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and Commentary |
Alternate Reality. The genre that includes stories about vampires, ghosts, angels, demons, shape-shifters, and so on. Stories that can take place in contemporary times, or alternate universes. They may even make the hero or heroine travel through time for one reason or another... The imagination is the limit!!
Below are the top ten covers that made it through Cover Cafe's voting process and you can see how they placed in the online contest. The top three covers were in a class by themselves and they were also very close in the number of votes they received; only nine votes separated them! Covers four through six were also only separated by only a couple of votes.
The close vote totals show how important your votes are in the contest. Every single vote makes a difference! Thank you all for taking the time to vote, and for leaving comments! :-)
Now, don't forget to nominate 2010 covers for next year's contest! :-).
The 2009 Cover Cafe Contest Alternate Reality winner is Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder! This beautiful and amazingly blue cover showing the hands of a woman holding a dazzling starfish won the hearts of this year's voters. They weren't hesitant to compliment the cover, using words like beautiful, gorgeous, evocative, and magical with abandon.
Jenn B. said: “Maria V. Snyder just keeps getting the best covers, and I just keep voting for them! I love the colors, and I especially love the way the title looks wavy, like it was seen through old glass. The P.C. Cast cover was good, too (I like blue), but I've read the book, and the cover doesn't seem to have anything to do with it.”
Mira |
Selinda thought it was original and unique, and that “Sea Glass stands out. It automatically makes me want to read the book, to find out what is with the 'sea glass'.
Where did it come from? What does it do? Why is it important?... A book I would definitely at least read the back of!”
Cover Cafe's Katherine admitted that she usually likes covers with people, but that Sea Glass really caught her eye: “The blue starfish is a beautiful piece of sea glass. It's simple but intriguing.” Many voters commented on how the cover really fit the story. Jessica G. was one and said: “The heroine is a glass blower and makes interesting shapes/figures with the medium and traps light inside them that only other magicians can see.” Stuart liked the symbology involved in the cover, and mentioned that it really went with the story. Cover Cafe's Leanne said she: “loved the way the artist combined the title with events in the book”. Eleanor: “I love that it doesn't immediately scream 'Sci-Fi'. It's intriguing and mysterious without looking freaky like so many of this genre often do. I especially love how the text looks as if it's actually shimmering.” Lisa B.: “Gorgeous use of a monochromatic color scheme, without being just a wash of blue. I like the composition of the photo itself, as well as the use of the glowing effect for both the starfish and the title. It makes me want to pick up the book, because it's intriguing and a little mysterious.” Melissa P.: “The focus is specific and draws your eye right away, and the object of the focus is really beautiful.” Alethea A.: ”The mystical look of the star-shaped glowing glass is so pertinent to the contents of the book--and that little spatter of sand on Opal's hand reminds us that Snyder's heroines are not afraid of hard work!” Susan/DC: “the monochromatic color scheme (except for the hands) and simplicity of design makes it more powerful than some of the more complicated covers where there's a bit too much going on.” Laura thought it was a tough choice: “so many of these are quite lovely. The contrast between the storm clouds and the heroine's red hair on Candle in the Storm, the arresting strangeness of Ghostland, the intriguingly different look of the heroine of Darkborn--but my heart belongs to the mystical glowy blues of Sea Glass!” |
The second place winner was Ghostland by Jory Strong, only five votes behind Sea Glass. Other-worldly, atmospheric, and evocative were comments used for this cover.
Cover Cafe's Jeanette voted for this cover and her reason was “because the cover fits the title of the book. It's a bit spooky and makes you wonder what the story is about. Nice colors also. But it was very difficult because the others are also great!”
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Chez: “This one I nearly bought just on the cover alone. I don't even like ghostie stories, but that cover works.”
