Author Appleton

Writing. Fantasy. Sci-fi. Mystery

book cover

Backstage Pass! New cover revealed for “Neverqueen”

by 11 Comments

After the negative feedback I received on the original cover for Neverqueen, it was time to start from scratch. Give Neverqueen a look as classy and other-worldly as the covers for The Sword of the Dragon series. Ready for the full reveal?

Thanks to all of you who voted on the 99Designs poll to help me choose the final design. Your feedback was critical in helping me make the final decision. The next step is to get this version into print. For the time-being the other edition will be set as out-of-print until the new files can be uploaded to the distribution channels. In the meantime, I am planning the artwork for Neverqueen 2. It is my hope that this sequel will be ready for release in time for Christmas.

Question: Which of my upcoming releases are you most excited about? The Sword of the Dragon-book 4-In Search of Dragons, or Neverqueen 2: The Suffering Chalice?

 

 

Backstage Pass! Does “Neverqueen” need a new cover?

by 17 Comments

Last week I signed books at a homeschool conference in Ohio. It was my first opportunity to sell print copies of Neverqueen, my newest release. One thing I noticed: people did not “fall in love” with that book when they looked at the cover… And that is the first time that has happened for me with ANY of my books.

It turns out that many people just don’t love the cover (my wife and my mother among them). Some people at the conference even thought it looked creepy and evil! Obviously this is not the mood of the story and not the impression I want to leave with prospective buyers. This is an epic fantasy tale with a bit of a mystery, too.

For that reason (and so that it will tie in better with the style of The Sword of the Dragon covers) I am seriously considering commissioning a new piece of art to completely change the look and feel of this work. I love the story and I know readers will, too, but we need a cover people want to set on their book shelves.

I do not want to be one of those authors who cannot take criticism and learn from it, even change things to improve them. This cover is one alteration that I think is needed.

Question: Do you love the Neverqueen cover? Does it draw you in? How does it compare to the other covers in The Sword of the Dragon series?