How much does the cover of a book draw you? At the small bookstore where I work, we front out books that have interesting (to us) covers. When I'm looking for a book, I know certain covers draw me in while others make me skip right over the book. That's a shame, I realize, because I may be missing a perfectly good read. However, when I see badly drawn cartoonish covers or ones that were obviously photoshopped with someone of less than adequate ability, I tend to think the book may be of lower quality as well.
And yet, I have read really good books that had horrible covers. I've also read horrible books that had really good covers. What should matter is the writing - and it does. But still, I'm drawn in first by a good cover. Awful to admit, but there it is.
So what about you? Do you pick up a book based on the cover?