If you sell to a publisher--your example cover is from Signet, one of the
big ones--then you won't have any control over the cover. That's up to the marketing department.
The artists work from a synopsis given to them by the book's editor. They rarely, if ever, even read the book. In some cases they are told NOT to read the book or talk to the writer.
Don't let yourself get hung up on the cover or you will continue to be frustrated, just work at your writing. The marketing people have been at this a long time, and know what works to sell the words.
I was horrified at my first cover. I hated it. Nothing on it had anything to do with the book.
But the book sold, and it's been in print almost constantly for nearly 20 years with various (terrible) covers.
My latest cover, while better, also has NOTHING to do with what's inside the book. It's a concept thing. I don't like it nearly as much as the one I suggested to my editor, but at this point I'm just glad they even bought the book in the first place!
Cautionary tale time: a new writer had all but sold her book to the publisher. A good offer had been made, the contract was on the table, they wanted to buy her words. She was IN!
But--she said she wouldn't sign unless her artist brother did the cover.
The publisher decided she wasn't professional enough to deal with, said thanks but no thanks, and wished her luck elsewhere. There were plenty of other writers
not making demands. So far as I know she's still trying to sell her book and brother in the same package. That was some 15 years ago. It's a long time to languish in obscurity on what shouldn't be an issue.
If you absolutely insist on a certain cover, then your only venue as a new unknown writer will be small presses and e-books, which means danged few people will read your words. You have to decide what's more important, getting your words in front a lots of eager readers or a bit of art? People won't remember the art, they will remember the words.
It is a fact of life in publishing that writers have no control over their covers. It's like the guy who says "I'll call you" and then never does. You shrug it off and focus on writing.
Your publisher won't duplicate the Signet cover and will try to avoid doing anything close to it. Copyright infringement.
The Signet cover was likely Photoshopped together from different stock images by a house artist whose work was so important that his or her name wasn't even mentioned inside the book. (Or the artist asked to NOT be credited!)
She was probably told "We need a 19th Century Gothic setting, a guy with a ripped torso, and a full moon, and prelim sketches by Friday."
Artist: What color is the guy's hair? What's the book about?
Marketing: Who cares. Just do it.
Artist: I've got some images I can Photoshop together.
Marketing: Fine, e-mail them over.
The above would be a phone conversation. Chances are good the artist lives across the country and has never visited the house.
Sites that cover this topic:
http://www.juno-books.com/blog/?p=284
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleyca...iginality_episode_5_legs_feet_shoes_21044.asp
http://worldoflongmire.com/features/romance_novels/ (beverage alert!)
Urban fantasy cover parade. The video.
The Blog.