Insecure Writer's Support Group for August 2013

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

No matter how much we like it or not, books are going to be judged by their covers. It's difficult finding that perfect cover for your book too. I know I've spent almost as much time on the 13th Floor covers as I did writing. It's that important. The cover represents the story.

I've been struggling for a while now searching for and designing a cover for the 13th Floor collection. I adore my covers for the individual novellas, and they have been well received, but I want the collection cover to be different. I also want to promote it in print, so it has to be front, spine, and back. No easy task.

I started a design that would include all the tenants, using the covers from the novellas. Yet it wasn't original. It didn't give the readers anything new. Plus, the barcode would've covered Xan's chest, and I didn't want to disappoint his fans with that! If only I could convince the tenants to stand together for a group photo in the hallway of the 13th floor. I need a camera to take pictures from inside my head.

I have a new concept I'm trying now. It's different from the clean portraits with the black backgrounds. Will readers like it? Does it represent the entire series? Does it say dark urban fantasy and paranormal romance? Is it too boring? Too subtle? I don't know! I've lost writing time and sleep to this.

I know all I can do is create the best cover I can and put it out there. I'm getting panicky even as I'm just typing this!

Do you judge a book by its cover?