Very interesting!

The Italian (Mondadori) version of Mary Balogh's Una Lady Scandalosa (the English title is "Slightly Scandalous") obviously used the same cover art as the English version of my book Celtic Fire (hair color is changed, but it's the same people and setting.)

I checked Amazon.com and found that the English version of "Slightly Scandalous" has a different cover, no hero/heroine - just a blue background and a key on a ribbon with the lettering. Covers are often changed for different language versions.

As an author, I don't have much say in what goes on the cover - for Celtic Fire, my first mass market book, I had no say at all. My publisher had exclusive control. I assume my publisher bought the rights to use the image (since it seems the Mary Balogh book came out in Italy the year before Celtic Fire came out in the US).

No wonder my characters' clothing isn't historically accurate! Also, there's no setting in my story that looks like the cover. It's all clear now.

The French language version of Celtic Fire has my Roman hero wearing clothing that at least looks Roman, though my heroine's clothing doesn't look Celtic at all!

Thanks for sharing that! Too funny :-)

Joy

http://www.amazon.fr/feux-celtes-Joy-Nash/dp/2290000728/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UT...