The one where I recreated the cover image on The Start of Something Wonderful
Some traditionally-published authors don't have any say in what the cover of their books look like and it can be a huge source of frustration. I'm very fortunate in that one of the many amazing things about my publisher, Boldwood Books, is that they do ask for my thoughts on the cover. Obviously I'm not an expert and art is not within my toolbox of skills (no idea how I scraped a C in my Art GCSE and no idea why I took it in the first place as I can't draw!) but it is nice to be asked for my thoughts. I didn't have any strong feelings for what would go on the cover of The Start of Something Wonderful but I had one request: make it look like the Lake District. I sent over various photos the hubby and I had taken of the area where the book is set - Derwent Water - to give some inspiration.
We also talked about this book looking a little different from my other ones because it's the first in a new series, it was the first cover to be designed after I hit a million sales, and it was a milestone book, being my twentieth release. By sheer coincidence, I had a brand new cover designer, Lizzie Gardiner, so this was perfect timing for something a little different.
I could not have been more thrilled when the proposed cover came to me for my thoughts. I had a 'squee!' moment at the million-copy bestseller banner (still doesn't feel real!) and the image was absolutely perfect. Not only did it capture the stunning Lake District, but it captured Autumn's journey perfectly. In my book, there was a part of the story where Autumn mentioned having gone for a walk by the lake, beneath Cat Bells and, inspired by the cover, I tweaked that to turn it into an actual scene where she walks along the wooden jetty and takes in the view, a moment of calm and belonging enveloping her.
A couple of weeks ago, hubby and I went to the Lakes for a weekend, staying at the southern end of Derwent Water (opposite end to Keswick). My mission for the weekend was to recreate the front cover and I'd even taken a reddish-pink hoodie with me (sleeves rolled up) and put on my dark leggings so I could look a little more like Autumn. I didn't go as far as getting a wig but I think it's close enough!
There isn't an exact match for the jetty and fells and it can be a challenge to find a jetty with nobody milling around, but we managed to recreate a jetty one near our hotel. We did a portrait one...
And also a landscape one, getting in more of the view...
My special Boldwood mug wanted to get in on the act too!
We went for a walk further round the lake to see if I could find a jetty which had a fells view which matched the cover a little better. The next one along had a few people on it and it wasn't quite right but, when we returned, hubby spotted a stone which did so I did the 'Autumn pose' on that too.
Again, we did portrait …
And landscape … (and yes, the area around the rock was as squidgy as it looks!)
I think the landscape one on the rock might be my favourite of them all. Which do you like best? (Please don't say the mug, hee hee!)
Hope you enjoy my recreations of the front cover. If you'd like to watch a short video of me reading out the relevant passage from The Start of Something Wonderful and doing the pose, you can find it on my Jessica Redland Romance Author Facebook page.
Big hugs
Jessica xx