Potpourri

Cover Secrets

Here's some inside secrets about my Sabrina Jeffries covers. And in case you're wondering, the reason I only show model pics that I've taken myself is I try to respect copyright laws, and a model's pictures are generally copyrighted. However, you can find all sorts of links to model and artist sites at We Really Dig Romance Novels. They've got more links than I've ever had.

Let Sleeping Rogues Lie

  • I was decidedly unhelpful when my publisher asked me about possible cover scenes. I'd just started writing the book, and the future scenes were only glimmers in my little eye. The outdoor scene I'd planned (and that I'd suggested) turned into one that took place in a gazebo (which is probably why they're surrounded by flowers in the inside art), and the drawing room seduction actually didn't come to pass (it happened in a bedroom instead). But it wasn't their fault. Or mine. The timing was just bad.
  • In case you're wondering, books are often "cover conferenced" a year before the book is released. Since I wasn't very far into the book at that point, I couldn't give them much to go on.
  • I have no clue who the models might be, or the artist, for that matter. But I think this cover is gorgeous. What can I say, I love purple.

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Beware A Scot's Revenge

  • I suggested the pose that's in the inside art, and they went from there. It's probably the cover that is most closely like a scene in the actual book.
  • The hero is wearing only a towel in the book, but I guess they had to get that tartan in somewhere. There IS a tartan in the scene, however. It's just that he's not actually wearing it.
  • The model is rumored to be Nathan Kamp. It certainly looks like him. If I ever find out for sure, I'll put it here.

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Only a Duke Will Do

Models: Stefan Andreas Schwarze and Laura Williams

  • Continuing the "veil-like" art theme mentioned below, we have a curtain in the DOOR of the carriage. Huh. I've never seen one of those, but it makes for a pretty image, I suppose. That IS the point, after all.
  • Simon, who is blond in the book, was initially depicted as dark-haired for the inside art. I screamed. My editor screamed. My agent screamed. Now he's blond. Apparently screaming works sometimes. Note: put your mouse over the image on the right to see Simon with dark hair.
  • The outside cover had to be worked over a few times, namely because initially her leg was bare (no lady would wear shoes without stockings in the Regency), and her shoe looked like something I'd buy at the local shoe store. But I sent them pictures of stockings, garters, and period shoes, and they did a lovely job of fixing it.
  • Alan Ayers did the inside art.

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Never Seduce a Scoundrel

Model: Laura Williams

  • Publishers like to have a cover theme for related books (or sometimes a cover theme for an author), and the cover theme for the heiress books is veils—things behind screens, curtains, parasols, etc. (See future covers to understand what I mean)
  • The dressing screen with the chemise draped over it was my idea. Having it be see-through and high enough to be mistaken for a shower stall was not. But hey, what do I know about art?
  • I haven't found out who the male model is yet, but hubba-hubba! Many readers think it's Nathan Kamp.
  • Alan Ayers did the inside art.

Back to Never Seduce a Scoundrel

One Night with A Prince

Models: Jack Hartnett and Laura Williams

  • This is my first red cover. I've been begging for a red cover for YEARS and finally got one!
  • At some point between the printing of the cover flats they use to solicit sales and the actual printing of the book, my name changed from being embossed in gold to embossed in white, probably because the white is more readable. I think it was a smart move.
  • This is probably my favorite cover ever. I like the sexiness of it, but I think it's not as cheesy as the other two.
  • Alan Ayers did the outside art.

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To Pleasure a Prince

Models: Stefan Andreas Schwarze and Lucia Corvelli

  • Originally, this cover was a picture of a cottage in lavender, pink, and blue with little flowers everywhere. Some buyers took one look at it and complained that it didn't fit with what I write. So Pocket changed it. I'm glad they did, because I agreed with the buyers. Pollyanna I am not.
  • Supposedly, Regina's hair is long on the front cover and just swept over her shoulder. It doesn't look that way to me! But hey, it's better than the flower cover.
  • I really love the pose of the inside art (and the fact that Regina's hair is long *G*), but I do wish they'd made Draker beefier and scarred. Oh, well, can't have everything.
  • Alan Ayers did the inside art.

Back to To Pleasure a Prince

In the Prince's Bed

Model: Tracy James

  • It's my first stepback! I'm terribly excited, especially since I love the inside art.
  • Yes, I know the hair on the woman on the outside isn't very historical. Don't blame me—I didn't tell them to do it that way. They did that all by themselves.
  • The model on the inside and the one on the outside are the same woman, believe it or not. You could have fooled me.
  • Alan Ayers did the outside art.

