Back in March, I got the cover for Shadow Kin. Earlier this week, I got a couple of cover flats from my editor. A cover flat is the actual cover printed on the stock it will be when it goes around the book, essentially the cover without the book. Publishers use them as sales tools and for promotion etc. One of the other things books have is cover quotes (the blurbs by other authors that go on the cover and inside the book).
After I got my cover flats this week, we got a final quote for Shadow Kin and Roc decided to tweak the cover again to add in my quotes. So here’s both the final cover and I guess, the first mini ‘reviews’ of the book! (Now this is the printing layout pic, so you can still see faint lines etc around the various areas…those won’t be on the final cover : ) ).
Publishers do cover quotes in different ways. Some select and pick the authors to target themselves and handle the whole business. Some work with the author and the author writes to people they would like to read the book. Luckily, Roc is one of the former. I didn’t even know who they’d sent the book to and just got very nice surprises as quotes came in. This is easier on a poor debut writer than knowing people who you’ve read for years and admired are reading! your! book! and deciding whether or not to quote. Published authors are busy people and it’s a very nice thing they do when they take time to read a new writer’s book and help them out. So a big thank you to Patricia Briggs, Anne Bishop, Keri Arthur and Devon Monk to doing it for me!
Wow, what a great cover! How exciting. =) Love the back cover copy too. Good luck!
Thanks Gwen! A bit over three months to go. Am officially getting nervous already.
The cover is beautiful. I would pick up this book. Yes, I do judge a book by it’s cover at times.
Awww Mel it’s all just so crazy beautiful! And when can I put in my pre-order???
Ally
xXx
Thanks Ally : ) You can pre-order right this very minute if you want. There are links on the books page of my website or you can find me on Amazon/Book Depository etc!
What a beautiful job they’ve done. It’s gonna fly off the shelves, digital and physical!
Love the cover flap, Mel. And fantastic author quotes. Congratulations.