There's very little in the book publication process that excites me more than a cover. Because much as we say "Don't judge a book by its cover," let's face it--we all do. Covers make us pick books up or bypass them. Covers are the face of a book.
I've always enjoyed designing my own covers, whether it be with colored pencils as a kid or Photoshop as an adult. My love for this process has even led me to doing professional cover designs for a few publishers and independent authors (you can see my designs here). And it makes me put a lot of thought into what I want from a cover when I'm filling out a questionnaire for a publisher as an author.
My next book to come out, The Lost Heiress, is a rewrite of my first-ever novel, written
when I was 12-13. Needless to say, I've thought a lot about this cover in the last
20 years, LOL. I wanted my heroine, Brook, to be on it. I wanted readers to see her beauty, and
perhaps some of her spunk. I wanted her to be wearing a necklace that she wears every day, one
with pearls. I wanted the Edwardian setting to come through in her clothing and hairstyle.
Beyond that...? Well, the book has suspense, mystery, and romance. How to convey it? Back in
the day, I thought maybe it should have her horse on it, caught in a gallop. Or, oo, maybe the
hero's Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost--that would certainly shout the era. Maybe a glimpse of a the
grand manor house owned by her father, Lord Whitby. Maybe...maybe...maybe...
And this is why, on one's own book, it's sometimes nice to not be the cover designer. ;-)
According to my editor, the in-house cover designer at Bethany House had a lot of fun and took
a lot of care with this cover. She painstakingly selected the model to be a close match to the
pictures I sent her. She chose a beautiful Edwardian gown, the height of fashion in 1910. She
made sure my Brook is wearing a pearl necklace, like in the story.
Now, every cover artist tries various options for their design and often runs them by other
members of the team. For The Lost Heiress, they wanted something that didn't echo too
closely any of Bethany House's other (fabulous!) designs. They wanted something that would
intrigue without overwhelming. They decided to go for "stark simplicity." I think it was a wise
choice!
And so, without further ado, please allow me to present The Lost Heiress!
Brook Eden has never known where she truly belongs. Though raised in the palace of Monaco, she’s British by birth and was brought to the Grimaldis under suspicious circumstances as a babe. When Brook’s friend Justin uncovers the fact that Brook is likely a missing heiress from Yorkshire, Brook leaves the sun of the Mediterranean to travel to the moors of the North Sea to the estate of her supposed family.The mystery of her mother’s death haunts her, and though her father is quick to accept her, the rest of the family and the servants of Whitby Park are not. Only when Brook’s life is threatened do they draw close—but their loyalty may come too late to save Brook from the same threat that led to tragedy for her mother.As heir to a dukedom, Justin is no stranger to balancing responsibilities. When the matters of his estate force him far from Brook, the distance between them reveals that what began as friendship has grown into something much more. But how can their very different loyalties and responsibilities ever come together?And then, for a second time, the heiress of Whitby Park is stolen away because of the very rare treasure in her possession—and this time only the servants of Whitby can save her.
My Thoughts
Oh my goodness! This cover is stunning! I love the "stark simplicity" and the golden tones are perfect! The model is beautiful and I love the little bit you can see of her dress! I absolutely cannot wait for this book and I am sure the story inside will be just as gorgeous as it's cover!
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