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Old 04-04-2017, 09:07 AM   #6
gmw
cacoethes scribendi
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They're back! Or so it seems, I didn't see what they looked like first time around, so I'm just assuming the images now showing are the same.

I don't hate them. I don't think they're horrible. For the right sort of story I think they might even be good covers, but perhaps they a little too bloody for a "Suspense thriller". I'm also not sure how they might go in full size, perhaps that would be too much.

Of the two I prefer the second, with it's yellowing of the background lighting, as if we're in a cheap motel with old incandescent lights (don't you just love it when the critics have directly opposing views ). Given the nature of the covers as they are, I would consider changing the title background into a sort of sunrise gradient (not too extreme, but some). The face screaming through the title text is almost lost in these smaller images, this might be a good thing.

But given the two other reactions you've had so far, changing to something that produces less violent reactions might be a good idea. Even just removing (or greatly reducing) the blood on the pillow behind the head would help - it is very stark and there are practical considerations (see below). The blood on the shoulders and arm seem a little strange in the small image, it's hard to work out how these came to be there.

From a purely practical perspective the blood would appear to be from a murder that has just happened: it's still bright red and has not yet pooled or soaked back around the front of the face. Also, for the spatter to be out behind the head like that I would expect a small hole in the front somewhere - assuming a gunshot because the body does not look to be disturbed enough to have been beaten, and the head wound seems unlikely for a knife. ... Just sayin'.


For a suspense thriller you might consider the same image but with only subtle indications of violence. A single dribble of blood; the aforementioned sunset gradient behind the title. I would be inclined to remove the screaming face and just have it as a rising sun ... maybe.

I also pulled up your other covers - this one, as it is, is going to stand out quite starkly from the others. Perhaps that's what you want? If not, then you need to consider starting over.
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