The Making of BEFORE I GO’s Cover

Going through the publishing process of BEFORE I GO was a big learning curve. But the thing I learned about covers, is that I did not miss my calling in designing them. My editor kindly asked me for input (which I’ve heard doesn’t happen all the time at big publishing houses). I studied covers of books I liked and tried to decipher what drew me to the cover. I looked at covers I didn’t like and tried to put into words what was so offensive about them. But I had no idea.

I jotted down a few ideas, my best one being a solid color with just the title in words — no picture (think any of JoJo Moyes’ U.S. covers). Yes, that was the extent of my artistic creativity.

So when I got the email a month or two later with the subject line “cover,” I was equal parts thrilled and terrified to open it. I literally had no idea what to expect. When I finally clicked on the attachment, I gasped. And yes, I cried.

The daisy, losing its petals, such a beautiful metaphor for the main character’s journey. The bright, eye-catching yellow. The graphic crosshatch background that reminded me of the screen door that Daisy and Jack used to enter and leave their home. It was everything I could have ever hoped for and everything I didn’t know I wanted.

But above all of those elements, I think what elicited the tears was seeing my name on the cover. I know that sounds narcissistic (bear with me), but it’s what I’d been dreaming about for years— and a goal I never really believed I’d achieve. To see a legitimate book cover with my name as the byline. So honestly, though I did (and do) love the cover of BEFORE I GO, it probably could have been a white page with a title and my name and still been just as beautiful to me, because it represented a huge accomplishment.

What do you look for in book covers when you’re browsing for your next read? If you’re a writer, are you good at coming up with your own ideas for book covers — or are you as hopeless as I am?