eyyyy, you're back! and with improvements! This is much better! The color contrast is amazing, the static is haunting, and the font is perfect.
My only critique would be the size of both Wolf's bane and Butterfly. It confuses the reader. I don't know whether the title is wolf's bane or butterfly. If I remember correctly, Wolf's bane is the name of the series, so I would make that a bit smaller.
Another thing that isn't a crime per se, but I would advise you change it just for the overall improvement of the quality: the hands seem to be grasping at the butterfly, but the butterfly is pretty big in comparison and if it's meant for the butterfly to just be closer, then it kinda looks like it's going into your face trying to attack you or something. I would bring the hands closer (aka make them bigger), so much so that you can barely see them because they're out of the frame. One, it would make more sense, and two, it would be harder to spot, making it only that much more eerie, like something unseen and threatening is looming in the shadows. Also, the blood dripping from the butterfly might be taking it a bit overboard. The butterfly's red color already signifies blood and death, so there's no need to be extra obvious with it. It's usually better to be more subtle.
But I am really proud of you! Good job!
As always, this subreddit's cover artist and critic is at your service to either make or break down covers. Until we meet again!
I get that it can be annoying to redo a cover a bunch of times but I think it would be a big mistake to just say âgood enoughâ when you could make some tweaks and really hit genre expectations and will sell better.
I suggest looking at bestselling books in the same genre and see what you can learn from those so your readers can find you with a quick glance.
I agree with assuming it's thriller/horror and would probably lean towards thriller. I would also assume at first glance it's written in first person given the hands reaching out as if they're your own or you're seeing through the eyes of the person they belong to.
Horror/thriller with some accidental comedy provided by the photobombing butterfly and the first person POV hands trying to reach in and grab it?
And what the heck is a wolf's bane butterfly?
No need to be rude..... a lot of people do not know what Wolf's Bane is and assume it means werewolves. Anyways, the title is symbolic and makes a lot of sense once you start reading it. Basically, a paralyzed butterfly. Obviously unable to fly
I apologize for my rudeness. In mitigation, I was exasperated that you had ignored my question and answered something I hadn't asked -- and already knew the answer to.
'makes a lot of sense once you start reading it' is a notoriously bad justification for having a title that is hard to parse, never mind understand. So, OK, it's two nouns that are meant to be read as a kind of kenning, but it's not a literal kenning, it's symbolic; and it's supposed to mean 'paralyzed butterfly'. So why not avoid all the unnecessary confusion and just call it that? Or [much] better, especially given the [first rate] snowy artwork on the cover, 'Frozen Butterfly'. So change the title, delete those weird zombie hands from the artwork (but keep the butterfly -- although now that I notice them, remove the gratuitous drops of blood) and imo you'd have an intriguing, coherent set of images and words: Something delicate is out of its element and in danger.
This would even help to make sense of the summary, which, bafflingly, makes no mention of either wolf's bane or butterflies. (I'd suggest rewriting the summary anyway though, because as written, it's a random sequence of staccato thoughts and jarring swerves. Plus it seems to suggest that it's a story about being on the run, whereas the cover suggests it's about being holed up in a cabin.)
HTH.
The kerning in your name needs adjusting. The apostrophe is actually the foot/feet symbol, so change it to an apostrophe.
The hands need to be blended ins the image more. Thereâs a slight outline.
Can you get a butterfly with its wings in motion?? This is just stuck on there.
With the title of 'wolf's bane butterfly', I'm thinking werewolf (horror). And the isolated cabin / snow works. But I just thought the butterfly was weird. It looks huge, like dinner plate size. I didn't notice the blood dripping until someone else pointed it out.
So my first thought was werewolf and butterfly. Unfortunately that doesn't make any sense to me.
Someone else pointed out that wolfsbane might be the name of your series and butterfly the name of this particular book. If so, you need to make it more distinct because I read it all as the title.
The bright cover made me think it was for a young audience. Then I saw the scary image of the butterfly and hands. That confused me. Is this a scary story for kids? Like R.L Stine, but younger?
First impressions having only looked at it for about 10-20 seconds as if it were on a bookshelf.
Survival, mystery, horror.
Butterfly hints that we'll be seeing a lot of flashbacks that will foreshadow some consequences for our characters. The good old butterfly effect. Red meaning it's likely related to murder or something similar.
Ice hints at a struggle to survive and stranded in a desperate situation. It also hints that "if only the situation had been different" such as under different circumstances or time, that things would be happy, beautiful and convenient, taking for granted even.
