Today’s is a special update, wherein I join a host of other bloggers for the cover reveal of author friend Kourtney Heintz‘s newest novel, Highway Thirteen to Manhattan! Without further ado, here it is!
I asked Kourtney how she works with her cover artists, and here’s what she had to say:
The cover artist is Creative Paramita (http://www.creativeparamita.com). I worked with her when Beckett Publishing Group published The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts.
Once I find great people to work with, I do my best to stick with them. I was lucky that she works with both publishers and indie authors.
The process begins with me filling out a questionnaire about the book. I tell her the back cover summary and what I feel are the really important details of the characters on the cover. I also explain all the things I want to see in the initial mock up.
She then delivers 2-3 unique designs to me. I consult with my crit partner, editor, and street team about what works and what doesn’t. It’s amazing what all those extra sets of eyes can catch. Then I pick the one that I like best and the cover designer does several rounds of revisions until I’m satisfied with the cover.
With this cover, I had a very specific concept in mind, but very few people liked how it turned out. The one I picked was something the designer came up with completely on her own. It was quite a surprise. But there was an overwhelmingly positive response to that cover. We only did a couple rounds of revisions. This is probably the easiest cover design ever.
Is your curiosity piqued, yet? There’s more! Kourtney was also nice enough to provide the back cover summary from Highway Thirteen to Manhattan…
His secrets almost killed her. Her secrets may destroy them both.
Kai is recovering from a near-death experience when she realizes something isn’t right. Her body is healing, but her mind no longer feels quite like her own. Her telepathic powers are changing, too. She can’t trust herself. The darkness growing inside of her pushes her to use her telepathy as a weapon.
Oliver clings to the hope that he can save their marriage, even though he was the one who put her life in jeopardy. As his wife slips further and further away from him, he becomes increasingly obsessed with bringing the man who ruined his life to justice.
The sequel to The Six Train to Wisconsin is a genre-defying tale of love and consequences. Once again, award-winning author Kourtney Heintz seamlessly weaves suspense and paranormal intrigue into a real-world setting, creating characters rich in emotional and psychological complexity.
Release Date in ebook and paperback format: November 1, 2016
ARC available on NetGalley: July 15, 2016
Head on over to Kourtney’s blog, or go straight to her Writings page to get caught up on the story of Kai and Oliver with The Six Train to Wisconsin before Highway Thirteen to Manhattan hits the virtual and physical shelves!
Thanks for sharing my cover, Mayumi! I really appreciate it. 🙂
I really like the way the final cover turned out! It’s been fascinating to get a glimpse of this behind-the-scenes process that so few people know anything about. Much as I agree with the reasoning behind “Never judge a book by its cover,” the hard cold truth is that we humans can’t help but do exactly that. We are a visually oriented species, and first impressions based on sight are hard to shake!
Thanks! I appreciate all your input and support as part of my street team! This one came together much easier than the other one. 😉 I appreciate that sentiment too, but I remind myself that readers are faced with so many options, it makes sense to start weeding them out based on visual presentation. Pick the prettiest/coolest covers and then check out the back cover summary for a sample of the writing. 🙂
I love this cover … so powerful! Very excited to hear more about this book!
Thanks Kate! It’s been a very busy 7 months working on revisions and cover concepts. I’m thrilled with how this turned out. The designer went out on their own on this one and it definitely paid off!
Fabulous artwork and I am sure Kourtney you are so pleased with the results 🙂 <3
Absolutely! It is a gorgeous cover, and it was great to learn about your choice process. I may have to have a post about that, myself. 🙂
Thanks Sue! I really love how she captured so much of the heart of the book without ever reading it.
Thanks. It’s such a detailed give and take. I spend dozens of hours preparing that initial email and pouring over covers to show her what I like in x or y cover. I really love working with Creative Paramita. Definitely something interesting to post about when you are working on yours!
The cover alone is just inviting you to read what is inside 🙂
This is fantastic! Should catch its share of eyes at the bookstore
Wow. That’s such an awesome thing to hear! Thank you!
That’s the hope! Thank you! 🙂