12/26/09

2009 Best Cover Finalists

We have winners in each of the genre categories, which will now go head to head for the 2009 Best Cover Award!

They are (in alphabetical order):

Abish by Brenda Anderson
Publisher: Cedar Fort



Altared Plans by Rebecca Cornish Talley
Publisher: Cedar Fort



The Dragon War Relic by Berin L. Stephens
Publisher: Bonneville Books (CFI)



Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
Publisher: Ballantine Books




Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile



Murder by the Book by Betsy Brannon Green
Publisher: Covenant



Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books


Voting uidelines:
  • Pick your favorite COVER, not your favorite book or author.

  • Vote using the VIZU poll on the sidebar. You may vote for one book only.

  • You may send all your friends over to vote, but please tell them to vote for the most visually appealing cover, and not for your book because you're friends.

  • You may vote through Friday, January 2, 2010.

  • On Saturday, January 2, I'll post the winner of the Best Cover of 2009.


See poll results:

11 comments:

Mary Gray said...

Oh my goodness. Talk about a HARD decision. Thank you for doing this LDSP! 'tis fun!

Elizabeth Morgan said...

These book covers are all amazing. I though there is a definite favorite cover for me. I think the contest is awesome.

Robin said...

I'd say The Princess of the Ball is the best cover. Love the dress.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

The cover of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is amazing, it makes me want to go order the book right now. Also that's a great title. Never heard of this book before and now I want to buy it.

Jennie said...

It would be interesting to know which covers actually draw readers to pick up the books for a closer look or to buy the books. And which covers appeal to the targeted reading groups? Why does a particular cover shout boring to one person but is loved by another? Why are some covers beautiful art, but don't serve as a positive draw for the story inside? One of the most beautiful covers of 2009, in my opinion, didn't make your (long)list and it wouldn't make my list for good reading. I guess it's true we can't judge a book by its cover.

Marcia Mickelson said...

Hmm, Jennie. Now, I'm really interested in knowing which book you're referring to.

RobisonWells said...

LDSP: I love this contest! Fantastic idea!

Majority of voters: You and I have very different opinions.

Stephanie Black said...

I do find it fascinating how widely tastes in covers can differ, and what really attracts one reader is not appealing to another. I loved some of the finalists/winners. Others, not so much. One cover I really disliked ended up being very popular in the voting, so clearly the publisher's design team knew what it was doing--even though the cover didn't appeal to me, it did appeal to many potential book buyers.

Charlie Moore said...

Covers are nice, but often times they have nothing to do with the story. I rarely buy/read a book based upon the cover. That doesn't mean I automatically dismiss them, but covers usually play a very small role in my decision making. Instead, I like to read excerpts and authors I like will get my attention. Having said that, I know many readers do base their purchase largely on cover design. And even though I did not vote for any of the covers in this contest I will note here the one (finalists only) I liked the most and the least. Don't ask me to say why, because, frankly, I don't know. Best - Murder by the Book, (I'm a huge Betsy Brannon Green fan) and Least - Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (this title and cover don't mesh for me, that's all). My thoughts and opinion only.

Happy New Year

Charlie Moore

Rebecca Irvine said...

Kudos to CFI designers to having three of their covers in the finals!

Rebecca Talley said...

Thanks, LDSP, for hosting this contest. It was fun to see my cover in the running.