Need help! Choosing a new book cover. :-)

[Cudedog]

Good morning!

Looks like it is going to be a nice sunny day here, after getting quite a bit of rain overnight. Hooray!!

I am in process of working on my new book cover, have narrowed it down to a choice of two.

Since so many of you here gave me such wonderful suggestions on how to improve the book cover for "Christmas Jones" (fyi - the new cover on "Jones" seems to be generating quite a bit more interest on Amazon than the old one did - THANK YOU!!), I thought I would post both of the covers on here and see what everyone thinks.

I understand that, probably, the "Sci-Fi Fantasy" genre might not be your "cup of tea", but I would STILL like to know what each and every one of you think (the leafy bar at the bottom of the first image is where the book's title goes).

Please make any kind of comment you might like - I am especially looking to know this: If you were walking around, browsing in a bookstore (LOL - remember book browsing? Remember bookstores? )

1. Which of these might be most likely to catch your eye?

2. Which of these might make you wonder "Hrm. What is going on here?"

3. Which of these might make you pick it up to thumb through the pages?

Thanking everyone in advance!

Anne

Book Cover #1


Book Cover #2

[MandysMom]

I think the second with the volcano. But since my eye isnt healed yet it's all a bit fuzzy yet! Also in first one, the dogs head appears floating without a body, but that may be my eye issue, but it's weird.
Now that my vision is beginning to clear, I need to get back to the book!
Velda

[JudyJB]

I like the second one, but with the volcano more in the background and maybe with its colors less bright--like a little hazy??

That way, the girl would stand out more.

[Bethers]

I would go with the first because the girl's hair immediately catches my attention. Her hair is lost in the 2nd. VIf the 2nd, I agree with Judy's assessment.

[Shirlv]

Anne, I like #1. She looks otherworldly. Her and her pup are focus and the bright volcano takes away from that.

[WickedLady]

definitely #1

[Birdie]

I love the first one.

I really like the second one, but I also like the idea of the volcano a little smaller as to appear further in the background.

I would definitely pick up and look at the first. Other worldly is a good description. Also ethereal, and they are. Beautiful.

Not sure I would pick up the second one to look through. I am not “into volcanoes”.

Best of luck on this step in your journey!

[snowball]

I have to agree with everyone's assessment... love her hair in the first and yep Velda the dog does seem to float bodyless
but the volcano takes over in the 2nd one... so why not combine them like someone said minimize the volcano so it's more misty (my granddaughter's name is a spelling variation of that word had a real hard time spelling it right )
the first would capture my attention even though it's not a genre I usually read... not sure the second one does...
but also feel the 1st is incomplete
sheila

[JudyJB]

I agree with the other comments about liking her hair flying up. So maybe a smaller and more hazy volcano in the background, so the girl is more prominent??

[Pooker]

Her hair in #1 definitely grabbed my attention and I agree with the others about putting the volcano off to the side in the background. It's gorgeous!

Pooker

[Cudedog]

Wow!

Thanks everyone!!

You all gave me a LOT to think about - and I really appreciate it!!

Here's the score:

Girl & hair: 7

Girl & volcano: 2

YES! The hairy girl wins the prize

I really did spend many, many hours over several days pounding away on this. I thought about putting the volcano more in the background, and smaller, as many suggested - however, it just seemed "too busy" with the girl, hair, dog and volcano (especially keeping in mind that only a "thumbnail" size image appears with the Amazon ad, not a full-size image).

So. The girl is the winning image. . . but it just didn't seem to me to be quite "there". So I gave it another pass, intensified the colors (after I thought about it they seemed a bit washed out - but not sure...? Thoughts anyone?) and gave the girl the gold eyes she has in the story - a major story point (do the eyes look too weird?). I also "fixed" the plant fronds at the bottom - didn't really like them "squared off" as they were, new version looks more natural (I think!).

Probably you will notice that the girls face in the new image is a bit "thinner" when compared with the original. . . but I'm thinking that without the original right beside it (I actually thought the original girl's face was too wide) it isn't really out of the ballpark. Besides, the girl is very thin in my story - unlike myself. Wishful thinking, I guess!

I worked, literally, for hours on the "disembodied dog head" problem. The original dog photo is actually of a very young puppy, with long floppy ears, lying on the floor, with the head tilted to one side. I "matured" the head, and fixed it so that it was no longer tilted. . . but try as I might, I couldn't do much with the lying-down body.

I'll post the original photo tomorrow so that everyone can see what I mean.

Anyway!! The current hairy girl version is below. Again, I sincerely appreciate all of your thoughts! Compliments are always nice, but only constructive criticism helps me to see things differently, and to get things better, so please don't worry that you might hurt my feelings. I really want to know what everyone thinks.

THANKS!!

Anne

Original:



Newest:

[BirdbyBird]

2 cents. This is a fantasy. Her beautiful silver hair and robe etc are referenced. The coloring of the silver sands etc also ... the dog looks dog like but in an elevated way. Looking Special is coloring worked for me.

[Bethers]

The gold eyes are great. I like the hair color better in the original... It's more silver. But that's being nit picky. And you did a good job with the lower area, the grass fits in better. As to her face shape, I'm good with either. I was originally drawn to her, so I think I still like the first shape and silver hair the best. But definitely with the gold eyes.

[snowball]

I too like the color of her hair better in the first.... did you try adding a hint of the color of the sky from the volcano and see what that did? as I looked at the newest picture I felt something was missing I think it would be easy to do but I think worth looking at if you haven't already
looks good though
sheila

[monik7]

I prefer the first one, especially the lighter tone of her skin. It seems darker on the shaded side in the newer version. I think it looks better lighter. Would it be possible to raise the grass a little higher to cover up the fact there’s no body for the dog?
Sandi