Sarah: “I don't usually read alternate realities / paranormals and this cover makes me want to check out this book.” Ell A. said: “I don't think this is the 'prettiest' cover. It is, however, the one I would pick up at the bookstore. I am trying to think of why, but all I come up with is that it looks like a book I would like...” Islandelf: “I like the ambiguities of the cover. The blonde heroine in a dark dress. The flying leaves, the moon. The fact that the center of the imagine is light but the edges are darker. The title, Ghostland, hints as something unseen vs the bridge, real and solid. It all gives a lot of atmosphere and makes me wonder what the story is about.” Manda loved: “the ethereal quality of the lighting and the bridge in the background, coupled with the script.” Deirdre S.: “I like the colors, also very literary novelish looking. The title looks like it is in the middle of a whirlwind.” Anna: “I love the composition and the sense of motion. There's an otherworldly feel to it without being too blatant, and the colours are gorgeous together. The whole thing is evocative and absolutely the sort of thing where I'd pick up the book and buy it just because I fell in love with the cover art.” Sandy: “For one the cover model isn't dominating the page with a pretty close up face shot but you do notice her. She adds to the cover without taking it over, I love the dark sinister expression that goes perfectly with the colour scheme and background image.” Cover Cafe's Mary Lynne reasoned about the covers and about finally voting for Ghostland : “I love the use of color and a central image for Sea Glass and Divine by Choice; the expressions on the faces of the women on the covers of Candle in the Storm, Darkborn, and The Treasure Keeper would make me pick up those books to find out more; and Haunting Beauty juxtaposes some really interesting elements. But there is something about the combinations of the eerie bridge, the blowing leaves, and (especially) the somewhat disturbing expression of the woman on the cover of Ghostland that just made this most arresting of a very good bunch.” |
Berkley |
Luna |
Devine by Choice by P.C. Cast was our third place winner. Laurie loved the rich color and layout and thought it very striking and dramatic.
Cora: “I love the arrangement and the contrast between the woman's pale skin, the dark background and the bright blue flowers.” Several voters liked the cover's simplicity.Cathy S. said: “it draws your attention when so many covers are so busy with colors and textures.” Heather C.: “The simplicity, beauty, and shadows (or contrast, I guess) are great for this book cover.” Raelene G. had eye for detail: “love the flowers and the incorporated Celtic knotwork.” Heather B. also noticed the symbol: “I love the mystery of the partial face in profile along with the blues and blacks. Plus the interwoven symbol gives it the alternate reality feel that it needs - you know there's a mystery to be solved here.” Nikki: “I like that the eyes cannot be seen and the flowers look mysterious. The other covers indicate too much of a character, I want to picture the novel's hero myself . I like this best because it does not picture a person too much.” Paige W.: “Because the cover is beautifully designed and intriguing. A partial face still allows you to use your imagination on the characters. But it shows you the books intentions. The flower is a gorgeous colour that makes you feel calm which is how most people wish to feel when reading.” Fran G.:”The black background and intense blue of the flowers sets the tone for me and is just simply beautiful” Diane C.: “It draws the eye. I would pick it up to read the back just by how the cover looks. The color choice is perfect!” Pat H: “The contrast between the pale cheek and the luscious blues is breathtaking! I want to read the book because of this cover.” |
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In fourth place was The Treasure Keeper by Shana Abé.
Lizbeth loved the dreamy quality, the color and the moon. “The woman looks beautiful and strong and yet vulnerable.” Delle thought there were “some beauties in this category, but this is the one I'd buy without knowing one more thing about either author or story.” The Treasure Keeper was very popular among Cover Cafe's members! Linnae said: “It's beautiful and I love how she gently caresses her necklace.” Christiane: “Is the treasure between her fingers or is She the treasure? Love this cover” Lee: “I like the colors, and the woman seems deep in thought. Very pretty cover.” Cindy: “The colors and look of the cover give it a very romantic look.” Mary Alice: “I kept coming back to this cover. The woman just has an other-worldly quality to her appearance; maybe it's the way the moonlight is playing on her skin or the sparkles sprinkled about her hair and skin that gives that quality to her.” Tina S: “love the colors and scroll work in the bottom corners.” Susan L: “It just pops out to you..the woman is awesome and shows such a lovely sight. I see dream, peace and relaxation in her face.” Elaina: “I love the "glowy" stars around the woman, and I love that they showed her entire face instead of cutting her off at the nose like a lot of covers.” Suzanna voted for this cover but was not impressed with the AR covers in this year's contest: “I'm really not enjoying the covers in this, usually my favourite category, this year--they all look like amateur photoshop jobs! This one looks professional while also satisfying my deep needs for sparkles, squiggles, jewellery, and gorgeous long hair.” Jann M. was disappointed in the slate of 2009 AR covers but settled on The Treasure Keeper: “None of the covers really blew me away this year. It's a bit disappointing... For me, The Treasure Keeper is a near-perfect balance of color, placement of everything, and a sense of what's in the book. her holding the necklace sort of tells a story of its own. I would definitely want to check this book out a lot closer.” Eleanor J. liked it, however: “I think that this is a beautiful cover and it fits the story. I love the dreamy look on the cover model's face and the gold and deep blue color scheme. I read this book on my ereader, but I almost bought the book too just because I liked the cover so well.” |
Bantam Books |
Onyx |
Burning Alive by Shannon K. Butcher finished in fifth place. The hot guy on this cover caught many readers attention.
