The cover for Last Kill didn't come so easily.  The first segment of the plot took place during the Korean War, so I hauled out my old GI helmet and borrowed a friend's Purple Heart for an image on the back cover.  Another important part involved a Japanese Geisha house.  My publishing advisor, First Editions, came up with a pic of several Maiko (apprentice Geisha) which fit my concept, and also went to the back cover.
Then I needed to find just  the right bear for the front cover.  I didn't want a 'tourist' bear, artificially snarley and mean.  I wanted a dignified bear, surveying his territory from on high.  After searching a thousand bear images, I think I found just the right one; he is checking out the reader out on the front cover.