The evolution of my cover
My book is an autobiography on healing from childhood sexual abuse.
It is written as a creative non-fiction novel with the intention of suggesting tools to:
- Help survivors identify their emotions,
better understand the impact of sexual assault and open paths to their healing journey ;
- Encourage partners, friends and caregivers
to share the feelings they and their loved ones are experiencing in order to better support them in their healing journey;
- Inspire readers
to create their own workbook in the form of a diary.
Including an Afterword and interview with Dr. Patch Adams, an American physician and humanitarian clown.
“We have had the privilege to have Guy on 5 of our clown trips.
He is a big, soft hearted soul, whose radiant smile has brought much glee and stimulation for the trips.
He and I have spoken often and I truly feel his passion to living radiant,
using clowning as a tool to help midwife a loving world.
To hear of his own transformation to bring a loving soul will inspire others to try it on.
Let him sparkle your environment.”
- Dr. Patch Adams, American physician, comedian, social activist, clown, and author.
4 years ago this was my first cover and I saw my book as a trilogy
These were the three corresponding covers
The book rebecame one and the subtitle became the title
I played with the butterfly and the clown nose
The butterfly became the main focus
I gave up the butterfly as it was already overused and a stereotype
The comments were that the covers were generic, so I tried photos relating to my story
A facebook reader made these 2 covers, which are also generic
I decided to choose photos relating to the actual events in the book
I returned to my original concept of a full cover photo
I was now assigned a designer from the self-publishing assitant company
and these were the first images he proposed
I was shocked!! I had explained that it was a positive book
about healing from chilhood sexual abuse and this is what he offered.
So I explained him again and sent some of my own images
At this point I felt discouraged as I could have done these myself.
I had expected something new, modern that was a great design.
So I sent him new images for my new title about swings
and started to do my own images
At this point I continued to create my own images
and made poles on facebook so people would vote and comment.
This was highly educational and helpful!
The empty swing was getting most of the votes
so finally I chosed to work from this image
and these are the present covers
Meanwhile doing some research I found many similar images titles
and the best sellers in my category are
Tears of the Silenced: An Amish True Crime Memoir of Childhood Sexual Abuse,
Brutal Betrayal, and Ultimate Survival
The Boy in the Barn
Notes on a Silencing: A Memoir
For my release of the upcoming English edition in 2021
I now bought the rights to the photo I originaly wanted
