Create cover for Stone of Aslyum, first in a three-book, historical-fantasy series

Stone of Asylum

Hilarey Johnson

Hilarey Johnson is the author of Sovereign Ground and Heart of Petra. She began training in Korean martial arts as a child and met her future husband when they tested for their black belts in Tang Soo Do. Hilarey and her husband live and travel in the northwest. To find out more, visit Hilarey.com.

The book is historical. So the world is not made up. Think of real elements from 1863: mining, Chinese immigrants, insane asylums, and the true wild west. Magic realism means it's going on and no one knows about it.
It is the first episode of a three part story, and a fantasy retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo, set in 1863 Idaho. Martial artists shapeshift into animals because of a magic stone mined in the area. For those with the gift, Chinese hanja shows up on their arms in words like "swift", "powerful". There are also counterfeit shifters, people who grind the stone and tattoo the names of animals. The writing shows up on their arms, glowing purple first.

It is for young adults who read action adventure. Comparable titles are Walk the Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson and The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo.

I would be thrilled to have something that emphasizes there will be fight scenes. A martial artist with a cowboy hat would be amazing.
Things that might help but don't need to be on the cover: the stone used is an Idaho Star Garnet. (Almost black purple with rays that shine out under light.) A girl is trapped as a thrush bird inside a traditional Chinese bird cage. Another spends 14 months underground in a stone cell. There is special cane sword that is very important and has a bird head on the handle. Hero is Korean, late teens. Heroine is Swede and Spanish, teenage with light curly hair.
Fight scenes and weapons include:
Men with swords and a crane
a man with a rope dart
A bear against wolves
An Asian man in Chinese or Korean clothing and a cowboy hat
Another significant scene would be an old map of Idaho Territory with a knife stabbed in it, either pinning it to a table or a wall. The knife would have a bird head hilt.
After a successful contest I hope to contract two more covers with the same designer.

Kung fu style martial arts poses. The book is about a Korean martial art called Tang Soo Do. So think Tae Kwon Do, Mu Duk Kwon and Soo Bak Ki (if that means anything to you for stances.)
*Also avoid clear, close up pictures of a face on the cover. I like a little more mystique about what the character looks like.