What goes into creating a book cover design? ♦ Jean Ann Williams

For the past several months, this blog has been featuring many author releases as spotlights, sometimes including a 'Story Behind the Story' article. This time, I thought it would be fun to focus on a 'Story Behind the COVER' article, and for that, I'm very pleased to bring you "Just Claire" with some details about this cover. So sit back and enjoy . . .

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The Story Behind Just Claire’s Book Cover & Trailer

by Jean Williams @JeanAnnWilliams

I opened my email and gasped. Staring at me was my first ever book cover, Just Claire. Not only did I think it perfect, but I liked the vibrant colors. I leaned closer. The girl model is facing the river with her back to the viewer, and she seemed familiar. As though one of the river boulders shot off the book cover, I gasped, again.This book cover character was the very image of my granddaughter, Carley Rose, everything down to the model’s colorful outfit. At the age of my main character, Carley wore out the colors pink and red. Also, Carley’s hair is the exact shade of red, and she has a well-rounded head just like the model. My granddaughter has always been lanky, so is the character on the book cover.

I wrote the designer and told her my story, and she, also, was astonished.

Last but not least, Carley had read Just Claire’s manuscript and gave detailed suggestions. In my opinion, the book cover model should look like my granddaughter.

For Just Claire’s You Tube book trailer, I worked with the designer. Because Carley was so evident on the book cover, I chose Carley for the voice over and she read off of the book blurb. The first photo in the book trailer is of Carley, when she was the same age as my MC.

Computer savvy, Carley made this experience a delight with helping me figure out how to send the taped voice over to the designer. Being in school drama, Carley knew how to become the main character in the voice over.

Also, the designer did an excellent job using video footage of young people who reflect secondary characters in Just Claire. One student even wore a lavender shirt, and I used lavender as part of the name of a girls’ club.

Author Jean Williams

After working on Just Claire for twenty years, I believe in the publication process God sprinkled sweet blessings on this book by making the cover and trailer a perfect fit.

And here, as promised, is the video book trailer for Just Claire: (Be sure your sound is on!)