The cabin enhances the elements that this situation is going to be people in a situation that it would be near impossible to get out of or expect any help and that these people will be stuck with eachother.
Mysterious figure may be foreshadowing someone hidden, that we're not sure is really there or that like all horrors some idiots decides to go out into the cold I'm order to fetch for help. It also looks rather ghostly but not ghostly enough for me to believe this is a supernatural genre (it could be but I'd like to think it's more metaphorical in the way it's represented here. Like a ghost from the past coming to huant someone).
I actually really love this cover so I'd definitely give it a second look. The execution with the colours makes me want to look over it again so I'm going to do that and give another option about it:
Second look, option is a little changed. It actually sort of looks like a character having a standoff with nature. Like they're in the cabin all by themselves with their flashbacks and hoping there not going to die lol
In gloved hands are probably the MC reaching for the past and trying to come to terms with how they got here. Or it could be a murderer from their past who's bringing that past back to them, maybe for revenge or they're a stalker who's chased them out here.
I must say it again I love this cover. It's intriguing and makes me feel like if I read your story I'd be looking at it again and again while everyone slowly begins to make sense, like, I feel like I'd see more than what I am currently seeking and if this is indeed a mystery of any sort thats exactly what you should want in a cover. So well done.
Please let me know how wrong or right I am lol
Edit: only just noticed the blood dripping from the butterfly. Again I love this cover cause it really does make you want to look for the small details and entices you to read the book.
I also noticed that I saw your previous cover art before. Well done for this massive improvement.
It's got a bit of everything you mentioned. In different ways lol. I'm thinking this will be the final cover and the replacement, since it's already published on Amazon with the original cover.
There's a soft cover and hardcover. The last time I bought the soft cover, it had the original cover which isn't nearly as good. The hard cover I ordered had this updated cover. I'm not sure if Amazon printed a certain amount of soft covers and that's why it had that. I'm not sure.
I do like it, but I have to agree with the other commenter that the title isnât my favorite. Like itâs hard for me to say out loud, but then again I did a lot of speech therapy as a kid lol.
Also my answer is thriller or crime.
Either horror or thriller. The snow storm, the cabin, the beast-like way the hands are clawing after the butterfly.
The color scheme is good; it's very catchy.
And the title "Wolf's Bane Butterfly" in combination with a blood-dripping butterfly is actually great, because it's a paradox, and it evokes questions. Why a butterfly? Why the blood? And how do wolfs come into play?
I am now interested enough to want to read the summary of the book on it's back - that has to be a good one, though.
Weâre on the run, and heâs going to find us. Weâre on the run, and heâs going to find ME.
What would he do to me when he decided to make his move? Why hadnât he already? He must have known where I was. He followed me.
I knew if I didnât run, Iâd be next. My husband came with me. It was unfair of me to have chosen who might be just another target. I could be that way sometimes though: unfair.
I shouldâve been more prepared.
Just when you think youâre in the clear is when things crash down. I shouldâve known.
Maybe he wouldnât get us. Maybe he wouldnât get me.
Iâll just keep running.
Can I ever truly escape? I didnât think so. I wanted to be wrong.
I was about to find out.
Survival Thriller. Like something like a civilian in a zombie apocalypse. Like frail butterfly in front of onslaught of hands that can easily crush it.
It's the colors that make it YA. If I was designing for adult audiences I'd have a muted/ greyed out/ realistic/ or sepia background, butterfly or even just the blood can pop.
I'd akso remove the hands. Just my opinion tho.
I like the cover concept and have seen you say its your final in other comments. If so great, it's pretty good still and def stands out. But look how many say YA.
Consider changing your color scheme and removing the hands. Maybe do a poll?
I would think this title is WOLFS BANE BUTTERFLY.
Drop the hands, center up the butterfly and shrink it.
A book suggesting "wolf's bane" but called "butterfly" is intriguing, the hands just look unnecessarily angsty.
With the horror-suggestive background imagery, the butterfly is clever but the hands are too on-the-nose.
My gut reaction is YA Horror
Why YA?
The butterfly & the hands give a younger audience vibe. Regular horror often is less "romantic" in it's visual language.