Back to In the Prince's Bed

Married to the Viscount

  • They did it again. This bath scene is vastly different in the book. For one thing, the hero isn't there. She comes out of the bath to confront her servant and that's it, end of story. No hero in the scene. But hey, maybe they thought he ought to be there. Who knows?
  • I suggested a cover similar to that of Dance of Seduction, except that the heroine would be facing the opposite direction, sitting on the hero's bed (which in the book has gold silk drapings). I guess nobody liked my idea.
  • The tub was supposed to be copper. Then the art department decided that copper would end up looking brown and dull. They went with porcelain instead.
  • The towel was shorter before they decided to lengthen it to make the image look more historical. Huh? Since when were towels bigger in the Regency period than now?
  • This cover was a bit racier before my editor asked the art department to add more bubbles. Tee hee.
  • No clue about the illustrator.

Back to Married to the Viscount

Dance of Seduction

  • I love this cover, even though the oldtimers in publishing claim that green covers don't sell.
  • I actually did suggest the cover concept. Except that I suggested a chaise longue with a chemise draped over it. Apparently, the art department thought a chemise without a person was too boring. And that a chemise was too boring. Which explains why the heroine is draped in a sheet.
  • According to the art department, the female on this cover isn't blond. That's a good thing, since the heroine in the book isn't blond, which I told them. See the Cover Process page in which I explain why publishers don't care.
  • The illustrator is again Doreen Minuto. She outdid herself with this one.

Back to Dance of Seduction

After the Abduction

  • I'm not completely sure, but the model appears to be John DeSalvo.
  • No, the hero and heroine do not make love in a sleigh in the book. Even I, queen of the exotic love scenes, wouldn't have tried to slide that impracticality past readers. But apparently, it didn't bother the art department.
  • The illustrator is Doreen Minuto, the same artist as for A Dangerous Love. I love that the men on her covers look like real men, not models.

Back to After the Abduction

A Notorious Love

Models: Jack Hartnett and Caroline Buda

  • In case you can't tell, the hero riding a horse on the front cover is wearing a cape and no shirt. Romance marketing departments are convinced that shirtless men sell books. Maybe they do. Who knows? But if you ever see a guy in real life dressed like that…ride the other way.
  • Helena's hair color in the original cover they showed me was closer in hue to Daniel's (in the book, it's dark brown). When I pointed out the error, they went in and darkened it before the final covers were printed up. Hey, maybe they do care, after all!
  • The illustrator is Andy Bacha, who also did The Dangerous Lord.

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A Dangerous Love

Model: Mike Dale

  • There's no boat in the book! But since the hero and heroine do have a sensual encounter in the great outdoors, the art department fudged a bit. You know those artists—if it looks good, they're happy!
  • This is the only other cover for which they took my suggestion. It was my idea to have her wearing her corset, because it's so important in their love scene. Of course, I envisioned a woman a bit more plump than this model. Rosalind wouldn't even recognize herself on this cover, I'm sure!

Back to A Dangerous Love

The Dangerous Lord

Model: Terry Van Derent

  • I've never found a website for Terry Van Derent, but he's a cutie, huh!
  • My idea for the front cover was for crossed rapiers. The art department said that was too clichéd. Hey, I never claimed to be an artist!
  • This cover was nominated for the Best Historical Cover for 2000 by All About Romance in their Annual Cover Contest!

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The Forbidden Lord

  • Don't know the model's name, but one of my fans swears that it's John DeSalvo. You be the judge.
  • Yes, Jordan's hair is auburn in the book. Yes, this guy's hair is brown. But they did that on purpose, believe it or not. Most publishers tend to think that "redheaded heroes" aren't popular on covers. Hmm.

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The Pirate Lord

Model: Joseph Anselmo

  • This is my sole "hero only" cover, but it's a humdinger, isn't it? Joseph Anselmo was also on the famous front cover of Dara Joy's Mine to Take, depicting a man in chains and on the cover of the antho, Dance with the Devil containing my Deborah Martin story. Unfortunately, there's no web page for him, but there is a list of the books he appears on
  • The photo shoot for this had a tripod with leaves clipped to it to stand in for the tropical plant that's in the painting.

Back to The Pirate Lord