Cover Stories: Dark Flame by Alyson Noel

Alyson Noel's latest Immortals book, Dark Flame, is finally here! She's back to tell the Cover Story (read Cover Stories for Evermore and Blue Moon.)Here's Alyson: "Once again, I didn't have a cover concept in mind while writing Dark Flame, but since it's the fourth book in the series, I knew I'd be expected to provide some. So while I was writing, I was definitely on the lookout for various symbols they might be able to use, then my editor and I brainstormed a few additional ideas, which pretty much resulted in a long list of themes and symbols the art department miraculously translated into an actual cover. I feel really lucky to work with such an amazing art department--The Immortals series won first place in the "Best Children's Trade Paperback" category at the New York Book show--so I know I'm in some truly gifted hands! "The first version I saw was a photo-shopped mock up that used a different girl for Haven (right)--a sort of stock photo stand in if you will! And even though I had no idea what to expect, I loved the fact that it was different from the other covers in that it featured two characters rather than just Ever. I also loved the way the determined look in Haven's eyes, and the calculating look in Ever's gaze really hints at the story within, since Dark Flame is definitely the darkest Immortals book to date. And yet, even with its differences, it still manages to retain the mood of the series and the previous covers, which is no easy feat. "The final cover was the result of a photo shoot, which made for much better quality, and a much better Haven! Overall, I'm really pleased with all of these covers and love, love, love, the St. Martin's art department!" Thanks, Alyson! I like the "real" Haven's intense stare -- it totally changes the cover in a great way. I continue to love these really strong covers. The whole series has a great look now (see the four Immortals titles below). What do you guys think?