Covers have always been a huge draw for me, especially when I was buying paper books. The cover is designed to tell you about the book, but one thing I've found is that it tells you a lot about how confident the editor/publisher is in the book. When I see a Michael Whelan cover, for example, I know that the publisher is sparing no expense to promote that author. A Whelan cover doesn't guarantee a good book, but I know he is picky enough and expensive enough that it makes me want to read it. Other artists apply here to a lesser degree - Whelan is by far my favorite cover artist.
