Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Behind the Cover: Waiting for Spring


I've always known that a lot of planning and work went into a book cover, but nowhere was that more apparent to me than in the cover for Waiting for Spring.  One of the first steps is to select a model.  Normally I don't know who the model is, but this time, her mother contacted me, so I know that the beautiful woman who was selected to portray Charlotte is Eleanor Holm.
 
Once she was chosen, the next challenge became finding a dress that was appropriate for Charlotte.  Since Charlotte was the premier dressmaker and designer in Cheyenne, she needed a very special gown.  Enter Sally Clark of Sally C Designs.  She custom made this gorgeous silk gown for my cover.

And then there's the background design.  I was absolutely delighted when Revell's art director incorporated one of my photographs.  (Okay, I'll admit it.  I didn't take this picture.  My husband did.) It's a building that's still standing in Cheyenne, the Tivoli.

And then came the magic part -- the designer putting all the elements together to create the final product.  I couldn't be happier with it. What do you think? Is there anything you'd change?



37 comments:

  1. What a wonderful story! I can't wait to read the book.

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  2. Cindy -- The whole process of creating this cover was so much fun for me.

    And, Dena, I want the dress, too. Unfortunately, it's well beyond my price range.

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  3. This cover is pure magic. Between it and the story (which sounds so much like my great-grandmother's life) this should be a bestseller.

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    1. Mary -- It'll be interesting to see if the story does remind you of your great-grandmother. There are certain things I hope she never encountered.

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  4. Thank you so much for the opportunity to make this special dress for your book. It was an honor :)

    Wonderful cover, beautiful model, I can't wait to read the book

    Regards

    Sally

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    1. Sally -- Everyone who sees the dress wants to know who made it. I hope you get more sales, because you're a fabulous designer.

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  5. This was so fun to see how they brought the different elements together for your cover. It's great!

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    1. Carrie -- I'm so pleased with the way it turned out. I continue to be amazed at the attention to detail that Revell puts into its covers.

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  6. I guess I never thought about how a special cover like this comes into being. Thanks for the walk through of the creative process. Result: Beautiful! Makes me want to hurry up and get the new book, grab a cup of tea and start reading. I loved the photo of the Trivoli in Cheyenne! Elegant. Best Success, Amanda!!

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    1. Ginny -- At one point, the Tivoli was "the" place for afternoon tea in Cheyenne. I wish it still were, because it would be a great place for a book launch party.

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  7. I love it. I love the brilliant blues with the reddish building background. Covers just amaze me these days and really do influence what I pick from my stacks both in physical books, but especially in eBooks.

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    1. I know we've been told not to judge a book by its cover, but we all do. That's why I'm so pleased with this one.

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  8. It's a striking cover, Amanda! Thanks so much for explaining the interesting process.

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    1. Katherine -- There's more to the process. I'm guest blogging about it tomorrow.

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  9. Amanda,
    How exciting! Thanks immensely for sharing this process, but most especially--sharing yourself! Can't wait to read it...

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  10. What a beautiful cover! And how interesting that all these separate, contemporary pieces came together to form one historical cover.

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    1. Karin -- It's amazing what the designers can do, isn't it?

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  11. Amanda, I love this cover! Of course, all of your covers have been beautiful, but I think this one is my favorite so far.

    The background behind the cover makes it all the more special. How exciting!

    I can't wait to read "Waiting for Spring." Have a wonderful weekend!

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    1. Penny -- This is my favorite too. I wonder if it's possible to top it.

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    1. Sharon -- I'm glad you like it. As you could tell, I'm very pleased with the cover.

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  13. Beautiful dress and eye-catching cover!

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  14. I just LOVE your cover. My favorite color is blue, and what a wonderful shade of blue the dress is. Even the black in the dress is appealing. I always prefer the male to be on the cover, but if not, all the more important to get the cover right. I’m currently reading Waiting for Spring, and loving it.

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    1. Kym -- I'm so glad you're enjoying the book. I'll pass your comment about liking the hero on the cover to the art director. I know she's always happy to receive feedback.

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  15. I just read the book and found this post fascinating - I had no idea you had an actual dress made up! And to know who the model is -- how fun!

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    1. Susan -- The whole experience was so much fun. And of course, I'm glad you enjoyed the book.

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  16. Thanks for sharing how your cover came together. It's lovely. And it was fun to see the cute photo of the model as herself!

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    1. Johnnie -- Isn't Eleanor a beauty? I'm so happy she became Charlotte for the cover.

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  17. I really enjoyed this Amanda. I love the photo of the old Bldg. in Cheyenne. The old ones are always fasinating to me. The dress is beautiful and will be very expensive I imagine. I love the whole cover and wish I could read the book at some point. Maxie

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  18. Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the process!

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