In The Bookseller last week, it was noted that The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows and The Island, by Victoria Hislop used the same image of the pale-skinned brunette on their covers. The image in question is obviously a popular choice as we too considered using this woman on one of our own covers some time ago (for one of Rachel Moore‘s titles). Luckily (otherwise there’d be three very similar covers floating around) in the end we decided on something else for our design.

Unfortunately, not all picture agencies let you know a) if anyone else has bought the image or b) how many times it’s been bought, and c) details of the nature of the other buyers’ businesses (if they’re business catalogue companies, we can be relatively sure it will not end up on a book cover).

Photographers take note: beautiful, ageless women who look like they could belong to any/many time periods are lacking on picture libraries. Please get snapping!

Lara Crisp, Managing Editor

Want to flag up a cover you loved or hated for our Wednesday Cover Story? Write to chiara@allisonandbusby.com with your thoughts