I like designing my own ebook covers, but I don’t think I could do it for a living. This cover drove me crazy because I had a specific feel in mind, but it took me a dozen different mock ups to finally get it right. I prefer to avoid faces on a cover because I like to let the reader imagine what the character looks like. So my original thought was something abstract and not having any people on the cover, but I couldn’t find anything I liked. I then thought about going with a silhouette of a person, but again, I couldn’t find the image that was just right.
I found the right water image that I wanted to use, so I decided to just try putting a person that would represent my main character Mara on the cover with it and see how it turned out.
What do you think?
Surfacing by Shana Norris
Sixteen-year-old Mara Westray has just lost her mother, and now, being shipped off to live with the father she doesn’t know is not how she imagined grieving. She’s already counting down the days until she turns eighteen and can leave the tiny island of Swans Landing.
But from the moment she steps off the ferry, nothing is as ordinary as it looks. Whispers of a haunting song on the wind make her see impossible things, and she isn’t sure she can trust her judgment about what is real and what isn’t anymore. Maybe she can’t even trust her judgment about quiet Josh Canavan, whose way of speaking in riddles and half-truths only confuses her more, luring her deeper into the secrets hidden beneath the ocean’s surface.
As she tries to unravel the events that led to her mom fleeing the island sixteen years ago, Mara finds that the biggest secret of all is only the beginning.
The story revolves around the ocean and I wanted the cover to reflect the quiet, lonely feel of the island. With a traditionally published book cover reveal, I would say things like, “Isn’t it gorgeous?” or “Don’t you love it?” But I feel a little weird saying things like that with my ebook covers since, you know, I created them. But I do think it’s gorgeous and hope you do too!
Ebook will be available November 15!
It’s gorgeous, in a haunting kind of way! Love it! 😀
I love this!
*SO* Gorgeous!! Squee!
Beautiful! I asked Chris if the cover would make him want to read this book! His reply “if I was a girl”.
My students will love this book!!! The cover will really appeal to them. It is very different than your other covers, too. 😉
I love it! You’re good at covers, for sure!
It absolutely IS gorgeous, Shana. Nice work!
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