[Bronwyn Kienapple]

Hi guys! I'm launching my first series in April -- a historical/fantasy crossover romance. Think Regency era heroine gets lost and ends up in an alternative world.

James at Goonwrite.com designed my covers and on first glance I love them. But I wanted your input because I'm not sure on:

[list type=decimal]
[*]the font
[*]the flower motif
[*]the graphics the title sits in (too cheesy?)
[*]whether you can easily determine that the genre is historical[/list]

Any suggestions about any element of the cover would be so appreciated. I want my first series to have plenty of firepower behind it!

​

 

[Lydniz]

I'm not an expert on the font stuff but it definitely says historical to me.

 

[ShayneRutherford]

Hi Bronwyn. Your cover definitely says historical, but I don't really get romance from it, and I don't get the fantasy element at all. Sorry.

 

[Stephanie Marks]

Historical? Yes! Fantasy and romance? Not so much to me hun sorry.

 

[meh]

TOS.

 

[69959]

I'm with the others. Historical, yes. Romance or fantasy? No. As a romance reader, I don't feel the urge to click on the covers. I also don't like the title font, but that could just be me. Have you looked at the covers in the top 100 on Amazon to see what they're doing?

 

[JessA]

Yeah,  I'm not getting romance from it either.  I'm not a big fan of the font although I do like the little graphic the title sits in

 

[Bronwyn Kienapple]

I'm with the others. Historical, yes. Romance or fantasy? No. As a romance reader, I don't feel the urge to click on the covers. I also don't like the title font, but that could just be me. Have you looked at the covers in the top 100 on Amazon to see what they're doing?

Hey Stacy, thanks so much for your feedback. I'm no so sure I'm keen on the font either. What would make you click on a romance cover? A hot guy? A beautiful image of a couple? Vibrant colors?

I guess for me it would be a beautiful image that clearly conveys the genre.

 

[Bronwyn Kienapple]

This looks more like general historical women's fiction. I don't get the alternate world aspect at all from these covers. You'll need a lot more fantasy elements to bring that part in. What kind of an alternate world is it?

Hi Judy, thanks for your feedback! It's a world that's in the process of changing from a sort of magical, mystical forest to a fully industrialized society. It's suggested that this is part of a natural process in this alternative universe -- change from one society/environment to another.

SO mist might be a good element to include because the fog is used in the book to indicate the impending change. And maybe put a darker filter on the image?

 

[Dormouse]

Historical? Yes. Romance? Kinda. I would expect to see something like that on a Georgette Heyer book or so. Fantasy? No. Not at all.

I wouldn't be tempted to click. And I read both Fantasy and Fantasy Romance.

 

[Bronwyn Kienapple]

TREES. Get some trees. Nice lush fir trees.

Haha okay. The Fallen cover by Lauren Kate really inspires me so maybe I will try to get similar background elements. And a similar font!

 

[meh]

TOS.

 

[69959]

Hey Stacy, thanks so much for your feedback. I'm no so sure I'm keen on the font either. What would make you click on a romance cover? A hot guy? A beautiful image of a couple? Vibrant colors?

I guess for me it would be a beautiful image that clearly conveys the genre.

I don't think a hot guy is necessary for romance. Look at the covers in my signature from Deception to Hidden Intentions, those are all paranormal romance. (Not historical.) Most of the covers have just a girl, but fantasy and romance are still conveyed. (Though, the fantasy element not as much in HI.)

These are some covers that are more in the direction you want to go:

I pin covers that I love. Feel free to have a look through my board: https://www.pinterest.com/growwithstacy/cover-obsession/

 

[Bronwyn Kienapple]

I don't think a hot guy is necessary for romance. Look at the covers in my signature from Deception to Hidden Intentions, those are all paranormal romance. (Not historical.) Most of the covers have just a girl, but fantasy and romance are still conveyed. (Though, the fantasy element not as much in HI.)

These are some covers that are more in the direction you want to go:

I pin covers that I love. Feel free to have a look through my board: https://www.pinterest.com/growwithstacy/cover-obsession/

Thanks Stacy! You rock. I love Pinterest and will definitely follow you. And the cover examples you included do have the feel I'm trying to go for in terms of the fantasy side.

 

[Z. Rider]

Hi Judy, thanks for your feedback! It's a world that's in the process of changing from a sort of magical, mystical forest to a fully industrialized society. It's suggested that this is part of a natural process in this alternative universe -- change from one society/environment to another.

What if across the three covers you showed that change--as though the background for the three covers was one long image, so if you laid them side by side, you'd see the foggy/misty change from trees to industrialized city? (This would make book 1 all trees, book 2 part trees bleeding into part industrial (probably with a dark fog around the transition), and book 3 all industrial. I don't know if that works with the books themselves; I just thought it would be neat if the background of the three covers made one big landscape.)

 

[Bronwyn Kienapple]

What if across the three covers you showed that change--as though the background for the three covers was one long image, so if you laid them side by side, you'd see the foggy/misty change from trees to industrialized city? (This would make book 1 all trees, book 2 part trees bleeding into part industrial (probably in a dark fog), and book 3 all industrial. I don't know if that works with the books themselves; I just thought it would be neat if the background of the three covers made one big landscape.)

That's a really creative idea! Thanks, I'm going to chew on it. Also, love your covers! So atmospheric. Who does them for you?

 

[Z. Rider]

That's a really creative idea! Thanks, I'm going to chew on it. Also, love your covers! So atmospheric. Who does them for you?

The infinitely patient and talented team at damonza.com.