The cover for WHERE SHE BELONGS, my dramatic contemporary romance coming in library hardcover from Five Star Expressions in December 2011 (which means it will be available for purchase by the general public probably in January 2012):
Things I love about this cover:
- I really wanted a waterfall on the cover. I didn’t outright ask the Art Department to put a waterfall on the cover, but instead commented that the waterfall is a major setting in the story, plus I sent along several pictures of the geography of the North Thompson Valley in British Columbia where my fictional logging community, Destiny Falls, is based. So that I actually got a waterfall that duplicates the fictional waterfall in my mind…gotta love it!
- The heroine looks like the picture of Jess Morgan (her name) in my head. When that happens, it’s cover magic.
- Why, lookee that! My name is at the top of a book cover FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. How can I not be thrilled?
- WHERE SHE BELONGS is my 2007 Golden Heart finalist manuscript, Long Contemporary category under another title. I actually wrote this book before HEAD OVER HEELS and BORROWING ALEX, but various circumstances (including a learning curve on my behalf) prevented it from being accepted for publication until after both my romantic comedies had been on the cyber-shelves for…quite some time. In between, I was busy writing manuscripts I eventually sold as Penny. So, you see, “Cindy” has been working diligently all along, but “Penny” grabbed all the glory for awhile there. Now I’m back on top! Mwahahaha. Actually, I guess we’re tied. Because my book comes out in December/January and Penny’s comes out in November.
I promised last week that I would post Penny’s new cover this week, too. However, there’ll be a postponement on that one. It still has to route through the Samhain marketing department, I discovered.
As soon as I have permission, have no fear, I’ll post it on behalf of Penny.
Now before you go asking me what WHERE SHE BELONGS is about, the reason I haven’t posted the back cover blurb is because I don’t know if Five Star/Cengage tweaks the blurbs the authors provide. I don’t want to put up a premature blurb. Besides, once I have the blurb, I can post the cover again with it. (Yes, I know, I’m sneaky.) Short version, WHERE SHE BELONGS is about loss, forgiveness, and rediscovering one’s sense of belonging (hence the title).
I also promised pictures of my trip to Newfoundland, but I am now consumed with first-rounds edits on Penny’s book that I want to have done before I leave for the RWA National Conference in New York City. And I just started preparing for conference yesterday. I’m going to be running around like the proverbial chicken with no head until I board that plane for New York next weekend.
Patience, my pretties.
The cover is gorgeous! It looks a little paranormal, too. I’m eager to read the blurb, but I bow down to your sneakiness. lol
Thanks, Edie. No, it’s not paranormal in the slightest. People have remarked that it looks “haunting,” and I agree with that assessment. The heroine is haunted with baggage of her first love, who was killed in a logging accident, along with father, when the heroine and boyfriend were just out of high school. The double tragedy shut her down, and her mother turned to an old flame–the father’s rival before their marriage.
Basically, the heroine has become so used to running from pain and heartache that she’s closed herself off to love. Then her stepfather dies and she has to go home to help her mom through the transition. That’s when she meets her best friend’s cousin, the hero, who happened to be the object of her first teenage crush one summer when she was very young, before she met the boyfriend who died.
Aw, crap, you got it out of me. Sort of.
Woot! Pretty!
I agree, there is nothing better, cover-wise, than having the photo match the picture of the characters in your head. My covers have always managed to do that, which is why I love the Samhain art people.
The story sounds great, too—congrats!
Thanks, Avery.
I am thrilled for you. Your name looks brilliant at the top. I’m glad it’s everything you wanted it to be Cindy! Congrats!
Thanks, Donnell. Like they say, it never gets old seeing your name on a book.
Congrats, Cindy! Getting a cover that is the perfect image for your story is such a gift — wonderful news ;).
Thanks, Marilyn, I think so, too!
Hey Cindy. You need a great story and great cover to sell your book. You accomplished both. ~ Ron Knight
Thanks, Ron, that’s very kind of you to say.
The cover model looks like you with long hair!
(SInce you haven’t added the “subscribe to comments” plug-in, I’m probably not going to see your reply. You’ll have to pfft at me next week. LOL)
Aw, Natalie, you’re trying to butter me up. I actually have very straight hair. Last time you saw me, I had a perm.
Pfft in advance!!
And I know, I know, I have to install that plug-in. But I “have to” do a lot of stuff, and that keeps getting shoved down in the list of importance. 😉