Help Me Choose When All Balls Drop Cover

My inspiration memoir, When All Balls Drop, will be coming out later this year. It will touch on the many lessons I learned from a traumatic accident in 2009. Through my recovery, I relied on many people (aka my clan) to help me through my physical, emotional, and mental turmoil. Just like then, I would like to ask my clan to assist in a difficult, yet important decision for me, choosing the cover. Would you help me choose the cover?

In order to better select, here is the summary of When All Balls Drop:

When All Balls Drop is an inspirational memoir following the author’s journey from being a thirty-something, married, globetrotting professional who seemingly had it all to her life-changing accident in New York’s Hudson River Valley. Instantly, her hectic juggling act of a successful career, marriage, and life stopped. Through losing all that mattered: her health, love, and career, she gained clarity and redefined having it all. When All Balls Drop sheds light on how to look up in spite of pain, deceit, and loss in easy-to-read, sassy vignettes.

In the comments below, please leave your favorite version's number (1, 2, 3, 4), why, as well as any suggestions for making it better.

When All Balls Drop Cover Option 1

When All Balls Drop Cover Option 1

 

 

When All Balls Drop Cover Option 2

When All Balls Drop Cover Option 2

When All Balls Drop Cover Option 3

When All Balls Drop Cover Option 3

When All Balls Drop Cover Option 4

When All Balls Drop Cover Option 4

I look forward to receiving your recommendations.

Here's to looking up!

27 Responses

  1. Vernon Klingbeil
    I like option one the most then option three
    • Heidi Siefkas
      Thanks Vernon!
  2. Heidi, they are all great! Two and three are my favorites, with three having the edge.
    • Heidi Siefkas
      Great! I'm debating between those as well. I like the clear, powerful design of 2. However, I think 3 is more tied in with nature and a large part of the story. What about the color of the balls?
  3. I like the white background without any leaves or trees. Seems more powerful to me.
    • Heidi Siefkas
      Darcie- Mahalo!
  4. Leslye Graulich
    Three probably has more significance to you and your story but four is more eye catching for sales IMHO
  5. Dona
    I like them all. And I was going to leave it at that, however, reading the other comments, they all have valid arguments for their favorite. I like the fall colors, but I thought the accident happened in the winter...my bad...so, I decided on Number 1, with perhaps black balls. With Number 4 a close runner up, with a more "fall like" tree.
    • Heidi Siefkas
      Thanks! I like the tree element in both 1 and 3. I think 3 leaves more to the imagination.
  6. Mars
    Three stands out to me, then one. I'm a little put off by the dropping-ball that intersects with your name in two and four. The trees say 'memoir' more than the white-space design, which is trendy for a slightly different brand of nonfiction.
    • Heidi Siefkas
      Thank you! I totally think the trees give the cover a more personal memoir feel. I think three is the winner. Now, I have to clean it up a bit.
  7. Samantha
    I like 3 the best.
    • Heidi Siefkas
      Agreed!
  8. Mike Davy
    3 - 2 - 4 - 1
    • Heidi Siefkas
      Right on! Three is the favorite so far. It needs some cleaning up though.
  9. Amber
    2 :)
    • Heidi Siefkas
      Thanks Amber! I like the clean design of two, but I think I need something that connects with the tree. I'm leaning towards three.
  10. Bev Weeks Spoelstra
    My attention is drawn to cover three and find it most appealing.
    • Heidi Siefkas
      Thanks! I like the tree reference without the entire tree too.
  11. cheri
    I like option 3 the most.
    • Heidi Siefkas
      I think the winner is 3. Any recommendations on cleaning it up at all?
  12. Annie
    I like number 3 due to the story connection and vivid colors. Perhaps a falling leaf could morph into a ball? I feel a little disconnect with the balls just dropping out of the tree. Great color choices otherwise. Eye catching
    • Heidi Siefkas
      I totally like the falling leave to ball idea. I'll pass that to the designer. I definitely think the 3rd option is the winner overall with tweaking to be done.
  13. Price Kopp
    #3, make sure I get a copy when ready, hope all is well!!
  14. Carina
    I agree with Annie with the disconnect of the balls falling out of the tree (especially that they are "graphic" balls). I like 1 the best because I think the image of a tree brings about many different emotions in people; not just because of the role of a tree in the story. 3 is a close second for me, but I think the white background is too stark....perhaps a light grey or grey-blue background if you go with that one? All I can think of when I look at image 4 is the Stubhub tree.
    • Heidi Siefkas
      I like the more hidden version of the tree with the leaves to bring out the title. I definitely want to improve on the balls aspect. I also think the copy is too crowded.
  15. […] memoir, When All Balls Drop – The Upside of Losing Everything has been selected! After many comments from my followers, friends, peers, and family about the four mock-ups, the final cover is […]
  16. Heidi Siefkas
    The cover has been selected. Check out: https://heidisiefkas.com/blog/when-all-balls-drop-cover-selected/ Thank you/mahalo for your help in selecting the best! The book is scheduled to be released this fall!

Leave a Reply to Heidi Siefkas