Help us choose the winners in the BWC People’s Choice Book Cover Contest!

Welcome to the second annual People’s Choice Book Cover Contest! These books were published in 2025. Either the author or the cover designer (or both!) is a member of Bluegrass Writers Coalition. We need your help selecting the winner in each category. Take a look at the covers below and select.

How do we define best? We don’t. YOU DO! You might pick the one that is (in your opinion) the prettiest, or the most colorful, or the one that is most suitable to the book’s targeted audience. You might vote for the one that is most appealing to your personal tastes, or the one that is the most compelling. Whatever you decide is okay with us! The choice is yours. If one looks really good to you, click on the title to purchase it online, or better yet – visit your local bookstore and order a copy from them!

The contest will close to voting on April 5, 2026, so vote now! Winners will be announced on April 11 at the 2026 Conference of Writers and on BWC’s social media.

Select your top choice and then follow the link at the bottom of this page to cast your vote!

Entry #		What the author/designer says about the cover:	Book Title
1		The cover photo is the last ever taken of my father, just a week before he died as a passenger in an Air America plane reportedly shot down in Vietnam. Decades later, I discovered over 400 of his letters to my mother, exposing him as a whistleblower. His letters, one of which is superimposed over the photograph, inspired me to conduct research across two countries and confirm a government lie and a CIA coverup.	Because: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew
2		I had a vision for this cover and worked closely with my designer to get it right. I wanted a park setting, because that’s where they met. I wanted to convey that it’s a sweet romance. I couldn’t stop picturing them walking hand in hand in the park. I loved the finished product.	Loving Lauren
3		The cover of What Farm Boots are For was designed to show the main character exploring in her new farm boots. The young girl on the cover is trying to step across a cow pile. That is, until she realizes that getting her boots extra dirty is exactly what farm boots are for. My illustrator, Hiruni Kariyawasam, and I collaborated to design the cover.	What Farm Boots are For
4		The design for the cover began to take shape when I decided on the title, which is also the title of one the stories in the collection. Being a writer of realistic fiction, I wanted the cover to realistically reflect a strong element of the story–that of a lonely old man in an urban setting. After reviewing dozens of photographs available online, I ended up going with a photo my stepson, Clay Gibson, had taken of some old writer wandering around Lexington. Myra Summers, of Word Management then worked with me on finalizing the cover.	The Blind Man and the Midget
5		The design reflects that the heroine rehabs houses (bloody fence), there’s a secret (her fingers) and a main character was a famous rock ‘n roll singer.	Rock Starr Baby Daddy
6		Design of the fence ties the story to the series. The old mansion reflects houses the heroine rehabs and that there’s a secret concerning the attic in this pre-Civil War mansion.	The Attic, A Flip or Flop Mystery
7		My cover design includes elements of the title and the main setting for my novel. It also include a work of art that is mentioned in the novel and conveys dramatic nature of the plot. I wanted the colors and design of the cover to draw attention of readers who enjoy the mystery genre. The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore makes images of their art available in the public domain. You can find more information about the museum and this particular painting in the back matter of the book.	Framed
8		My faith in Jesus carried me through the deepest valleys of overwhelm, stress, and generational anxiety. He is the Lion of Judah — strong, victorious, unshaken — the One Revelation calls worthy to open what no one else can. (Rev. 5:5) As I learned to love myself, love others, and trust God as my refuge, He rebuilt me from the inside out. This book belongs to Him — my King who sat with me for six months, whispering every word and shaping every page, including the cover.	Reflect Restore Revive – Overcoming Anxiety Through the Power of Faith
9		In designing any of my book covers, I prefer minimal design for maximum effect. Fewer colors of high contrast make covers stand out to me on shelves. But, to reflect the dark and magical setting of The Shadowbound Fates, I created a bold visual blurb using only a simple, free photo editing app.	The Shadowbound Fates
10		I worked with “Get Covers” to design the cover. My concept was to incorporate the purple Alzheimer’s color, puzzle pieces symbolizing the confusion and challenge of caregiving for those with memory issues and compassionate hands holding tight to each other.	Give Yourself Some Grace

We know it’s a tough choice! There are ten great book covers here. But you can only pick one, so which will it be? When you’re ready…