The Evolution of a Cover, or . . . will Donna ever be happy?

So, I did a thing.

That's right - I changed the cover for The Rood. Again!

The long, sordid story goes like this.

When I was choosing a cover for The Rood shortly before it's publication (back then, I was doing my own covers), I chose this picture and created this cover

. . .

Now, I love the browns in that photo. I love the dude and the way he is holding her. However, does the cover speak of pirates? Or adventure? Or colonial America? Or just . . . what?

I even hired my cover artist (who at the time redid the three covers for my Children of the Light Trilogy to add the zip to the cover that I could not.