Heather: “I love a man on the cover! Muscles, sweat, tattoos...what's not to love?” Patterson: “Shiny sword, sexy man... what's not to like?!” B.E.S.: “It stands out from all the others - not just here, but at the bookstore.” Jocelyn: “I love how you see part of the tree and the sword is essential to the plot (as they are warriors). Also, the guy is hot.” Elizabeth B.: “It was a tough choice between this and Sea Glass, but I realized this was the one that actually made me want to pick up the book and see what it was about. What are the dark marks on the hunky hero's shoulders? What's the story with the flaming sword? It was just intriguing and exciting.” Kelly C.: “Unlike the other nominees, there is obvious intensity being portrayed. The flexing muscles and lack of eye contact moves this from a fanciful portrait-type image to one that says something is about to happen and I need to know what! The strong contrast and powerful colors assures me there is going to be more substance and depth to this book than the more fanciful covers...This is a Powerful and Dynamic Cover!” Diane said: “If I am going to read a romance ... I want to be thinking of the man on the cover not someone who most probably doesn't look anything like me ...” Shelley M.: “Gorgeous guy with a sword--hints of dangerous things to come yet he seems capable of keeping danger away.” Meg: “That gorgeous guy's hunky shoulders does wonders for my imagination! What more do you need. Oh and I love the theme of the tree of life that shows up over the arms (w/out leaves, meaning this guy needs help), and the sparkly, shiny, sword in a realistic leather sheath. Like I said, welcome to my house anytime buddy.” |
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In sixth place was Darkborn by Alison Sinclair. Elizabeth thought it eye-catching and atmospheric, Laura D. loved the gloves,
and Maria D. loved the contrast of the colors.
Several readers were impressed by the colors. Michelle W.: “The gorgeous purples of the colour scheme won out for this cover, purples and dark blues. It's not too 'busy', a major drawback for so many covers these days, that have writing stuck all over the image. Very evocative of it being both a romance and fantasy.” Anita S.: “I like the deep purples in the forefront and the bright full moon in the background. And there's something beautiful and mysterious about the girl; the dark hair, the porcelain skin; almost a Gothic feel. I like the style of the dress with the gloves.” Mascha: “It's dark and haunting, and the coloring is really well done.” Yuri voted for Darkborn “because it is just hauntingly beautiful: I want to know why she is so sad or afraid and where she is going. I really like that she is looking directly out of the page.” Lynn said: “I just love the colors on this one, and the heroine's expression really caught my eye.” Maggie B. admitted that she “read the book just for this cover. Utterly gorgeous.” Lynne: “It's distinctive and different. And I love the colours!” Kerry A.: I bought this book solely because of the cover. The colors are so richly saturated, I almost expect it to feel like velvet.” Maria said: “One of my favorite covers this year. I was very glad to see that it was nominated! The woman is so elegant, with her dress matching the dark of the night and her skin the light of the moon. Simply beautiful.”
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Roc |
Berkley Trade |
In seventh place was Haunting Beauty by Erin Quinn. Cover Cafe's Karen W. chose this cover and said: “the more I see this cover,
the more I like it. It's mysterious and beautiful - I can't quite figure it out and maybe that's why I keep looking back at it. It makes me wonder,
what's this book about? My second choice was Sea Glass, which is lovely, but not as unique as this one.”
