Hope Book Cover Feedback

As children we were taught to never judge a book by its cover. Yet when a reader goes online, or into a bookstore in search of their next read, the first thing they look for is a cover that draws their eye and speaks to them on an emotional level. For nearly everything we buy, from our cell phones to our automobiles, appearance is one of the top five considerations that factors heavily into the buying decision. Beyond ensuring your cover does not look like an amateur's first attempt we have very little control over how the public will perceive our work. We can look at what's currently in the genre for our upcoming release and see what's selling well. But that is no guarantee as readers taste are subjective, and there is no magic formula out there to tell us what will sell, and what won't.

With that in mind I come before you today to ask a favor. I have a release coming soon and in addition to working on the editing I've also been putting together the cover. I'm looking for some solid, honest, feedback.

Original cover

What do you honestly think of this cover?

Give me your thoughts in the comments below and after Hope is released I will happily provide you with a free copy in the electronic format of your choice. Shoot me an email after you have commented to rschiver@gmail.com and when Hope is released later this year I'll send you a copy absolutely free, no strings attached.

Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to your feedback.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, I also posted this cover on Facebook and Goodreads, the feedback from all sources has been great, thahk you everyone.

I've updated the cover, what do you think?

Updated 8-10-2015

The latest version updated 8-11-2015

The latest version, updated 8-12-2015

Version 11, updated 8-13-2015

Change of direction here to better illustrate the story. Don't worry hte hope cover will still be used.

The finished cover. Thanks everyone for your honest feedback. It helped tremendously.

Judging a book by its cover.

I've recently read a few articles about bad book covers and quite honestly, as a self-published writer, it got me to wondering about my own work and how it is perceived. For everything I have out there now I designed the cover. Two short stories, a novella, and a novel. But I've never heard any comments about the cover. Nor have I asked about it.

So now I am. I'm asking for your honest opinion. Be as brutal as you want. I can handle it. Hell I sold Kirby's door to door for two years, and made a living at it. So don't worry about hurting my feelings. I ask only one thing. A reason for your dislike, if that's how you feel about a particular cover.

Reviews, both professional and amateur,  help me gauge my ability as a writer. But honestly I've never asked how anyone felt about my covers.

First my novel's cover, Shadows of the Past,  the old and the newest one. 

 

OLD

 

NEW

What do you think?

Now for the cover of my novella, Enter Night

Now the covers for my two shorts.

Opinions please. As an added bonus everyone who responds will receive a free digital copy of my current work in progress, Reprisal: Vengeance knows no boundaries. When it is completed this spring. I will contact you through my bog.

Thanks for stopping by.