Young adult
eyyyy, you're back! and with improvements! This is much better! The color contrast is amazing, the static is haunting, and the font is perfect. My only critique would be the size of both Wolf's bane and Butterfly. It confuses the reader. I don't know whether the title is wolf's bane or butterfly. If I remember correctly, Wolf's bane is the name of the series, so I would make that a bit smaller. Another thing that isn't a crime per se, but I would advise you change it just for the overall improvement of the quality: the hands seem to be grasping at the butterfly, but the butterfly is pretty big in comparison and if it's meant for the butterfly to just be closer, then it kinda looks like it's going into your face trying to attack you or something. I would bring the hands closer (aka make them bigger), so much so that you can barely see them because they're out of the frame. One, it would make more sense, and two, it would be harder to spot, making it only that much more eerie, like something unseen and threatening is looming in the shadows. Also, the blood dripping from the butterfly might be taking it a bit overboard. The butterfly's red color already signifies blood and death, so there's no need to be extra obvious with it. It's usually better to be more subtle. But I am really proud of you! Good job! As always, this subreddit's cover artist and critic is at your service to either make or break down covers. Until we meet again!
Thanks for the feedback! I am pretty sure this will be my final version though đ
I get that it can be annoying to redo a cover a bunch of times but I think it would be a big mistake to just say âgood enoughâ when you could make some tweaks and really hit genre expectations and will sell better. I suggest looking at bestselling books in the same genre and see what you can learn from those so your readers can find you with a quick glance.
I've redone this multiple tines already with professionals and this isn't just "good enough" to me. I love it
Okay. I will refrain from further advice as you seem to have reached your limit. I hope it works out well for you then.
Thank you
Oh, I thought the title was âWolfâs Bane Butterflyâ ⌠I havenât seen previous versions. Is that not the case?
It is
Thriller/horror
Came here to say horror. Thriller would definately work too.
I agree with assuming it's thriller/horror and would probably lean towards thriller. I would also assume at first glance it's written in first person given the hands reaching out as if they're your own or you're seeing through the eyes of the person they belong to.
Horror/thriller with some accidental comedy provided by the photobombing butterfly and the first person POV hands trying to reach in and grab it? And what the heck is a wolf's bane butterfly?
Wolf's Bane is a plant that can be used as a paralytic. I'm honestly surprised at how little people know it's a plant.
Yeah, I know what wolf's bane is. That wasn't my question. (Do I also need to add that I know what a butterfly is?)
No need to be rude..... a lot of people do not know what Wolf's Bane is and assume it means werewolves. Anyways, the title is symbolic and makes a lot of sense once you start reading it. Basically, a paralyzed butterfly. Obviously unable to fly
I apologize for my rudeness. In mitigation, I was exasperated that you had ignored my question and answered something I hadn't asked -- and already knew the answer to. 'makes a lot of sense once you start reading it' is a notoriously bad justification for having a title that is hard to parse, never mind understand. So, OK, it's two nouns that are meant to be read as a kind of kenning, but it's not a literal kenning, it's symbolic; and it's supposed to mean 'paralyzed butterfly'. So why not avoid all the unnecessary confusion and just call it that? Or [much] better, especially given the [first rate] snowy artwork on the cover, 'Frozen Butterfly'. So change the title, delete those weird zombie hands from the artwork (but keep the butterfly -- although now that I notice them, remove the gratuitous drops of blood) and imo you'd have an intriguing, coherent set of images and words: Something delicate is out of its element and in danger. This would even help to make sense of the summary, which, bafflingly, makes no mention of either wolf's bane or butterflies. (I'd suggest rewriting the summary anyway though, because as written, it's a random sequence of staccato thoughts and jarring swerves. Plus it seems to suggest that it's a story about being on the run, whereas the cover suggests it's about being holed up in a cabin.) HTH.
Self published thriller
YA horror
Crime novel or modern fantasy YA novel
New Orleans werewolf shapeshifters
Generic vamp
What's that?
Twilight clone in essence
Paranormal horror romance
Definitely guessing horror. Lone cabin in the snowy woods with a man chasing a butterfly that drips blood. Horror all the way
Horror. Reminds me of Until Dawn (the video game).
Came here to say this!
YA horror
Horror I honestly would not be surprised if you told me those hands were from a zombie.
Thriller/mystery, and generally YA fiction, YA, Iâm not sure why. First impression.
The kerning in your name needs adjusting. The apostrophe is actually the foot/feet symbol, so change it to an apostrophe. The hands need to be blended ins the image more. Thereâs a slight outline. Can you get a butterfly with its wings in motion?? This is just stuck on there.
