Thursday, November 15, 2007

Special meaning behind book cover

During a book club chat with a group from Indiana last week, someone asked if I had a favorite book cover. I said no, I like them all for different reasons (answering the way a mother does when asked if she has a favorite child) and now that The Tin Box and The Penny Tree have gone into 2nd and 3rd printings in some foreign countries, the covers have changed again and I've got more new ones for my scrapbook. I thought, When you're that fortunate, how can you choose one over the other?

Yesterday, I changed my mind.

There is one that means more. It's the first published novel I ever held with my name on it. As foreign countries often do, Germany retitled it from The Tin Box to something like Only in a Single Moment, but that certainly didn't matter to me.

When it was delivered by FedEx, I ripped open the package and cried. How apt, I thought. My mom's German, my grandfather, who died right before I was born, was German, and here I was holding my debut novel, in German.

That Christmas, to surprise me, my husband and kids signed a tin strip underneath it and had the cover framed. It hangs behind my desk today. So I was wrong, my first German book cover will always be a favorite when comparing it to every cover that has followed since.

17 comments:

Ramona said...

What a nice thing to do,
framing it like that! I woulda been a puddle when I opened
the package.

Larramie said...

What a lovely and meaningful inspiration. Your office will soon become a shrine!

ORION said...

That is so cool!!!
At least you have a wall to put it on!

Janet said...

Yes, ORION, so few of us do! ;o)

That was a particularly sweet gift.

Adam said...

Nice! I guess if you framed all of them you'd need a lotta walls, huh?

Victoria said...

Beautiful idea! I love it.
And how perfect that your hubby had your kids sign the bottom.
I would've been a puddle on the floor with that surprise.

Anonymous said...

I think I'm gonna go out
and buy me the frame, prop it
against a wall, and use it as
motivation to get this WIP published!!!

Anonymous said...

I see why you like it,
but I personally like the
"look" of our Tin Box hard cover.

Adam said...

Does each country get
to rename your books whatever they want or do they need your permission?

Melissa Amateis said...

Such a sweet gift from your family. :-) Do you have the rest of your covers framed or just that one?

Aprilynne Pike said...

That's such a fun story. I have to tell you though, my favorite of your covers is The Silver Compass. I LOVE it! Of course, you've been lucky; ALL your covers are beautiful.:)

Travis Erwin said...

Wow, you've been in the midst of a blogging frenzy as of late.

And I can see how and why that one is your favorite. You are an inspiration to those of us still chasing the dream.

Holly Kennedy said...

Ramona -- I really wish I had enough space (ha!) to frame every cover, but it's just not feasible.

Larramie -- My office has crept outside the bounds into my kids desk & bookcase & their toy room (books everywhere) which has caused some severe grumbling lately!

Orion -- Maybe you could get a flag done up with the cover of Lottery and fly it from the mast of your boat? Ha! That'd be cute!

Holly Kennedy said...

Janet -- thanks for stopping by. Hey, isn't that a new picture of you?? Very nice :)

Adam -- Exactly. There aren't enough walls, but I'm thinking a portfolio or something might work to keep one of each on hand.

Victoria -- It's hard for anyone to 'surprise me' in my family, but that was a big surprise, and it immediately brought tears to my eyes

Holly Kennedy said...

Wordman17 -- Good for you!
Whatever it takes to motivate is a good thing when writing

Kyla-Dale -- Interesting. Everyone has different opinions and I love hearing them. I like the Tin Box hard cover very much as well. It definitely doesn't suck!

Adam -- Yes, every foreign country has the right to (and usually does) re-title each novel specific to the target market they're selling it to. Whatever it takes, I say! Go for it.

Holly Kennedy said...

Melissa -- Just that one, although as I said above, I'm thinking of putting together a nice big portfolio of covers. Maybe in the new year when I have more free time! Ha!


Maprilynne -- What a sweetie you are. Actually, I really really like the cover of Silver Compass as well, so we have the same tastes. There's something soothing about it, I think.

Travis -- I'm sending my copy edited ms back to New York on Monday and then plan to be back to normal blogging 3-4 times a week. Keep writing. You will make it, I know it!

Janet said...

Man, you goof around with a pair of vintage sunglasses, and everybody notices. ;o) My daughter takes the credit.

Is that the only cover you have framed?