Little Details: Anatomy of a Cover Reveal

Earlier this month, I FINALLY got to reveal the cover for my upcoming middle grade fantasy, THE VENGEKEEP PROPHECIES. I had been sitting on it for a very long time, waiting for the go-ahead from my editor to share it. Worse, I'm still sitting on bits of interior art that I'm loving just as much as the cover and I have no idea WHEN I'll get to share that. (If ever. I may just leave it for the book's release, which is officially October 23.)

All the art was done by Brett Helquist, whose style you will immediately recognize from books by Blue Balliett and Lemony Snicket. Very distinctive, very stylish, and very cool.

One of the things I love most about the cover is everything that's going on. Oh, sure, you get the big picture--scary flying things attacking--but there are so many little things happening that aren't immediately apparent. Now, I don't want to go spoiling the book but I thought I'd point out some of these little things that may have escaped your attention on first viewing and plant a few seeds about what these little things could mean.

Really, I was terribly impressed with everything that got worked into the cover. I loved seeing my two heroes--Jaxter Grimjinx and Callie Strom--in action, looking very much as I pictured them. And while everyone else may be looking at the very action-oriented scene and thinking, "Ooooh. Neato...", I'll be casting sideways glances at all the little things and thinking, "Bwah-hah-hah!"