Top one, no doubt. It makes me feel there's a story to be told that I don't know about. The second one comes off more as a Monet feeling but maybe that's what you want.

I'm with the ghost. I like the idea of showing what a German immigrant's homestead would have looked like. Another possibility would be to show a dogtrot log cabin, although I don't know if the German immigrants built those of the top of my head.

I like the top one as well- having seen this, I'll have to read the books now

Here's another thought though- How about getting one of the people on OS to do the Jacket art work--Algis Kemezys and Diananni off the top of my head- but too many others to list deserve consideration

Lovely thought, Token -- and when this book sells a bomb, I swear the chance to design the next one will go out to OSers ... I swear. But you see ... the cover artist for this one is my little brother. He gives me the family discount, which means that I can stall on paying him practically forever. (although I haven't in this case.)

You might like the Trilogy, if you love historical fiction that is very well researched and has absolutely nothing to do with the Tudors. Precopious has read all of them, so he can vouch for quality!

P- I'm saving the picture of the dog-trot log cabin for the cover of "Deep in the Heart" - I have a smashing one of the oldest house in Gonzales, which fits perfectly.

I'm delightedly surprised to find you on Amazon, I was disappointed that none of your books are in our local library selections.(just checked our on line catalog) I can't buy a lot of books all at once, so which would you recommend for a start?

I'll order at least the first and try to get on my local library to see about stocking all of them. (My wife loves the Amish books of several authors--these look very similar -- and of course my background is Swiss German)

I apologize for not reading your series on your blog-- I don't start books by installment, because I always forget and miss chapters-- didn't know your books were available in print.

(I know all about the "Brother" discount, one of my brothers is a professional artist, and one is a professional photographer-- as I once was. )

Well - yeah, Token -- I've been in the indy-author thing for quite a while, as these things go. I used to follow a library site that tracked author's books where they are in libraries. All of my books -- even the Trilogy are free-standing; don't have to be read in order. I would say either "To Truckee's Trail" because that one is fairly self-contained, and it was my first, and I have some fans who insist it was the very-best-evah! Then, "Adelsverein: The Gathering" because it establishes the Trilogy, and introduces the whole constellation of characters, or even "Daughter of Texas" -- which is the first in chronologic consideration, and may even be the cheapest of the lot.
I should warn you, though ... if you start on any one of the Trilogy, you'll simply have to know how it all turns out...