Erin said: “it has a beautiful, ethereal quality that I love.” Kathryne's reason for voting: “The color! The detail & evocative beauty of the artwork.” Paul C.: “It evokes the haunting quality of dreams, and of the power of the sensual depths within us all.” Mary Anne: “The unconventional composition, color palette, and technique all work together to form a most memorable cover. I can almost feel the ambiance of mystery and magic. I bet this cover sold a lot of copies of Erin's novel!” Jennifer: “It is gorgeous and no pun intended, haunting. Unique designs in the background. Beautiful cover.” Rebecca W.: “The Diamond Necklace , the shells, and the hint of the ocean make a great cover for a great read.” Beth W. confessed: “I don't read alternate reality books as a general rule, but this cover is striking and would make me look twice at the book.” Liz M.: “This one kept drawing me back to look at it. The colors are lovely, and everything about it says 'otherworldly'. I also really liked the cover for Darkborn - the woman's face and dress really drew me to this cover.” Camille: “Fantastic composition that is lovely to look at. I would say that some may think that there is too much going on but it's beautifully put together. The two tone blue and purple hue allows all the images to come together incorporating a forest AND the ocean without looking cluttered. It's a serene and sensual cover with a great font selection too!” |
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Candle in the Storm by Morgan Howell finished in eighth place with its lone woman, winding path and mysterious castle in the distance.
Eloise chose this cover: “The path is leading the reader into whatever story is taking place in the castle, which is shrouded with mystery." JackiAnne: “I love the look of the castle in the background, hidden in the mist, with that long, winding path leading to it. I want to go down that path and see what's inside that castle!” Danielle M.: “I love how foreboding the castle is in the background. The mist and the bird flying overhead only add to the spooky factor and that's what I'm looking for when I pick up an alternate reality romance.” Cover Cafe's Tina: “The castle! I love castles, and the clouds and the bird around and over it really add to the feel of the cover. The heroine looks natural and not out of place. Overall, a great cover.” Elyse: “I find this cover intriguing. I want to follow the path and find out what happens. The castle is ominous yet beautiful. The heroine is sexy without being sleazy.” Susan: “I am a sucker for those old-fashioned Gothic books from the 60s and 70s. This cover reminds me of them.” Rosario: “I wasn't wowed by any of these covers, really. I'm voting for this one just because the woman has normal, real-woman arms, not sticks.” Janet P.: “I love the uniqueness of the woman in that she is not the classically thin and beautiful waif. Her hair is mussed up too. Bonus points for that.” Anna B. admitted: “My eye keeps going back to Candle in the Storm - the bright, warm font contrasting nicely with the dark, cloudy tones of the rest of the cover, the juxtaposition of the female figure and the castle, with the shot of white from dress (nice added bit of tattered detail there) and clouds draws me in.” |
Del Rey |
Pocket Books |
Berkley Sensation |
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In ninth place was A Highlander of Her Own by Melissa Mayhue. Fairy tale and magic came to mind when looking at this cover.
Sara loved the cover's dreamy, fairy tale feel.
Sue loves all the covers in this series. “It's like the magic of the story leaks out through the cover!” Caroline: “I simply like the old-fashioned fairy tale feel of this cover - magical without being overdone.” Laura V.: “It combines beautiful colors with elements from the story without making it look fake. It makes me want to read the book!” Carrie liked that there were no people on the cover, and said that she is “a sucker for sparkle effects and moonscape.” Scottish plaids came to mind, of course. Livia: “Love Scottish covers that show any kind of plaid!” Nathalie: “It's beautifully put together, every time you look at it, you see something you haven't seen before. Plus, I love everything with plaids.” Danelle: “The cover lets you know its fantasy, there looks to be a castle in the background, and I love the tartan in the upper corner. It makes you want to read the book and gives a nice hint about the story, Plus, it's not a suggestive cover, and you one would not have to cover up if you were reading it in public!” Lisa Marie summarized: “The cover clearly advertises the book within: the sprinkle of what looks like stardust says paranormal, the bit of tartan says this is going to have a Highlander, and I think the colors are very pretty. I liked several of the covers, but this one just really spoke to me.” |
Bengal's Heart by Lora Leigh finished in tenth place. As with Burning Alive, it was the hunky guy on the cover who caught voters attention.
Bec was one: “There is a sexy guy on the front :-)” Nai: “It's the only cover with a hot man on it. Mrooooow! Can I Haz?” Louise: “The eyes of the man and the tiger.” Joan voted for this cover and said: “it's the only one that I would pick up at a book store to read the back cover.” Joanne: “The color just was a Pow! on the store book shelf.” Danielle said: “Two hunks on the cover! No really, who would really lay down with a bengal?” Nana wondered: “What died and got glued to the head of the hero? A Tribble?” Sharon's reason: “This cover really gives the impression of an alternative reality story.” For Donna it was a simple choice: “He's just such a pretty kitty.” |
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