Thursday, September 6

Posted by Laurel Garver on Thursday, September 06, 2012 12 comments

So here it is, my lovely cover.

This is very much a group effort. The concept is mine. I wanted a clean, minimalist look with custom art that reflected my protagonist's two great loves--pencil drawing and her dad--yet hinted at the grief-oriented content.

Thankfully I have a very talented husband who was able to create this wonderful sketch of my protagonist's father, Graham the photographer. From there, the sketch went to an actual photographer, my friend's cousin, Whitney Levin. She had a laugh about how strange it was to photograph a photographer. Very meta. The shoot was done in August with a green leaf. Deep green.

That's when the real magic happened. I turned over the photograph (purchased all rights, something I'd recommend for the most flexibility) to my designer friend Ruth. She worked in book design before becoming a homeschooling mom, a thorough pro. She was able to autumn-ize the leaf and give me wonderful typography that manages to keep minimalist from being boring.

So what's NEVER GONE about? Grief, ghosts, and God.

Here's my official product description:

Days after her father’s death, fifteen-year-old Dani Deane begins seeing him all around New York — wading through discarded sketches in her room, roaming the halls at church, socializing at his post-funeral reception. Is grief making her crazy? Or could her dad really be lingering between this world and the next, trying to contact her?

Dani desperately longs for his help. Without him keeping the peace, Dani’s relationship with her mother is deteriorating fast. Soon Mum ships her off to rural England with Dad’s relatives for a visit that Dani fears will become a permanent stay. But she won’t let her arty, urban life slip away without a fight, especially when daily phone calls with her lab partner Theo become her lifeline.

To find her way home, Dani must somehow reconnect with Mum. But as she seeks advice from relatives and insights from old letters, she uncovers family secrets that shake her to the core. Convinced that Dad’s ghost alone can help her, she sets out on a dangerous journey to contact him one last time.

For ages 14+, YA edgy inspirational

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You can add it to your to-read shelf on Goodreads today. The ebook will be available in a matter of days, the paperback by my official release date, September 27.

Stay tuned for more news about blog tours and other festivities.

What do you think? 


12 comments:

  1. So happy for you Laurel! :) Can't wait to read it.

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    1. Thanks, Jess. My Vine Leaves Piece "New Hues" ended up back in the book. I regained my lost faith that it did belong thanks to that publication.

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  2. Lovely! And it sounds like a wonderful book! :)

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    1. Thanks, Laura. I realize this looks more literary than YA. I'm hoping for crossover readers. We'll see how it goes.

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  3. Gorgeous cover! And the description is so intriguing. I can't wait to read it!

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    1. Thanks Melissa! I hope the cover resonates with readers. I was torn between minimalist and going darker, more ghostly. But there's so much of that kind of cover these days in YA, and it might skew reader expectations in the wrong direction. I'll be curious to see what reviewers say about that!

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  4. The story sounds poignant and I really like the cover. Congratulations!

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    1. Thanks, Bish. Yes, the focus is on loss and healing, which is why I didn't go for the spooky look I could have.

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  5. Oh, I can't wait to read it! Just added to Goodreads. :)

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    1. Thanks, Faith! It should be available very soon, at least in ebook format.

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  6. I just added it on Goodreads and plan to read the sample - the premise really appeals to me. I love how you put together the cover.

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  7. It's lovely! I like how clean and crisp it is!

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