The Cover's the Thing: Part 2 (Final Product)

As you know, I contracted a great artist, James Christopher Hill, to do my cover for Sojourners. I want to show you how it turned out.

First of all, the process was both challenging and rewarding, since James had not had a chance to read  the first half of my novel, upon which the cover is based. It was a matter of my description and his interpretations.

So we discussed that it was a "living building" in the sense that it was designed by advanced aliens who wanted it to be self-maintaining. James wanted to add a dimension where it could generate its own power, which I thought was interesting:

Next, we both discussed the idea of the sacred. James and I were both into the relationships between music, mathematics and art. James had been doing research into this area for years, so he started looking into sacred geometry and was inspired by the following images:

We next began talking about the setting and how it would have stood out against the flames and destruction of war.

As you can see above, he added the quad copter(s) and accompanying buildings.

As you see here, he added other alien structures surrounding it, but also see how the sacred numerology is added to the building structures. He also added a view of the Milky Way and the two moons of Snarl. (Notice the Fox face in the nearer one).

Throughout this process, James and I are interacting on this as a collaborative project - not simply my dictating. My image of the Cathedral was much simpler and more primitive, but James's own research added new levels to my world and story I will now begin incorporating.

There were many other steps in the process, but the above is my final book cover.

James incorporated his designs into the font, the war graphics and created a stunning, very eye-appealing cover I tink will hopefully draw people in.

I will have James print a poster for displays and I will also have him print a larger image of the alien city itself for my wall!

Thanks again James!