Dunes and Dreams

Proud of your beautiful cover and book blurb? Let everyone know by entering Dunes & Dreams RWA’s Picture Perfect Cover Contest! All covers and blurbs will be reviewed by a panel of experienced judges with five lucky finalists in each category: contemporary, historical, and paranormal/science-fiction.

One winner in each category will receive: an engraved plaque to commemorate your first place finish. Winning covers will be prominently displayed on the Dunes & Dreams RWA website (with links to the authors' websites) for one year.

Entry fee: $10.00 per cover

Eligibility: Open to all covers for full-length romance novels (60,000 words minimum) from non-vanity, non-subsidy publishers with an original copyright date of . Covers can be for electronic or traditional format books. **Note: To avoid a conflict of interest, works by current or former members of Dunes & Dreams RWA are not eligible.

Dunes & Dreams RWA’s Picture Perfect Cover Contest
Official Rules (Printable version click here)

1) Eligibility: This contest is open to all covers for full-length romance novels (60,000 word minimum) from non-vanity, non-subsidy publishers with an original copyright date of . Covers can be for electronic or traditional format books. **Note: To avoid a conflict of interest, works by current or former members of Dunes & Dreams RWA are not eligible.

2) Judging: A pool of experienced judges will review covers for the first round in each category. Final judge is . Covers will be judged on artistic merit and how well the cover matches its back cover blurb.

3) Categories: Covers can be entered in one of three different categories.

a. Historical—covers for romances set prior to 1945.
b. Contemporary—covers for romances set 1945 or after.
c. Paranormal/Futuristic—covers for romances set in other worlds, dimensions or with science fiction elements.

Please use your judgment to determine which category your cover will best fit.

4) Enter as many eligible covers as you like, provided you complete the entry form and pay the fee for each cover submitted. Each cover may only be entered in one category.

5) Submission instructions: For each cover entered, please complete an entry form and submit your payment of $10 (via Paypal or check made payable to Dunes & Dreams Romance Writers). Upon receipt of your payment, you will receive an email address to submit your cover photo (See Cover Photo Guidelines for size, format, and additional information) and back cover blurb.

6) Entry forms must be received by Dunes & Dreams by midnight, EST, December 1, 2012. Covers (provided entry forms have been submitted by cutoff date) will be accepted until midnight, EST, December 8, 2012.

7) Five finalists for each category will be announced by January 15, 2013. Winners will be announced by February 14, 2013.

8 ) Winners will receive a plaque, a button for their website announcing them as a winner, a similar button for their publisher and cover artist (if requested), and the winning cover art (with link to author website) on prominent display on the Dunes & Dreams RWA website for one year.

9) Judges’ decisions are final.

10)Entry fees are non-refundable.

Cover Photo Guidelines

In order to be fair to all entrants, please use the following guidelines to submit your cover:

1. Go to amazon.com and locate your book.

2. Click on “See Larger Image” beneath the image of your cover.

3. When the window pops up, right click on the larger image and select “Save Picture As”

4. Save this image to your computer’s files as Type: JPEG (suffix: jpg.) with your book title as the Name.

5. Post the book blurb in the body of an email and attach the saved image.

6. Cover photos that do not adhere to these directions will be disqualified and entry fees will be forfeit by the entrant.

Dunes & Dreams RWA’s Picture Perfect Contest Scoring Sheet
(Printable version click here)

SUBMISSION PROCESS (Score 1-5 with 5 as a perfect score. Whole numbers only!)

1. Is the entry submitted following the contest guidelines?_____

2. Is the entry in the correct category, based on the contest guidelines? _____

ART DETAILS (Score 1-10 with 10 as a perfect score. Feel free to use decimals!)

1. Would this entry catch your eye on a bookstore shelf? _______

2. Does the cover art match the timeline/era? __________

3. Does the cover art match the subgenre? __________

4. Does the blurb match the cover art? __________

5. Are the colors esthetically pleasing? __________

6. Is the artwork well presented? __________

7. Did the cover artist effectively capture the mood of the blurb? __________

8. Do the blurb and cover intrigue enough to make you purchase the book? ________

TOTAL SCORE (Maximum 90 points) __________

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2010-2011 PICTURE PERFECT COVER CONTEST WINNERS!