Cover art--need your help!

[Karen Marie]

I'm working with the art dept. on the cover for Shadowfever while also looking ahead at the series to follow. I'd like to open a very frank dialogue about cover art.

These are my initial questions:

1. What are some of your favorite covers, and why? (Please post thumbnails or small images)

2. What are some covers that don't work for you, and why? (Images, please.)

3. What do you like to see on the covers of books you're currently buying? What do you not like to see?

4. What do you honestly think of the first four covers in my Fever series? You won't hurt my feelings here.

5. How do you think the covers for the Fever series might be better portrayed?

I know I've thrown a lot of questions at you, but I'm looking at the designs for Shadowfever and planning the next series and Iwant all the input from readers that I can get.

Thanks!

[yvonndalona]

Originally Posted by Crazy_Girl

Ok,This is just my opinion,and you asked for honest..So,Don't yell at me..

I agree completely!!! I prefer the Ireland backdrops to having people on the front. I thought it was strange that all the books had the city in the background, except Dreamfever. But apparently you had people on some Darkfever covers (mine has the city). Anyway, I LOVE that each cover has a strong color palate! Darkfever is a stunning Blue/Black; Bloodfever an eye-catching red; Faefever a stunning purple/black; and Dreamfever has beautiful hues of red/orange!!! Cityscapes and vibrant colors are what works best for me....having a person on only one of the covers, my Darkfever has a cityscape, had me AND my husband pondering "why the switch"? A MILLION votes to keeping people off the cover!!!!

[Ktamsor2]

Although the cover art IS a major factor on my choice of books, I also look at the authors, and (althought I'm majorly ticked off at the wait) you are my favorite by far.i like both covers very much, but the first ones still have my heart.

[DaHa]

Hi,
this is my first post here. When I read this thread I started poking around at amazon.de a little bit. Here are the covers I found that I liked most.
(unfortunately I had to cut one of the w's from the www's because "You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more." - sorry)

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3802582381/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/0373775237/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=52044011&s=books-intl-de

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3442265770/sr=1-4/qid=1274129838/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books&qid=127412 9838&sr=1-4

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3981096630/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/1841497134/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=52044011&s=books-intl-de

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3453527879/sr=1-3/qid=1274130295/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books&qid=127413 0295&sr=1-3

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3453526368/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3802582195/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3802582349/sr=1-5/qid=1274130484/ref=dp_image_z_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books&qid=1274 130484&sr=1-5

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/394023589X/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3404206053/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3404206045/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3802582454/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books

The covers of your English book versions I like very much, but the German ones .... I think they got something wrong about the content when they published the books. The title and the cover text of Darkfever and Bloodfever ('Im Bann des Vampirs' and 'Im Reich des Vampirs') are about vampires.

ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3548266010/sr=1-3/qid=1274132788/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books&qid=127413 2788&sr=1-3
ww.amazon.de/gp/product/images/3548266029/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=299956&s=books

Best,
Dana

[Brudequeen]

I like all the current covers from the Fever series. I think they all captured the essence of the story well without giving away too much. They are evocative enough to get you to pick up the book and want to know exactly what is inside. Didn't like the first cover for Darkfever but the current cover is perfect.

[Kerry]

Hi Karen...I wanted to let you know, that I specifically picked up Bloodfever because of the cover, there was just something about it, that drew me too it.(yes, I read it first) That being said, all the covers were fantastic, and fit with the feel of the book. Shadowfever should have a similiar cover, to fit the rest of the series. A shadow of Mac looking over a new world?, faery? home?

[Lycans]

JMHO.
As with the other women, I was not crazy about the cover of DF-it did not represent the book well.

The covers of the Highlander books-also agree with what so many have said- you put just enough of the lead man in the give us an idea of what he looks like, but left the rest to our imaginations.

The DrF cover was my favorite because of how it related to this series.-There are so many mysteries and unknown characters and unanswered questions;on the cover, you gave us a lot of clues to the story. I for one, usually go back to look at the cover of a book as I'm reading to see if I can catch some clues. Stephen King does this alot on his covers, esp in the recent years.

The Dark Book-thats a great idea! Would also really like an image of the US realm. The Shadowland. And clues that we can catch as we are reading the book-or ones that make sense after we have finished.

I have not read all the posts so far in this thread, so I do apologize if I have simply reiterrated what has already been said.

Thank you for asking us our suggestions- I know we are humbled by the offer.

Dawn

[chymera90]

okay I trust your art department beacuse I've liked everything they have come up with, so im just going to answer one of your question Ms. Moning.

I would have to tell you not to put a face on any cover of a book, be it male or female, because in my opinon it takes away from the imagination of what that character could look like. I think that thats the worest thing about some of the book covers out there, with the exeption of some of them, like Gena Showalter's Lord of the Underworld series. Those are cool. They aren't over done and the look of them supports the story well

I hope that helps a little.
~Nicasia (nicky)

[Tlane]

I think it would be awesome if the cover had something hidden in it, like a picture clue about the story or something. Just a thought...