One of the challenges of being a traditionally published author is that sometimes you have to sit on things for a while and wait until you can share them. The cover for Witch You Would is one of those things.
When cover talks started with my editor, I did SO much research. My friends (and maybe some of my enemies) can tell you I had color-coded collections of other contemporary fantasy romance books to use as visual aids. No, seriously, behold:
This is just one example. I had… several.
The more art you see, the more you notice the clear trends. I offered my editor a few different ideas for potential cover designs based on all this research, and the artist, Jess Miller, totally delivered with an extremely cute initial sketch.
I requested some tweaks, which is not always a thing authors can do—and if they do, it may not actually happen. In this case, Gil didn’t have his signature fake mustache, and Penelope was missing her also-signature space buns, so I asked to pretty please have those included if possible. It also didn’t feel like the reality TV show elements were strong enough, so I asked for a slate to be included to get more of that vibe up front. Finally, I asked if their clothes could match, because that’s a thing that keeps happening to the characters throughout the book, so it would be nice to also have on the art.
Would the cover have been bad or wrong without these changes? Nope! It still rocked. But having them integrated really made this feel like the cover for THIS book, if that makes sense. Sometimes it’s those little details that tie the room together.
And then, the title got changed. Ack! So the art had to be updated yet again. Artists: they get the job done. Pay them. It’s worth it.
But now, at long last, everything is finished and ready and I can finally, FINALLY share the cover! Without further ado, here it is!
I keep looking at this and smiling! It’s such a delight. Gil’s awful shirt and safety goggles, Penelope’s apron and confrontational crossed arms, the smooching outline in the cauldron smoke… The vibes, they are immaculate.
You can preorder the book now at the store of your choosing, and have a happy surprise waiting for you when it comes out on September 2nd. If you’re a reviewer, stay tuned for ARC information as it becomes available.