I'm a member of a closed group for writers on Facebook. A few days ago, another member boasted that - after no sales on Amazon - he changed the title, author's name, and cover image of his e-book and it started selling.
I've just posted the following comment (I can't separate paragraphs in Facebook comments):
"So, you feel that it's perfectly alright to use a "sexy" image of a headless woman (like a piece of meat) to sell your book. +++ 380 members of Russia's parliament feel that it's perfectly alright for men to beat their wives. They've just decriminalised wife-beating (the vote was 380-3!!!) +++ Thousands of Spanish men feel that it's perfectly alright to kill women with whom they have personal problems. (There's a Spanish saying: "I killed her because she was mine.") So far this year (as of 20th Feb.), 11 of them have carried through. +++ Donald Trump feels that it's perfectly alright - FOR HIM - to make a grab at any woman's genitals. *** Just 4 points on the nasty, sleazy spectrum of misogyny. At least now I'll know to avoid any books by Scott Butcher / Tabitha Scott. But don't worry! You'll get the readers that you deserve."
What do the rest of you think? Is everything permissible to get people to buy your book?
since I do not have a passport, therefore I am limited to the UK, I reckon the farthest I could go to sell my book is about 590 miles away in the Shetlands
I've looked the book up and I don't like the cover at all. The main thing I dislike is how the title looks. It just looks ugly to me. As for changing the name and cover just to sell is a cheap move. A good cover should be chosen before the book is published.
As far as I would go is to talk about it on all of my social media platforms, which I am doing.
What a sad indictment of our times that putting a faceless, lingerie-clad woman on the cover has improved sales. Interesting that the author has changed gender too - perhaps an attempt to disguise his misogynistic views. As surely a woman could not be accused of being a misogynist (she says sarcastically). Obviously, I'm only speculating as I've only viewed the front cover and read the blurb.