My new book, Beware the Spider: A Black Orchid Chronicle, is going through the final edits as I incorporate feedback from beta readers. After that, my editor takes over and goes through it with a fine-toothed comb. (Her run-through of The Mark of the Spider produced 2,000 changes, most minor, a few -oh-my-God major.)

In the meantime, Damon Freeman and the design team at Damonza.com produced three outstanding concepts for the cover. Now I’d like your feedback on the two finalists.

I nixed one concept (Concept A), not because it was bad, but because I knew I would be asking readers to vote on the cover, and I take that input seriously. Last time, showing three designs got unbelievably messy. Concept A did not make the cut. So, for this book, you can have peanut butter OR jelly, but not PB&J. Got it? Good.

Also, bear in mind the cover has to work as a thumbnail like this on Amazon, so don’t fall in love with detail that might not convey.

To give you a little background before you choose, here’s the blurb from the back of the book:

Nature photographer Sebastian Arnett holds a terrible secret: He can kill with his thoughts, a curse placed on him by an ancient spider demon that controls when he can use the power.

His attempts to break the curse take him to a confrontation with a mysterious aboriginal in the Australian outback and then to the demon’s jungle home in Borneo.

Before he can crack the code, ruthless Chinese crime lords hear of his power and go searching for him, hoping to acquire the power. Afraid to tackle Sebastian directly, they kidnap the woman he loves and set off a wild train chase that ends in a battle of demons and leaves Sebastian powerless to confront the victor.

 

In the event of a tie, input from the beta readers will determine the winner.

Concept B: Tracks

Concept C: Caboose

I’ll take votes (B/Tracks or C/Caboose) until 5 p.m. EDT Friday, March 23. That’s not long, so decide quick and shoot me a message via this Web site, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Tnx. I’ll post the results ASAP.

Damonza.com, my design firm, has delivered three great concepts for The Mark of the Spider: A Black Orchid Chronicle.

Three design treatments, three color schemes.

Which cover — because we ALL judge a book by its cover — would make you pick it up and read it? Let me know by Wednesday night, EDT, either by comment or email.

The candidates are Blue, Green, Red:

I’m having a hard time choosing so your input will count for a lot. A LOT.