I'd struggled to find the right images for that cover, too. In this story, the heroine goes to work undercover as a nanny for an Archaeology professor whose young niece is being threatened. I had settled for a background of a child's bedroom, but once again, I'd struggled to find a figure I liked. Encouraged by my success with Boiling Point, I decided to try again.
Now that the first two books featured outdoor background shots of the settings, I thought I'd take another look for a snowy college campus scene and found several I liked. I also found a new image of a woman with a gun wearing boots (season appropriate!) that is quite similar in pose to the figure on the cover of Unwritten Rules. Then I put a couple of my favorite settings--one with a red brick collegiate building and one with gray stone--together with the figure and showed them to OG.
Imagine my surprise when he pointed to the photo with the stone building and said, "That's Blair Arch at Princeton! I lived in that dorm one year, and that's the window of my room."
Well, that sealed my choice. Now, I not only have a cover that continues the image of the series brand perfectly, but it features OG's dorm room! (It's the second floor window to the left of her left calf.) According to him, this represents every college boy's fantasy--a giant woman in high-heeled boots and a micro skirt, carrying a gun and appearing right outside his window. LOL
Here are the three covers for the series. I finally think I've got a solid, unified look that reflects the tone. Whew! If at first...
And on another positive note, the book is actually progressing rather well.
Onward and upward!
Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com
Good job on the covers!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the final cover, Alison. So does my mom, BTW. I was thinking your child bedroom one didn't really match the others. And her skirt was too long in that one. This one is PERFECT! Too funny about OG's dorm room. It was obviously meant to be!
ReplyDeleteGreat covers! Fun to design them, isn't it. I've done that with a few of mine but let a cover artist put all my ideas together since I don't have the software.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Daryl.
ReplyDeleteJannine, I hoped you would like it. I was concerned about the first one for the exact reasons you mentioned. And I'm so glad your mom likes it, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patsy. I really enjoy designing covers, and I learn a few more techniques with the software with every new cover I do.
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Alison. I can imagine the hours that went into the fine-tuning. One thing...this woman an as tall as I am with legs as long as she has. Thanks for showboating tall women :-)
ReplyDeleteLove the new cover, Alison, and I can't wait to read the third book in the series! Where do you get your stock art? (Do you mind sharing?)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rolynn. All my cover models look tall, but I think it's mostly the very short skirts and very high heels. Even I would probably look tall if I dressed like that. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks, Leah. I use Dreamstime, iStockphoto, and Shutterstock. If I recall correctly, these images came from Shutterstock.
ReplyDeleteI love these covers. You are such an expert at branding!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandy. I'm not an expert, by any means, but I'm learning.
ReplyDeletePerfect. Absolutely perfect. Love the OG connection. Meant to be is right. I have to admit I cringed just a touch at the idea of a child's room in the background. It seemed to say to me, No, just no. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the covers, Alison. You are so talented. Can't wait to read the next book.
ReplyDeleteLove them. Nice continuity.
ReplyDeleteCool cover. I like the brand cohesiveness. The building with the Blair Arch looks like MacDonald Hall at the University of Guelph, minus the arch.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Margo. I struggled with this one. I'm so glad I persisted until I found new images to set the right tone.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane. I'm not sure when I'll finish, but I'm working on it!
ReplyDeleteBrenda, continuity is so important, and I've struggled to find it with this series. Finally, I'm satisfied.
ReplyDeleteThat's so funny, Alison. The University of Guelph is one of the photos I considered. Ultimately, though, OG's alma mater had to win out.
ReplyDeleteNice covers, Alison. Well done!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, how amazing is that? :) Very cool. I love, love, love the covers. The latest one is fabulous! So glad the series is doing well.
ReplyDelete