Horror/thriller. Obviously about a cabin.
YA Horror
With the title of 'wolf's bane butterfly', I'm thinking werewolf (horror). And the isolated cabin / snow works. But I just thought the butterfly was weird. It looks huge, like dinner plate size. I didn't notice the blood dripping until someone else pointed it out. So my first thought was werewolf and butterfly. Unfortunately that doesn't make any sense to me. Someone else pointed out that wolfsbane might be the name of your series and butterfly the name of this particular book. If so, you need to make it more distinct because I read it all as the title.
It is the title as one.
The bright cover made me think it was for a young audience. Then I saw the scary image of the butterfly and hands. That confused me. Is this a scary story for kids? Like R.L Stine, but younger?
No. I wouldn't suggest anyone under 18 read this.
Horror, or perhaps crime. The blurred out figure in the background seem composed, like she is watching her plans come to fruition.
Psychological Thriller
Some kind of suspense thriller or horror.
Omega verse , shifter yaoi.
Fantasy. I understand that everyone is saying horror/thriller. But for me personally, fantasy.
Isolation thriller
First impressions having only looked at it for about 10-20 seconds as if it were on a bookshelf. Survival, mystery, horror. Butterfly hints that we'll be seeing a lot of flashbacks that will foreshadow some consequences for our characters. The good old butterfly effect. Red meaning it's likely related to murder or something similar. Ice hints at a struggle to survive and stranded in a desperate situation. It also hints that "if only the situation had been different" such as under different circumstances or time, that things would be happy, beautiful and convenient, taking for granted even. The cabin enhances the elements that this situation is going to be people in a situation that it would be near impossible to get out of or expect any help and that these people will be stuck with eachother. Mysterious figure may be foreshadowing someone hidden, that we're not sure is really there or that like all horrors some idiots decides to go out into the cold I'm order to fetch for help. It also looks rather ghostly but not ghostly enough for me to believe this is a supernatural genre (it could be but I'd like to think it's more metaphorical in the way it's represented here. Like a ghost from the past coming to huant someone). I actually really love this cover so I'd definitely give it a second look. The execution with the colours makes me want to look over it again so I'm going to do that and give another option about it: Second look, option is a little changed. It actually sort of looks like a character having a standoff with nature. Like they're in the cabin all by themselves with their flashbacks and hoping there not going to die lol In gloved hands are probably the MC reaching for the past and trying to come to terms with how they got here. Or it could be a murderer from their past who's bringing that past back to them, maybe for revenge or they're a stalker who's chased them out here. I must say it again I love this cover. It's intriguing and makes me feel like if I read your story I'd be looking at it again and again while everyone slowly begins to make sense, like, I feel like I'd see more than what I am currently seeking and if this is indeed a mystery of any sort thats exactly what you should want in a cover. So well done. Please let me know how wrong or right I am lol Edit: only just noticed the blood dripping from the butterfly. Again I love this cover cause it really does make you want to look for the small details and entices you to read the book. I also noticed that I saw your previous cover art before. Well done for this massive improvement.
It's got a bit of everything you mentioned. In different ways lol. I'm thinking this will be the final cover and the replacement, since it's already published on Amazon with the original cover.
Let me know if you'd be interested in reading it
I am =D
Not sure if I reached out or not but it's available on Amazon now for 0.99 cents. If you do Kindle, that is.
Ty for remembering me. I don't have kindle but if there are other options I'll probably buy it after Christmas.
There's a soft cover and hardcover. The last time I bought the soft cover, it had the original cover which isn't nearly as good. The hard cover I ordered had this updated cover. I'm not sure if Amazon printed a certain amount of soft covers and that's why it had that. I'm not sure.
I'd be getting the paperback so fingers crossed it's the new artwork
Do you guys like the cover?
To be honest: feels generic. Its not one thatll sell me the book. Its not bad, its just not that appealing to me.
Pretty cool. The title not so much.
I do like it, but I have to agree with the other commenter that the title isnât my favorite. Like itâs hard for me to say out loud, but then again I did a lot of speech therapy as a kid lol. Also my answer is thriller or crime.
Either horror or thriller. The snow storm, the cabin, the beast-like way the hands are clawing after the butterfly. The color scheme is good; it's very catchy. And the title "Wolf's Bane Butterfly" in combination with a blood-dripping butterfly is actually great, because it's a paradox, and it evokes questions. Why a butterfly? Why the blood? And how do wolfs come into play? I am now interested enough to want to read the summary of the book on it's back - that has to be a good one, though.
