Book Cover Showdown

Six contestants. Only one will win.

Sorry, I went a bit Reality TV there for a moment. Even though this isn’t the debut of a godawful new program, it is a super exciting time for me (and for you, I hope). After nearly throwing the manuscript in the trash, my latest book is finally coming together. Despite many trials and tribulations, I’m at the point where publication is in sight and that means letting beta readers loose on my tome, formatting for print and electronic formats, and designing the book cover.

That final one is where you come in.

Last week, I tackled the kajillion royalty-free photos on the internet, searched for the few dozen that fit my book’s story and theme, manipulated them like mad, and squeezed them behind some title text.

The result? Six book cover mock ups. Yeah, that’s twice as many as I intended, but I kept coming up with new ideas and playing with the typeface and tweaking colors, and well, now I need your help picking one out.

Ready to Vote?

If you’re ready to put your two cents in, here’s what I need you to keep in mind as you look at the images below…

• My story is fantasy fiction, set in a future where the Greek gods have returned to play their little games. The main story line in this third book in the series is a re-imagining of the myth of Theseus battling the minotaur in the labyrinth (aka “The Maze,” the book’s title).
• I’ve made these small because i want you to see them as they would look if you were browsing Amazon (or whatever online book retailer you prefer). You can (I think) enlarge them by clicking on the image.
• Some of these are a different style than the first two books, but I am thinking of redesigning those covers, so don’t fret over that.
• These are only mock ups, not final versions. Changes can be made quite easily. The lower typeface with my name needs adjusting on most of them. Try not to focus on that too much.
• Do focus on the cover image and the title text. Don’t over-examine. Make a snap judgement of which cover grabs your eye the most readily.
• Pick your favorite in the survey box below. If you’re up to it, you can also leave a comment explaining your choice or what you do and don’t like about what you see.

Ready to play? Here are the potential covers in no particular order.

(Note: This poll is now closed)

Thanks everyone! I appreciate all your help with this!!!

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