Finding Luna Cover Ideas – Feedback Required If You Please :)
Hello everyone. Well, we all know about how important it is to have a great book cover. Without it, you might as well say – I couldn’t be bothered to get a great cover (and I couldn’t be bothered to get an editor, or learn my craft, or … you get the idea?) I am instantly put off a book if the cover is rotten. I get emails every day asking me to review books, feature book tours, and the authors. I will usually say no if the cover sucks. Why bother investing my time on their books, if they couldn’t be bothered to?
So…. I did bother! 🙂
Please note: I can get by designing covers; apart from fancy fonts. *Groan! I can find them no problem – I have loads on my MAC in fact. But I don’t know how to put them into the font libraries of the software I use to design the covers (a variety of things like GIMP Pic Monkey Smart Photo, etc). IF you know PLEASE SHARE :D!
Today I wanted to get feedback and show you the book cover ideas I have had for my next novel in The Supes Series.
The first picture is of the cover designed by a professional indeed – Derek Murphy. He’s brilliant, but way out of my price range now. So, I got down and dirty and tried to do the second cover myself.
Finding Esta Cover
Below was my first idea. A little too Sci-Fi when considering my novel is urban fantasy. There are aliens, but this is inappropriate in other ways – someone said it looked like a woman’s privates bits!! Not the look or genre I was looking for, although conceding to use another woman-on-the-cover kind of cover again, annoyed me. *Sigh.
FINDING LUNA IDEA 1
So then I knocked this one up. I used the same model as was used for the first book in the series, for continuity (and coz she’s just right as Luna) and set about layers and filters and spicing things up a bit.
I am thinking of better fonts and I’ve asked my pricey designer to send me a link or information about the font he used on Finding Esta, so I can match them. That would be best I think. Then, I’ll have them ready for the third in the series. Hurrah! 🙂
Idea #2 is the better one for me. However, I’d suggest putting your name at the top in big bold letters. You be the brand, not Luna, she is your creation. Just a thought.
Oh thanks for you visit. I really value your input. I’ve looked everywhere for the right font and even if I found it, I couldn’t do the colours like Derek did. I’ve no idea! I have used better fonts and altered other aspected herehttp://shahwharton.com/2013/05/mega-shareathon-row80-book-cover-design-monsters.html (to go live 19/05).
Since you visited my blog I thought I’d visit yours. Your second cover looks nice but if it is a series I would definitely get the same fonts for title and author name…plus I would put the series name in the same place as the first one (on top) with a similar transparent block behind it – black or a different colour, not sure…it is a bit hard to see the covers as you posted them in a huge size. For ebook covers I always look at them in a small size mostly as really that is the most important thing – it is what will attract readers in the online stores…
I would also add the small little blurb or tagline you added in the first one – to look like a series and also I think little blurbs on covers make them look very professional.
Shah,
I agree with the other folks. The second is much more appealing. Sorry, but I did think the first cover was a sci-fi book. I’m glad you clarified the genre. Good luck with your marketing.
The second cover fits much better with the first cover, but yes, you do need to find the same font. I’m afraid I don’t know what it is. Hopefully Derek will tell you.
I don’t know how to install fonts for the Mac. With a PC it’s easy — you just click on the font file, it opens with a display of the font, and then there’s a button on the panel for installing. Good luck!
Finding Luna Idea 2 works for me. The full face touches base with book I in the series. Idea 1 loses the connection and I find myself trying to figure out if those are eyes and if they are, what are they doing.
Thanks Chris. 🙂 I liked the idea behind the first idea – it’s the fonts I disliked. But I do think the 2nd idea matches the genre and the first in the series. 🙂
Shah's Scribbles 
I agree with Prudence Idea #2 is by far the best, but get your name up there girl.
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Idea #2 is the better one for me. However, I’d suggest putting your name at the top in big bold letters. You be the brand, not Luna, she is your creation. Just a thought.
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Oh thanks for you visit. I really value your input. I’ve looked everywhere for the right font and even if I found it, I couldn’t do the colours like Derek did. I’ve no idea! I have used better fonts and altered other aspected herehttp://shahwharton.com/2013/05/mega-shareathon-row80-book-cover-design-monsters.html (to go live 19/05).
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Hi There
Since you visited my blog I thought I’d visit yours. Your second cover looks nice but if it is a series I would definitely get the same fonts for title and author name…plus I would put the series name in the same place as the first one (on top) with a similar transparent block behind it – black or a different colour, not sure…it is a bit hard to see the covers as you posted them in a huge size. For ebook covers I always look at them in a small size mostly as really that is the most important thing – it is what will attract readers in the online stores…
I would also add the small little blurb or tagline you added in the first one – to look like a series and also I think little blurbs on covers make them look very professional.
I love your colours – so soft and glowing.
All the best!
Melody
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Love the first one.
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Definitely the second.
The first one could be a for a B horror movie or something. 🙂
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Shah,
I agree with the other folks. The second is much more appealing. Sorry, but I did think the first cover was a sci-fi book. I’m glad you clarified the genre. Good luck with your marketing.
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Yep! Maybe my instinct is to sic-fi? Thanks Eric. X
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The second cover fits much better with the first cover, but yes, you do need to find the same font. I’m afraid I don’t know what it is. Hopefully Derek will tell you.
I don’t know how to install fonts for the Mac. With a PC it’s easy — you just click on the font file, it opens with a display of the font, and then there’s a button on the panel for installing. Good luck!
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Hey Ruth, thanks for that. I am really liking the second one now actually. 🙂
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Finding Luna Idea 2 works for me. The full face touches base with book I in the series. Idea 1 loses the connection and I find myself trying to figure out if those are eyes and if they are, what are they doing.
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I agree Noman. But I did want people to wonder why the eyes were peering; they’re searching! 🙂
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Finding Luna Idea 2 is the better of the two. The first one is too trashy b-movie sci-fi. The second is classier.
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Thanks Chris. 🙂 I liked the idea behind the first idea – it’s the fonts I disliked. But I do think the 2nd idea matches the genre and the first in the series. 🙂
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