the second cover for the first Caina book…

…draft two:

The picture is an out-of-copyright illustration by Arthur Rackham, showing the valkyrie Brunhilde confronted by her sister Waltraute (I think).

I think I like this better than my first plan for a cover – it’s definitely more dynamic. It even reflects a scene in the book, when Caina confronts Ikhana, the lieutenant and pet assassin of the necromancer Maglarion. And Caina even has black hair – though she’s never worn a winged helmet.

Also, I’m going to change the name of the book from “Nightfighter” to “Child of the Ghosts”, mostly for branding. All the other Caina stories and books have “Ghost” in the title somewhere – “Ghost Dance”, “Ghost Wounds”, and numerous others. And since this book is Caina’s origin story, “Child of the Ghosts” seems like a good title. Hopefully.

-JM