My publisher emailed me today to let me know the cover for my debut YA novel, THE OBVIOUS GAME, will be ready on December 20. That's a little over a month away! PLEASE TO FREAK OUT WITH ME!
If you'd like to be part of the cover reveal action (basically put it on your blog or other social media), please fill out the form here. You can also fill out the form if you'd be willing to review the book when it's out in February 2013, tweet about it, tell your barista, you know, whatever. I use the form so I don't spam people. At least, I hope I don't spam people. I really have no interest in spamming people because it makes them not like me.
I know what I want it to look like in my head, but I don't know how it will look. This publisher was very cool in that they sent me a sheet asking for all sorts of information about my vision for the cover. I'm fairly certain this is highly unusual. I got to see six or seven cover designs for SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK and weigh in, but I don't recall anyone asking me what I wanted it to look like. I've heard from other authors they didn't see their covers at all until they got ARCs in the mail. (An ARC is industry-speak for advanced review copy). Is asking authors for cover input part of the new world order or is it just something smaller presses do? I have no idea, but I like it VERY VERY MUCH.
I'm not going to share the entire form, because a) I didn't ask and b) it reveals too much about the book, but I found it fascinating they asked so much about my protagonist, Diana.
Protagonist
Gender:Female
Clothes(Urban, Tshirt, skirt, old 1600 clothing): book set in 1990. Jeans,sweatshirts, t-shirts. Diana is not very stylish.
EyeColor: Blue
Haircolor: Brown
HairLength: shoulder-length
I probably should also have noted she was white. It's not something one should assume, though you'll notice I totally did. Still working on not making that a given in the way I move through the world.
Thank you all so much for allowing me to share my excitement about the publishing process with you!
DJ Nibbles celebrates cover art.