Making a mock up (after a cock up)

I've got computer problems so this is my second go at this. I'd entered everything (and saved it) but not uploaded for publication when we were struck by a nasty virus. Although the computer is back online I can't get the scanner or drawing/editing software to work and I've lost the original images so I've revisited the initial idea, worked it up again and photographed it on my phone. Not sure how this will work but here goes.....

The book I chose was "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" which I read as a teenager. Those who know it will be aware that it's a road journey with philosophy. The book I have has a cover which I never felt gave the casual book browser a clue as to what they were buying

I found a photo of Robert Pirsig and his son on their bike which I reversed and drew from.

Originally I layered this on top of a map of the USA but without computer imput that is beyond me so I roughed out the design again.

Sorry it's not very clear but you get the gist. I used acrylic paint to rough out the map which means you can see it a bit clearer

 I then painted in the lettering, it's not as fancy as I would like but I guess this is just a mock up? I've used Pthalo Blue, Pthalo Green, Raw Umber, Buff Titanium and White to try and be coherant with colour. I tried to keep the figures quite "blocky" so that they will make sense when reduced in size for the actual book

One of the reasons I used the map was because I think the USA looks a bit like a brain (humour me I'm a veterinary nurse working with brain scanning technology...) I felt the book is realy about a journey through the author's head so I added the outline of the head. Part of me wants to make the map a bit more detailed and add a line to show the route of the journey which was from about where the front wheel is to California in the west but reason tells me this will be a bit too fussy. 

I found I could crop the original in Paint so you get;

Which looks a bit more finished. I think my choice of colours may be too muted to attract casual buyers but maybe proper lettering would add punch. The green is brighter in my original, with proper software I think I would like to liven things up a bit, can I have some embossing  on my cover or is this to be a budget publication?