A recent story in The New York Times, A First Edition Auction, With the Writers Nervously Looking On, got us at IndieReader thinking.
If contemporary titles, including Jennifer Egan’s “A Visit from the Goon Squad” ($24,000) and Jay McInerney’s “Bright Lights, Big City” ($7,000) could fetch such huge sums at auction, why not take a closer look at self-pubbed titles, especially those subsequently picked up by traditional publishers, which are apt to do a make-over of their own?
Renée Carlino’s debut novel “Sweet Thing” has undergone many incarnations since it was self-published in April 2013, each revamp a total makeover.
The novel follows Mia Kelly – Ivy League grad and pianist – who can’t decide between a sensible career and following her passion for music after she graduates. Her life takes an unexpected turn when her father dies and she must take over his New York City café, a place haunted by musicians and artists. Among them is Will, a guitarist – who becomes her friend, roommate, and gradually, something more.
“Sweet Thing” is Carlino’s first novel. She’s a California native and resident who lives with her husband, sons and dog. Her passion for writing began as a teen with poetry and short stories, and graduated to novels as an adult. Since “Sweet Thing”, Carlino has also released “Sweet Little Thing” and “Nowhere But Here“, with a fourth – “After the Rain”– this past November.
Her first novel’s journey from indie read to bestseller was peppered with drastic cover changes. Released in April 2013, the original cover featured a simple design: piano keys to the right and on the left, a plain dark brown background on which the book’s title, author’s name, and a particularly tasty-looking cup of cappuccino- a heart drawn into its foam – are displayed.
This cover was followed in June by a new cover edition – a design that’s much more confectionary than the original, with a color scheme featuring bright gold and a dash of pink and fading images of a girl’s figure, sheet music and a pretty street scene.
But the final version – released in August 2013, now under publisher Atria Books – is completely different than both previous covers. This design is definitely elegant and artistic – and a bit racy. A before and after love scene is interrupted by two cream banners, the first featuring a casual handwritten title and the second the author’s name in distinguished block letters.