I’m reading stories for the scary anthology, and let me tell you, some of them are GREAT.
So I was wondering what should the cover artwork look like?
Send me some ideas.
If you have images, copy the link and post it.
I was strolling through a free image website and saw a few things that grabbed my eye, but I’m open – and these aren’t necessarily the right line of thinking anyway.
Whether you plan to contribute or not, give me your ideas.
This kinda says scary to me.
This has a nice, eerie feel to it – but I don’t think any of the stories involve a castle. Jenny’s ghost ship thing might, though. Canada is kinda castley, isn’t it? At Epcot it is…
That’s eye-catching.
Too Halloween-ish? And maybe too not-book-cover-ish?
I’m not even sure why this is in here. Maybe I downloaded it for something else.
This might have potential. It’s interesting, and gives that I’m scared vibe.
I like the graveyard thing and the stature holding two victims; that’s pretty original – but I think no bare boobs. It’s not right for this collection. I wouldn’t even have posted it but it’s a cool thought, to have a statue doing that. I wonder why she’s topless, though. Like, I have to hurry and murder these people and there’s no time to pull my top up!
Anyway, send me
some written ideas of what might make a good cover, or
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45 thoughts on “Scary Anthology – what should the cover look like?”
the woman with the red lipstick is very eye catching but says a different sort of genre to me. lol.
I did like the castle. Creepy.
I like the naked woman with the victims in the graveyard.
The eye ball one made me think of National Geographic.
I do like the first one. It does give a ghostly feel. I think that the lady can disappear altogether or have a more scary appearance. The eye-stare-on-the-lookout-thing also gives me goosebumps.
The last one is just so hilarious and your comment too. Made me smile a bit. 🙂
The first one nails it for me … the others kind of give a feel of trying too hard … I’d go for subtle more than in your face … that goes for boobs too! Maybe something atmospheric, dusk closing in, trees and absolute, a shadow figure, out of place, not so much location, more of time or mind, an expression of confusion, intent, a presence you’d in some way ask in … and live or maybe not to regret …
My thought is that it should reference one of the stories. The ghost ship or the graveyard would reference mine should you decide to use it. But for now only you know what the content is going to consist of.
As a general observation, something with lots of cobwebs (or is that too cliche?). Or bats flitting about in the dusk around an old building (back to castles again!)
I like the first picture, Dan. I can’t send you pictures that are suitable for this purpose [I don’t think a gingerbread haunted mansion with fondant ghosts will cut it for you] but you have given me a good idea to write a Sir Choc story for Halloween.
Stone angels make me think of Dr Who’s weeping angels. I like the ‘castley’ one with the full moon, but it looks more like a church to me. I also like the eyball one – I like that it could refer to any scary story. But maybe two scared eyes or a different one? One that could be anyone ot at least any female/male?
These are just suggestions but that one seems to be getting a lot of positive comments. Nothing’s decided yet, though. I think it just draws attention, but isn’t that the goal? And I can imagine the title next to it, which implies this title causes your eyes to get big.
Oops! I was going to say, I live in Florida and occasionally we go to the beach where a lot of very very senior people are. And I’ve seen an occasional bare chest that was scary all right! Like from The Shining scary.
The stone angel dragging victims is awesome but screams horror (har) and feels wrong for what I’ve read you’re trying for. The eyeball is cool but is more speculative fiction. No, please, on the pumpkin one. None of these grab me. Don’t mean to be so negative… Do you have a title yet?
I think we are leaning towards something like “the box under the bed” – vague but in the right context could be eerie/scary. I have also asked one of our amazing fellow authors to pen a short story that is called the box under the bed so that the title would actually relate.
The ghost ship idea is interesting…
I guess she thought so.
Firstly, bare boobs are always suitable. I like the close-up eyeball one. It gives the idea of scary without being too Halloween-y.
Yeah that one’s interesting.
the woman with the red lipstick is very eye catching but says a different sort of genre to me. lol.
