Help me with the Cover

Oh dear, the hardest bit about publishing a new title is the cover art imho. I didn’t have any trouble whatsoever with the cover for my middle grade time travel series, but my fairy tale retellings cause me headaches. Maybe you can help? Here they are.

possible covers for volume one:
Band1-0 Band1-1 Band1-2

possible covers for volume two:
Band2-0 Band2-1 Band2-2

Which layout do you like best? Or do you have a completely different idea? It is important to show that all volumes belong to the same series. Also, the cover should look enticing. Sigh.

8 thoughts on “Help me with the Cover”

  1. I started this then saw that SJD covered what I intended to say, although I didn’t take issue with the size of the medallion. I stand with the “No fairies anywhere” statement, however.

    1. Cat says:

      Thanks for your feedback. I’ll think about it.

  2. Mil Holmes says:

    I like the middle ones on both levels. Maybe if the eagle was a bit smaller, such as further back and a bit off-center. I haven’t read the first book. And the second, I did read and so I like the cover.

    The picture is what I first notice and then I look for the title and then the Author. When I do my covers, I use that sort of perspective, depending on which I want noticed first. And images are better for catching the eye amongst the hundreds out there.

    And remember, sometimes images get cropped and so you might want to consider a tiny bit of margins on the edges. Well, a bit bigger than what you have there.
    At least, that’s what I think.

    1. Cat says:

      I made them this small deliberately. I wanted to know if they’d also work if they’re small. If you klick on them, you’ll get a much bigger version.

      Thank you for the feedback.

  3. Will Hahn says:

    Hey Cat, on a quick glance I would say:
    1) The fairy-framers help the very first image, but don’t seem to fit with the other five images. If you want the same icons for a whole series I think they do well up above on the ribbon.
    2) The eagle is cool but doesn’t help me tell this story- I know he’s in the tale, but not helping on the cover. But I would agree there needs to be something besides mist inside the circle.
    3)I can hardly believe you were able to come up with such an apt image for the second one! The title of the last is from the first book!
    So I’m liking the third choice for the second title (with the right words). And if forced to choose, I’d say the third one above.

    Can that top ribbon get a little tinting or decor like the center circle has? No idea how to do any of that.

    Gold, blue, all color choices seem excellent and the layout is great.

    1. Cat says:

      I will make sure that the tinting is the same for all golden elements. I changed the title to “The Dwarf and the Twins” because it’ll fit in two lines then.

      Tomorrow, I’ll post some new versions with poeple in them. A friend suggested that since the second volume has a person in the circle, I shoudl have people in this too. I found some that might fit.

  4. Pretty but not quite legible.
    Treasures Retold can’t be read at all. Use only the type in the ribbon there, nothing else. No fairies anywhere. Capitalize Dwarf. More dominant type, smaller medallion. Put Katharina on top of Gerlach. Make the roses bigger–they’re the only things needed in that medallion. Make the girl bigger–crop out everything extraneous in that medallion. No need to see the table or bottom of the machine. Bring the bottom of the circle to just below the dial by her hand, maybe including some of the bells. Luck! Show us revisions!

    1. Cat says:

      Thanks for your comments. I’ll fiddle with the pics some more.

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