Don’t you love those photographs of authors on the backs of their books?

I’ve noticed authors utilize a variety of tricks in their author head-shots to disguise an unsightly turkey neck. Resting the chin on a fist is a common technique, or the more awkward variation of setting the chin on a copy of the latest release.

A shot snapped at just the right moment while waving one’s reading glasses can work if the photographer is a talented one. There’s always the time-honored Rose Kennedy look, with the author looking upward. This tends to lose its appeal as the years take their toll, eventually requiring the author to lift the chin so high as to appear to be gazing at a passing spaceship.

For the coquettish author, the shot from behind, with the head looking over the shoulder, can cover a multitude of chins.

Of all the techniques that may be employed, the one below has to be my all-time favorite.

Love that boy!

How about you? What’s your favorite way to look your best in those stress-inducing head shots?

Watch here for the first Estela Nogales Mystery audiobook, coming soon!