I’m making progress again on Chameleon in a Mirror, my Aphra Behn time travel, but not as much as I would like. Since I last posted, I’ve gotten over 2200 words written and am now working on a couple of completely new scenes that I realized I needed. Recently, however, I’ve also been spending a lot of my “writing time” attending to various non-creative aspects of my writing life: jotting down notes for a guest lecture I’ll be giving at the University of Stuttgart later this month; checking the edits I got back from my editor for Shadow of Stone; and consulting with the cover artist.
Those are of course good things, but they nonetheless eat up time that I could have been using for actual writing. But if I want to get Shadow of Stone published by the end of the month, the edits and the cover art will have to go the top of the priority list for the time being.
Concerning the cover art, I would love more opinions. Here are some of the covers Derek Murphy has come up with that friends have persuaded me should be in the final running. (As you can see, for one cover there are already two versions):
What do you all think? Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Ebook – Shadow of Stone. Book Two in the Pendragon Chronicles
Ebook – Yseult for Kindle
Free ebook version of my short story "Mars: A Traveler's Guide" on Smashwords
Looking Through Lace for Kindle
Never Ever After for Kindle
Story Collection: Dragon Time and other stories
The Future, Imperfect for Kindle
Contains my story "Exit Without Saving"
Contains my story "Looking Through Lace"
Contains my story (with Jay Lake) "The Big Ice"
Contains my story (with Jay Lake) "The Canadian Who Came Almost All the Way Back From the Stars"
Flamme und Harfe
Cover 1 first preference, followed by #2. Streets ahead.
Thanks for the feedback!
My vote as well, Ruth.
Karen
Sounds like you are staying busy!! Still, glad things are moving along mostly to your liking. What fun cover art is! I really like the bold coloring of the first, but I think you can tell the rider is female better in the second…and I don’t know if it’s significant or not whether she is riding towards or away from the stone?? Great choices, though!! Hope you get it all fixed up and out on time
Thanks, Lauren! I think it’s going to be the first. I had a reason for asking him to do the riding away from the stone, but I think it looks better riding towards it.
I’m between #1 and #3. The only thing with #1 is that if I look at the silhouette of horse and ride too long I realize that they aren’t actually part of the photo, they’re a cut-out inserted into the image (which is why I don’t like #2, it’s even more obvious in that one). #3 gives me more to look at and there’s nothing obviously out of place. If the silhouette in #1 looked more real that would be my favorite hands down.
Thanks, Laurie! I’ve asked my artist to address that, so we’ll see what he comes up with!
I’m quite partial to #4. But then again, that’s my tastes speaking.
You’re about the only one, Ryan.
But thanks for stopping by!
I love #3 – it gives a really nice preview for the story. #1 would be my second choice – the colors are richer and the silhouette works better in this one than in #2.
Nicely done!
Most people like #1 best. #3 probably does give a better idea of the book, but at least #1 gets some of the loneliness and melancholy of the book across, I think. And it’s gorgeous.
The cut outs in the first and second looked juvenile to me (because of the cropped hair, I think), which makes me lean toward three.
I’ve asked the artist to address the hair issue. *g* Thanks for the feedback!
I agree that the cropped hair looks very cut-out in the first two, but I still like them better, esp #1. I don’t care for #3 because it’s a odd collage of her looking so calm while the barbarian hoards storm down on her. The last one is pretty, but doesn’t give any hint about what the story is about.
Thanks for the feedback, AmyBeth! Here’s hoping Derek can do something about the hair.
Hey Ruth – We have the same cover designer – he’s a busy boy, huh!
I would say the hair flick cut out on the first two is the only real thing stopping them from being winners. I really don’t like three and four is too plain. Get Derek to replace or improve on the horse-rider in one or two and see what happens. Maybe inking flowing locks, or removing the unrealistic flick is all that’s required? Hope this helps 
X
Derek did my first cover too. He’s great. I’ve asked him to do something about the hair, and we’ll see what he comes up with!
The good news is these are such great covers! I love, love, love the second one but the stone and it’s shadow somehow confuse my eye. The third one feels like it has the most information about what kind of book this is. Either will be great.
Thanks, Katie! Derek is a great cover artist. Maybe someday I’ll be able to afford hiring him for every book!