Book cover for fantasy/science fiction novel

Alicia Wright Brewster

Fantasy and science fiction, young adult novel

In the end, I'll want a 300 dpi image that can print to at least 5.25inx8in (preferably a little larger in each dimension, to allow minor cropping). I'd like a sharp, high-quality image file and an editable Photoshop PSD file. I am capable of adding the author name (Alicia Wright Brewster) and book title (Echo) myself, so don't worry too much about that--unless you have a font that's integral to your design. Please include any fonts used in your delivery files. For now, I'm looking for an image to use as an ebook cover. I plan to follow-up with the chosen artist in early July about adapting the resulting image to a paperback book cover for an additional fee.

I am looking for new cover art for my book, Echo, which is a young adult fantasy/sci-fi novel. I'm including the current cover art with this design brief. I like the current cover art. I think the designer did a great job and followed my guidelines nicely, but in hindsight, I don't think the concept represents the aspects of the book that I want to emphasize. This cover is too girly, and it doesn't reflect the significant degree of action in the book. I want something to appeal to males and females.

The main character in the book is Ashara, who is a 20-year-old female. Ashara is mixed-race, African-American and Caucasion. I do not want her to look Caucasian. She should be deeply tanned or light brown-skinned, and her hair should be very curly--much like the girl in the current cover art. (But I don't think the same image of that girl will work with my new cover concept, since she's facing away from camera.) Ashara's power is the ability to manipulate energy in various forms. One of the things she does often is create an energy shield; she also attacks people with energy waves and energy balls.

Cover Idea #1: Ashara is the focus of the cover. Her eyes should be facing the camera, but her body doesn't have to completely face it. There's an energy/light shield or a ball of energy/light in front of her like she's attacking the viewer. Her face looks determined or mysterious. The landscape is grassy and hilly, and there is a red sun visible in the background. There may also be a yellow sun partly visible behind the red sun. Her clothing should not be too distinct or modern-looking, and she shouldn't look over-sexualized. Shorts or pants and a sleeveless shirt, or a casual dress. Something that doesn't stand out much. The overall feeling is dark and ominous. The red sun represents coming danger. There may also be a small army of being in the background, but if they are there, they must be on foot. No horses please.

Cover Idea #2: This second idea is inspired by this image: http://browse.deviantart.com/digita…0#/d1exqud. I imagine seeing only Ashara's leg or hip, and she's forming an energy ball in her hand. In the distance is a small army of attackers on foot (no horses please). A red sun is in the background, perhaps with a yellow sun behind it.

Feel free to go with either idea, and variations are okay. But I do need an overall dark fantasy feel.

I'm happy to answer any questions. Thanks so much for your time!

Here's a link to one of my favorite covers, just to give you an idea of what I like: http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/7992995-eona. I don't like the transparent dragon in this one, but overall, this cover blows me away.