Or play on the architecture idea, something about "building" a relationship - puns are always fun and romantic, right?!? Or with the vision idea... they can't see danger clearly until they can truly see each other? Open their eyes to danger and their hearts to each other? (I know, corny, corny, corny. But someone can take my ideas and make them BETTER!) OR, depending on the plot, obviously--she's always seen him as a rival; now, she sees him as a hero! or... Oh, it's obvious! Buildings are erected, right? So that's a clear connection! His erection grows as the buildings are erected... classy!!!
OK, here's the thumbnail: For the tagline, maybe more like . . . "When you'd sacrifice the world for love . . . and maybe heaven, too" Don't really like the qualifier, but it has to be there to be honest. Never mind. Keep working at it.
I wonder if your name should be bigger for the thumbnail... but probably not? There's generally a readable-font label next to thumbnail covers, and that label would have your name...
Maybe something about tearing down what they've built, or something? Still some architecture connection...
"Together they could rebuild the world from the foundation up--- but at what cost?" I thought about something involving the phrase "a whole new world," but there's an earworm of a song from some Disney movie that uses that line and I ain't touchin' it.
I have been looking at this that you have as a tagline, and it seems a bit too strong. Some how building design doesn't go hand in hand with the intensity of a 'save the world' kinda vibe to it. Yeah, I have beem trying to figure out how to come up with something that doesn't make it sound over the top melodramatic, but it is difficult. "Together they could rebuild the world...Can they rebuild their desire?" IDK. It is quite the challenge to come up with something. It is just hard to make architects in a lovers depression sound epic in a tagline, without sounding too over the top. There simply isn't much to work with, when it is not of something more exciting than people who draft and design buildings. How about as an option, leaving off the tagline. I am not always sure they are up to the gimmicky nature that they are boasted from. Sometimes they make things seem over hyped in the story. Kinda like when you watch a movie trailer that looks amazing, but then go and see the movie and it is unable to live up to its trailer. Just a thought. Bayview is way better at this than I am, and maybe she could say one way or another. Besides in a thumbnail you can't even see the tagline anyway, it looks at best like a line on the cover, but you can't read it.
Here's my blurb: Since childhood Sandy Beichten has set her sights on practicing architecture to the glory of God. Now, as right-hand woman to brilliant young architect Eric Baumann, she’s in the perfect position to live out that call. If only she hadn’t fallen in love with him too. For Eric, handsome, dedicated, and kind, would be her image of the ideal husband— if he weren’t dead-set against Christianity and against marriage itself. Eric’s focus is on capital-A Architecture alone, and Sandy fears he’d make a deal with the devil if it would fulfill his visions and dreams. He proves her wrong when he turns down what appears to be the commission of a lifetime. But the sinister would-be client refuses to take no for an answer, and before he is done, he will force Sandy and Eric to make a Faustian choice that will pit what they love most on earth against their lives, their humanity, and their very souls. The point of the cover tagline was to shed light on the title. But maybe I should cut to the chase and use the line I had intended to head up the blurb: For what would you be willing to sell your soul? For what are you willing to die? Though that's a bit long.
"Every temple has its price" (??) Doesn't explain anything about the plot, though, but it's hard to come up with something thats both catchy and illustrative of complex book-plotty ideas.
Gah. I hate that term. Yes, the FMC is a Christian, and that presents her with problems and challenges she wouldn't have if she weren't. But it's my purpose to tell a good story, not to overwhelm the reader with a lot of spiritual gas. I'm thinking mentioning selling one's soul would be adequate. And the blurb will let any potential reader know what's on offer.
But... is it an inspirational romance? Because that's a specific market. If it's what you've written, whether you like the term or not, you need to find readers of that genre. If it's NOT what you've written, you need to make some changes so you don't turn off people who don't read in that genre. By leaving everyone questioning, you're going to really harm your sales and marketing!
I edited my post as you were writing this. But no, it's not an "inspirational romance"according to the strictures of that category. There are too many things in it that would offend that audience and piss them off.
Selling your soul could be in an Urban Fantasy/Paranormal way, rather than a Christian Fiction way...
Aha. I wonder if you can make it clear in the blurb somewhere... if I read this blurb when browsing, I would assume it was inspirational and so wouldn't buy. That could be done just by switching the blurb's POV from hers to his, and presenting her Christianity as the problem rather than his non-Christianity. But I know that's not what you've been asking and unsolicited advice is annoying, so I'll shut up now.
Wow, really? Talk about co-opting. Never mind. The idea of selling one's soul to gain what one desires is a major theme and it's staying there. That said, if the city image with the cranes is confusing, how about this? I think the image I have already has more dynamism and depth. Sure, I could do the stereotypical City at Night shot, but it would have nothing whatever to do with the story.
OK. I like this. It doesn't matter that the new bottom image is a little grainy and out of focus. Actually, I think it's good that it's a little grainy and out of focus. I may just say this is it.
I feel like there are a few too many negatives in the revised tagline... I'm honestly not sure what it means.
Indeed - i don't like the way its formatted on two lines either... plus its a plot spoiler in terms of knowing hes going to say no to it "the commission of a life time , or too high a price to pay ?"
This one is perfectly clear. Sky-scrapers, I get it. It's my favourite so far, tag line included. I don't like the changes to this one, especially the bottom image. Looks just a boring office, sorry.
The yellow band looks fine to me. I'll add my voice to the others saying they're not sure about the tagline, but since I imagine most people will be looking at this book in an Amazon listing where there's a blurb next to the cover image, I'm not convinced it matters that much.
I agree. And I really hate yellow!!! But your combination of colours is good enough that I wasn't bothered by the fact that I hate yellow, so that means something. It's the bottom image that's not quite good. I'm wondering, since you really are taking this all so seriously and have invested so much money already (I've been following your posts), why don't you invest just a little bit more and hand it over to a professional? I didn't use to think that covers were that important, but @Tenderiser did change my mind about it with this question: do you really want to die by that sword? (Many apologies if it wasn't Tenderiser, but I believe that it was.) I've given it a long thought since, and I really wouldn't want to die by that sword. Of all swords. The cover is the first impression the reader is going to have from the book. Why leave it up to amateurs like ourselves? I would hand it over to a professional if it were financially possible. If not, please disregard what I've just said. I'm only saying it because I know how much you've invested on it already. Don't get me wrong, though. Your cover is decent enough! But I'm sure a professional would do better. That's why they are professionals, after all.
