The Voyager On Line site ran a comp a couple of weeks ago for an advance copy of The Chaos Crystal.

I think entrants had to explain who would be left standing at the end of the series in 25 words or less.

The winner, Sarah, blew everyone else out of the water.

Behold the winning entry...

For the record, however, the groovy crystal on the cover is neither the Chaos Crystal nor a part of the ice palace. I don't actually know what it's meant to be.

See... this is what happens when artists assume things from titles and a couple of key paragrahs, rather than read the whole text to get a feel for the world. With cover artists, this is the rule, rather than the exception, believe it or not and I actually get why this happens (I mean, if you're designing a box for cat food, you don't actually have to eat it to represent the contents correctly...hehehe). I only get irked when people email me, telling me off (and yes, they do) for the cover misrepresenting the story.

So, of course, I point them to the unicorn, the leather bikini and the pole dancer...  LOL

"With cover artists, this is the rule, rather than the exception,..."

I guess I must be the exception then! I wouldn't want to illustrate a cover where I didn't have a really good idea of where the author was coming from. I think there can definitely be a compromise between the image the author is trying to get across with their words and what the publishing house marketing gurus see as 'what will sell'. Because, honestly, I think that the marketing dept's idea of what will sell is sometimes way off the mark!

To my knowledge, of all the covers I've had on my books around the world(and at last counts it was 40 or more) only 2 of the artists actually read the books.

I won a copy too! So excited and have been hiding the book from my husband so he can't read it when I'm not around and beat me to the ending. He he

Wow. Impressive entry!!! And clever too.

I am about halfway through - exciting!! I picked Cayal to survive too, cause it'd be ironic, hilarious and frustrating all at once.

Was there a super secret rule about Cayal responses O.o (I picked Cayal as well for similar reasons)
Btw I missed the courier (yesterday) so I've got to wait till Wednesday...

I just finsihed book three and im still trying to work out the front cover of that one!! Anyway, i think declan will be the immortal left, something will happen to the other immortals (coz lets face it they have been around long enough), declan will use the crystal to make arkady immortal she will be pregnant and the whole process will start over...cruel world!!

Hmmm Kez...

Interesting idea.

But, well... nope, that's not what happens.

Yay for 'the Chaos Crystal' being out! *zips mouth shut to not giving anything away* Just for the record, I'd like to note that the artist (and entrant) whose awesome picture was posted, was Hope rather than Sarah ;)

*hordes the copy her little sister won*

nah, it was a thought but i didnt really think so. you wouldnt make it that easy. you would make it way more interesting and unpredictable which is why your books are great :)