Trust the Process

Hey, fam. I must say, the book editing and production process has been quite the learning experience. I still have a lot to learn, but it’s been fun so far. The writing was just the beginning. The original suggestion for the book cover was to use stock art. My production manager suggested a silhouette of a dinner scene that captured family members in various poses. We looked at a few images, and they were nice, but not nice enough. None of them captured the depth of my book or the characters as I perceived them. I wanted something intriguing, lively, and fun. Something that would make a potential reader stop and take notice of my novel when they see it. After rejecting several more stock photos, we decided to go with an artist drawing. We chose an artist and asked her to send a few sample sketches of a pensive young woman. I communicated with the artist indirectly through my production manager so you can imagine the details in our conversations and email exchanges. We needed to bring this girl to life. I asked for lively colors, a worried expression but warm eyes, beautiful hair, and arm candy. The artist rendered a beautiful color drawing, and I suggested we experiment with the hair a bit more. After a few more email exchanges and two or three more drafts, I got my cover! It took some time and patience, but it was well worth it. I really like this final result. What do you think?

Write on,

Tamika