How About a Cover Art Contest?

Recently, Heather Massey at The Galaxy Express posted a thought-provoking article titled Caught in the Cover Crossfire: ENEMY GAMES by Marcella Burnard where she raised the question if the cover implied the novel was SF or Urban Fantasy.

We've seen a lot of discussion over SFR-less SFR covers or the branding of SFRs with covers that effectively suggest ROMANCE or FANTASY more than SFR. This has inspired many questions.

"Shouldn't SFR look like SFR?"

"Are publishers afraid SFR elements on the cover will scare off potential readers?"

"Isn't a non-SFR cover on a decidedly SFR novel akin to bait and switch?"

Here's our chance to make a statement as a group devoted to SFR. Should we sponsor a SFR Brigade Inaugural Cover Art Contest to select the best SFR-themed cover in the universe?  Your response to the poll below will tell us if this is an activity that Brigaders would be interested in.