We are back at it again with another book cover contest. This time it is for Escaping Light Aurora, the second book in Isaac Hunter’s Aurora Series. We are down to the last three finalists, and, surprise, surprise, the same two artists that have done all our previous work are dominating the field.
Let me show you what we are having to pick from….
– From the Current Contest –
!! THE FIELD !!
This was and is my favorite of the contest. Not sure why, but it really draws me in and sets the expectation that they are now in a fight for their lives. It is gritty, and the effect at the bottom of the ground opening up is quite stark and visual. This was done by the same artist that did most of our covers thus far at 99 Designs. He did Our Daughter and the Meadow books. What can I say, I just like it…..
This one was an early favorite of mine and has gone through many iterations to get to this point. I like the shadows at the bottom of the cover that resemble cracks in ice or shadows on ice. It is darker here than the other iterations. The mountains also match the first cover pretty well. It also shows the people in the aurora standing outside the diner as if they are getting ready to leave, adults, kids, etc. The final has a darker green tone to it.
This cover was done by the artist that did our Swallowing Saki book. It has also gone through several iterations, but I like what we’ve ended up with. The only request we still have out is the letters in the title need to be tightened up so it flows better with the first cover. My wife is leaning toward this one to win, but I’m leaning toward the first one.
Here is the cover for the first book, Seeking Light Aurora. Unfortunately, we could not use the artist that did this cover, but that led us to 99Designs, which we absolutely love! What we are going for ultimately is the second and third covers to flow well with this first cover, and we want the first to be blue, the second green, and the third yellow, so when they sit on the shelf they are the colors of the aurora.
What do you think? Which one do you like the best? Post your opinion in the comments below so you can help us pick.
!! Post below in the comments if you like these covers !!
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Excerpt from Our Daughter:
“Okay, mom,” Randy said.
“You behave yourself and be nice. You’re lucky to have company while you wait for the doctors.”
The woman turned and started back the way she came.
“The nurse said it would be twenty or thirty more minutes, so we’ll eat quick and be back up here before they take you in, okay?”
“Okay, mom.”
“Sorry for him,” the woman said to Katie as she walked by.
“He’s funny.”
Katie grinned.
As the woman left, Katie noticed the boy moving around again on the bed. Before she realized what was happening, the tiny lump disappeared and she could hear the faint sound of bare hands and feet on the tile floor.
He was low crawling under the beds toward her.
A moment later, Randy popped his head out from under the nearest hospital bed, craning his neck around to look up at her.
“Hello, there,” Katie said.
Randy disappeared back under the bed, the bed sheet draping down almost to the floor. Katie could still see three little fingers pressed to the tile.
“What are you here for?” Katie asked, readjusting her seat in the chair, trying to get the ache in her chest to lessen.
For whatever reason, the wheelchair was really uncomfortable.
“Why are – “
Randy’s voice trailed off for a moment as he looked around.
“Why are you here?”
“I’m getting my leg fixed,” Katie said. “See?”
Randy poked his head back out from under the bed and looked at the leg she was pointing to.
“What’s wrong with it?”
“The doctor said it’s broken,” Katie said. “Shattered.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. Ouch.”
“Can you feel it?” Randy asked, able to stay out from his hiding place.
“I can feel it, but it’s not too bad,” Katie said, then tapped the IV in her arm. “This thing is giving me medicine of some kind for the pain. At least that’s what the nurses said.”
“Why are you – “
Randy stopped mid-sentence.
He scooted out from under the bed entirely and slowly crept over to er on all fours.
“What are you, some kind of spider?” Katie asked, giggling a little.
“What are you?” Randy echoed.
He was now only about a foot away from her chair and sat there, his legs folded up under him, gawking up at her.
“What are you staring at me for?”
“I’ve never – “
Randy put out a hesitant hand and ever so gently touched her arm.
“Are you some kind of ghost?”
He looked around again.
“Are you – ”
He leaned in, talking in a whisper.
“Are you dead?”
A nurse came around the corner and stopped abruptly, spotting the empty bed in the far corner where Randy should have been.
“Randy Andrews,” the nurse said, her hands now on her hips. “You get right back into the bed and you stop playing around, please. They are ready for you in surgery.”
Katie watched as Randy scrambled on all fours under the beds and back up onto his, pulling the sheet back over top of himself again.
She started to ask him about his question, but couldn’t get the words out before his parents appeared at the door.
Katie sat there quietly, watching Randy stare back at her from under his sheet. She glanced over at his parents and the nurse, noticed Randy’s dad had no hair on the top of his head.
Are you dead?
What kind of question was that?
The snap of the wheel locks being disengaged on Randy’s hospital bed jarred Katie out of the confusion she was in.
The doctor she’d first seen was now at the door, waiting for Randy.
He was his surgeon.
They wheeled Randy out of the room, his parents following right behind, disappearing to the left, heading for his operating room.
The pre-op room was empty again.
Dead.
Are you dead?
What kind of crazy question was that?
The nurse came back through the double doors.
“It won’t be long now,” she said.
“Okay.”
Katie tried not to think about the dull ache growing just behind her sternum.
The nurse disappeared around the corner as Katie watched the double doors to the operating rooms slowly shut.
Buy my book Our Daughter and begin the adventure of a lifetime, as you uncover the mysteries behind Katie Cadora’s new life after the horrible accident that stole her mother away from her. Will she find sure footing again? Will the pain ever stop? Will she discover the secrets her new foster family are keeping from her? Is the boy’s question right? Is Katie Cadora actually dead?
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What do you think?