I did like the castle. Creepy.
I like the naked woman with the victims in the graveyard.
The eye ball one made me think of National Geographic.
The castle has potential. It’s kinda classically spooky.
I do like the first one. It does give a ghostly feel. I think that the lady can disappear altogether or have a more scary appearance. The eye-stare-on-the-lookout-thing also gives me goosebumps.
The last one is just so hilarious and your comment too. Made me smile a bit. 🙂
Well… if it gives you goosebumps do you buy it or say no, you know?
It would be a yes for me Dan. 🙂
Awesome. I like the feedback that one’s getting.
The first one nails it for me … the others kind of give a feel of trying too hard … I’d go for subtle more than in your face … that goes for boobs too! Maybe something atmospheric, dusk closing in, trees and absolute, a shadow figure, out of place, not so much location, more of time or mind, an expression of confusion, intent, a presence you’d in some way ask in … and live or maybe not to regret …
That’s a great way to say that. They look like they’re trying too hard. Not all of them, but a few. Great observation!
My thought is that it should reference one of the stories. The ghost ship or the graveyard would reference mine should you decide to use it. But for now only you know what the content is going to consist of.
As a general observation, something with lots of cobwebs (or is that too cliche?). Or bats flitting about in the dusk around an old building (back to castles again!)
I don’t know. There’s a borderline between cliché and what people expect a cover to look like that has a bunch of scary stories in it.
But I like your idea of naming it after one of the stories, like mine…
I like the first picture, Dan. I can’t send you pictures that are suitable for this purpose [I don’t think a gingerbread haunted mansion with fondant ghosts will cut it for you] but you have given me a good idea to write a Sir Choc story for Halloween.
Sweet!
(Get it? Sweet?)
Absolutely, I do get it [smile]
I’m always intrigued by stone angels.
Yeah. Something about them.
Stone angels make me think of Dr Who’s weeping angels. I like the ‘castley’ one with the full moon, but it looks more like a church to me. I also like the eyball one – I like that it could refer to any scary story. But maybe two scared eyes or a different one? One that could be anyone ot at least any female/male?
I think the one with the big eyeball is good because you can refer to any story but it could also be: this is you if you read these.
My favourite so far is the eyeball one. Contempreary and eyecatching, argh, no pun intended.
These are just suggestions but that one seems to be getting a lot of positive comments. Nothing’s decided yet, though. I think it just draws attention, but isn’t that the goal? And I can imagine the title next to it, which implies this title causes your eyes to get big.
I like the second image with the full moon.
My wife likes that one. It’s not too bad!
It’s a bit more generic which may fit the variety.
Yeah
I like the castle one and the bare chested one has potential!
Bare chest, huh?
That can be scary I suppose! Lol…
Uh… well, I live in glor
Oops! I was going to say, I live in Florida and occasionally we go to the beach where a lot of very very senior people are. And I’ve seen an occasional bare chest that was scary all right! Like from The Shining scary.
Yes I can imagine! I think I’m going to erase that thought right now!
Ha!
Definitely the eyeball for me – modern, in no way a cliché, covers all genres and looks scary as hell…
I think I’m leaning that way
The stone angel dragging victims is awesome but screams horror (har) and feels wrong for what I’ve read you’re trying for. The eyeball is cool but is more speculative fiction. No, please, on the pumpkin one. None of these grab me. Don’t mean to be so negative… Do you have a title yet?
Ugh. Just saw the pingback up there about the title. 🙄
???
And???
I think we are leaning towards something like “the box under the bed” – vague but in the right context could be eerie/scary. I have also asked one of our amazing fellow authors to pen a short story that is called the box under the bed so that the title would actually relate.
Like that title but that was going to be my question. I’m glad someone is writing that. Good call. 🙂 Seems like this is coming along nicely!
I’m gonna announce some of the contributing authors this week and probably announce each additional one as I approve their story. It oughta be fun!