizer. All entries must be in by midnight on Aug 11th.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

25 Comments

  2. I never even thought of that about the covers. I so love the UF genre! I’m so hooked on to them, its a great feeling reading them! I love Jenna Black’s books! The pace is great and I too look forward to the sizzling scenes too and more! I already have the first book and the 2nd & 3rd are already on their way to me!

    On cover I recall is DAMNED, DELICIOUS AND DANGEROUS, an anthology by Delilah Devlin, Megan Kerans and Lisa Renee Jones, an Aphrodisia Anthology. I so loved these Demon stories! I wouldn’t miss a story by Ms. Devlin and so glad I didn’t!

    I posted this contest on the side of my blog under ‘Contests’ and too am already a friend of yours on Facebook, I’m also already a subscriber to your blog. I hope that being already a part of your blog/facebook that I can too be in your contest too? Thanks.

  3. So true!! I think the book that probably went by the wayside due to its cover is Joanna Bourne’s ‘The Spymaster’s Lady’. Such wonderful writing but typical man-titty cover. *sigh*

  4. I love the idea behind this giveway. I do my utmost not to judge a book by a cover bt find I have been swayed/predjudiced before and your post called my attention to this. I know many books like this. I find it happens often with books when they switch to the “Movie Cover” versions that are much more hollywood and sexy looking than the book actually is. This happens with all kinds of good books though. I think cover of “Chocolate” makes it look like a steamy stupid romance when it really has so much more to it.

  5. Sex sells, but I hear you. Actually, a lot of times it is the cover that draws me in… one novel that really surprised me was The Scent of Shadows: The first sign of the Zodiac by Vicki Patterson. The cover made me think of kinky demon sex but ultimately it was about self-discovery!

  6. Dead Witch Walking doesn’t necessarily fall under the ‘Tramp Stamp’ trend but I think it falls under the ‘meh cover’ category. And it’s unfortunate because it is sooo worth reading. It is my favorite Urban Fantasy series, no wait scratch that, it’s my favorite book series of all time. People not taking the time to read this series are missing out on one hell of a story and one hell of an author. Yes I am a Kim Harrison fan girl and I’m not ashamed to admit it! =)

  7. I think the earlier Anita Blake series had the Tramp Stamp all over it. I almost didn’t pick the books up because of it!

  8. Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson books are one of the best written series out there, but again, I think the covers don’t do the superb writing and story justice.

  9. I must confess i dont buy books because of covers sure some r pretty to look at some arent oh well i buy books for what the blurbs on the back say and who the authors are and i LOVE Jenna Black would love to win this book and read it would go nicely with all my other books of different covers

  11. I tweeted– http://twitter.com/taylortryst

    email addy: taylortryst@taylortryst.com

    By the way, I Love these covers! I think they are very hot and show powerful women who kick ass and take control. Tell me, who doesn’t want to be that powerful in dealing with their own life.

    Just read, “Red-Headed Step Child” and loved it. Could have used a bit more romance for my taste, but I’m an erotic romantic suspense author, so that’s just what I love to read. Love Anita Blake, and I think the covers should empower women and not put them off!

    I haven’t missed a thing, but I am developing quite the TBR pile, and I do have to work sometime…lol

    Taylor Tryst
    http://www.taylortryst.com
    http://taylortryst.blogspot.com

  12. I like the trampy covers. To me, it makes sense. If it’s about a female lead character, the way she dresses shows her confidence and it would be really hard to kick ass wearing bulky clothes.

  18. Breath of Fire by new author Tammy Kane
    Excellent story of female dragonslyer taking handsome virgin male as her prize for killing the dragon to whom he was to be sacrificed.

    QUESTION: What’s the prob with ‘Tramp Stamps’? Half my female friends have a tattoo! (maybe more I can’t see…)

    Not only does a good tat draw the eye to attractive features (in the way a mole patch was used during the times of Marie Antoinette), but it clearly says someting about the personality of the wearer.

    In terms of UF/PNR, tattoos can convey elements of the story (e.g. animals for shifters, tribal/Mayan tats to specify cultural elements, etc.). And there are numerous stories out there where the tattoo is a basic premise of the plot (think Marjorie M Liu’s Darkness Calls).

    Again I ask – what the problem is?

  19. I don’t see the issue with Tramp Stamps, but some obviously do. I actually like them. Would never have the courage to get one myself, but I like seeing the various ones that get added. I love the ones that have some cultural aspect to them – tribal markings, celtic designs, mandarin characters, etc.

    Although, it does seem like every cover has them even if the heroine doesn’t.

  22. I must be off, because those sexy over the top covers with the tats and weapons are the books I’m most likely to pick up, I know there’s going to be a good story there. I also kind of wish I looked like that (looks down at her 49 year old belly that has birthed 4 babies!).

    Where I might be cheating myself though- is in the Romance aisle. I tend to stay away from the books with the super-uber-muscular NAKED men on the cover. Intellectually I know that there are some very good paranormal romances out there, but I shy away from the Sexor-men covers, and the books with more sex than story…..Yeah I’m probably missing out. If you know about some good, (with plot) paranormal romaces with the hunky men on the cover-let me know. I might try them

  24. Nice contest! I love the UF genre. Unfortunately, the first thing I think of on the subject of “Meh covers which lead people to really miss out” is Gail Dayton’s steampunk novel “New Blood.” Man, that cover creeps me out. (Doll-like looking figure, blood on dress…it’s creepy, and not a good kind). And it’s classified as a “paranormal romance.”
    However, the book itself? I *loved* it. One of the best books I’ve read all year.
    But I can see people passing by this book (as I did many many times) because of the cover. And they would be missing out.

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