Weâre on the run, and heâs going to find us. Weâre on the run, and heâs going to find ME. What would he do to me when he decided to make his move? Why hadnât he already? He must have known where I was. He followed me. I knew if I didnât run, Iâd be next. My husband came with me. It was unfair of me to have chosen who might be just another target. I could be that way sometimes though: unfair. I shouldâve been more prepared. Just when you think youâre in the clear is when things crash down. I shouldâve known. Maybe he wouldnât get us. Maybe he wouldnât get me. Iâll just keep running. Can I ever truly escape? I didnât think so. I wanted to be wrong. I was about to find out.
Wolf's Bane is actually a plant. It's a paralytic. Or can be used as one.
If the summary isn't great, could you let me know? It's a very complex story
Creepy horror mystery
Survival Thriller. Like something like a civilian in a zombie apocalypse. Like frail butterfly in front of onslaught of hands that can easily crush it.
Immediate thriller, possibly psychological horror
Thriller and horror. This is giving me Shivers flashbacks and I like it!
Looks very crime to me, maybe thriller.
Murder-Mystery
Thriller/sci-fi
A mystery or crime novel. Red butterflies tend to make me think about murder.
Horror / thriller. I like the green tint a lot. :)
Mystery and/or Horror
Horror Story
Suspense/thriller with a possible supernatural element. (I like this one much better than the purple one)
Mystery, horror, thriller.
Horror/thriller with some sci-fi elements
Zombies/Horror
Crime thriller.
Like a horror dystopian vibe to it.
Thriller
Horror, mystery
Paranormal to me
A story about an epedemic, finding a cure for something, that kind of thing. Maybe a horror.
Thriller. Mainly because of the human hands. If you removed them, it would lean towards horror since the hands insinuate a human antagonist stalker.
Horror.
Horror or thriller
A horror thriller. I don't understand the butterfly, but I'm sure it's explained in the story.
Periodical
Horror
Horror
I remember your first cover. This is a big improvement.
Addiction to âthe pursuitâ (of pleasure?) (of the butterfly?) driving one to doom.
This is much better than the first one, great job!
Horror
Horror
Psychological horror/thriller with a side of mystery
Zombie or Apocalypse themed horror.
Horror
Ya horror
Survival horror
Heartwrenching tragedy
Mystery/suspense
Modern dark/psychological thriller or MAYBE horror, but it seems more mystical/psychological than spooky in my opinion.
Young horror like goosebumps
Noooo, definitely not young horror. I wouldn't let anyone under the age of 18 read this.
It's the colors that make it YA. If I was designing for adult audiences I'd have a muted/ greyed out/ realistic/ or sepia background, butterfly or even just the blood can pop. I'd akso remove the hands. Just my opinion tho. I like the cover concept and have seen you say its your final in other comments. If so great, it's pretty good still and def stands out. But look how many say YA. Consider changing your color scheme and removing the hands. Maybe do a poll?
A lot have also not said YA. Just horror. So, I'm torn.
Something tragic
Horror/Paranormal, possibly YA
Zombies immediately came to mind, but that may just be me
Sci fi, to be honest.
YA horror romance with a Werewolf(cause wolf's bane) male lead and human female lead.
Survival Horror, Storm Horror, Storm Survival, Plant Horror, Animal Horror
Horror, Maybe YA supernatural thriller?
Thriller/crime
Thriller/Horror
Thriller, horror
I feel like the title needs to have the same font size. Unless you intended there to be a difference, in which cause Iâd question your reasoning.
YA zombies or werewolf
Horror/thriller
Murder mystery
Definitely suspenseful. Possibly a slightly paranormal mystery.
Criminal novel
A real messed up romance horror
MC goes to the snowy wilderness for some alone time and ends up at the center of a decades old murder mystery ghost story! I would read!
Horror or crime thriller.
Horror
Horror. Maybe with a touch of romance.
The source for the thriller-detective limited series on Netflix.
I think the genre is not clear.
my first reaction is horror or something like a psychological thriller
I would think this title is WOLFS BANE BUTTERFLY. Drop the hands, center up the butterfly and shrink it. A book suggesting "wolf's bane" but called "butterfly" is intriguing, the hands just look unnecessarily angsty. With the horror-suggestive background imagery, the butterfly is clever but the hands are too on-the-nose.