At long last, I have official permission to share my cover, so I present to you . . . my cover!
This is for the ARC, so font, text, what-have-you is entirely subject to change, but when it is a book, it’s going to look a lot like this, and let me tell you, I am absolutely thrilled! It satisfies all my creepiest, most atmospheric cover-daydreams, is totally ominous, and yet has just a dash of whimsy.
What I’m saying is: this is my kind of cover.
It was designed by Natalie Sousa and photographed by Jonathan Barkat and I’ve never met either of them, but I look at this cover and make wild speculations about how freaking cool they must be!
I am one happy girl.
Brenna Yovanoff 
That is so amazingly creepy. Definitely something I’d pick up off a shelf on that eerie image alone. I can practically hear the ominous music box lullaby…
I can practically hear the ominous music box lullaby
Yes! Even though the setting is very steel-town/indie-club, there’s still a definite Victorian-nursery vibe!
(This is apparently the part where I fail at describing my book in a way that is not confusing.)
That’s beautiful! Wow. The juxtaposition of the gorgeous baby carriage with the sharp things hanging above it, and the eerie fog…I love it!
Yes–I love the sharp things ridiculously, but I don’t think I would love them nearly as much without the softness of everything else!
Hi there! Wow, that is an incredibly morbid cover. I must be twisted, because I like it.
I’ll admit, I’m pretty morbid myself, so this is basically my perfect cover!
Holy carp, that’s creepy! I’d pick it up just for the cover.
I’m so happy with how much weirdness it implies! Like, it’s just daring you to see what it’s all about :)
Ooooh. I love that.
Thanks!
OH. MY. GOSH. I can’t even explain how much I love this. It’s like no other fairy book I’ve seen. GORGEOUS.
I was so happy when I saw it, but it totally took me by surprise because I was imagining all these things that were like other things and . . . it wasn’t!
So wonderfully creepy; I love it! :-)
Thanks! And thanks for reposting :)
I figured since it was in a Public post (rather than a Friends-locked one), it was okay to share. And I really do adore it – so hoping that the final version won’t be too different! ;-)
http://kellygay.blogspot.com/2010/02/love-this.html Author Kelly Gay (aka Kelly Keaton) has also shared it – yay for more publicity :-)
Awesome–I’m really glad people are responding enthusiastically!
As far as changes, the image itself really shouldn’t change *at all* and I’m guessing the treatment of the title will stay the same too. The only things likely to change would be name font/size/color/placement, and possibly the tagline at the top. Everything else should be just like you see it :)
Oh, Brenna! It’s GORGEOUS!!!
I’m glad you like it! I had a little episode of impromptu manic dancing when I opened the file :D
HOLY>>>>>> S*&# I cannot say enough how much i love this! and the photographer is amazing! I am actually a HUGE fan of his. If I am not mistaken he had done the original Forest of hands and Teeth and Dead Tossed Waves and Madapple. Which omg are so moody!
Lucky you! now i am even more excited to read it!
he had done the original Forest of hands and Teeth and Dead Tossed Waves and Madapple
Yes! I didn’t even know who’d shot it when I first saw the image–I asked who it was and then was like, “I totally know who that is!”
I love how strange and atmospheric his work is, and cannot get over this being so. freaking. perfect!
Seriously creepy, pretty cover! I love the comments here like girls over an engagement ring! So happy you love it!
I love the comments here like girls over an engagement ring!
It’s exactly like that! Hmm, this calls for some kind of aphorism about about how covers are the diamonds of the book-girl world ;)
this is my kinda cover. this is sooo amazing. i am stoked!
My kind of cover too! I like for things to be scary and pretty all at once!
Love love love! Wow!!
Thanks! I’m so pleased with what they’ve done :D
Holy crap! That is one fierce and freakin’ SCARY cover!!! Wow. Amazing. Thank you. If I saw one more flower or piece of fruit on a YA cover, I think I would puke.
Ok, I took a longer look to really process it because at first glance it’s just so shocking. My thoughts: They should’ve made your name bigger :). Love the blurb from Maggie. And love the font and color of the title. That photo is creepy gorgeous.
Btw, do the cover designers read the book before creating the artwork for it?
My thoughts: They should’ve made your name bigger :)
That’s actually one of the things that’s scheduled to change–I don’t know how it will look, but there’s talk of using a different font, and maybe a different color too.
As far as whether cover designers read the book, I actually have no idea :) The publisher had already talked about having this really cool idea for a kind of crib mobile using tools and scrap metal, so this might have been the designer’s take on that, but they definitely incorporated a Victorian feel, which makes me think someone else might have at least described the story in some detail.
Squee!! I’m just so excited to have a copy in my hands eventually. I predict I’ll be stroking the cover and staring at it for a while. I also think they shouldn’t stack your name — they should put both your name and last name on one line. LOL, here I go telling publishers what to do. Anyway, it’s just awesome. It’s cool beans smothered in awesome sauce.
NICE!
Thanks!
Deliciously creepy. Congrats on the great cover! :)
Thanks! I’m dance-ably happy with it :D
That is one gorgeous cover!
Totally impromptu storytime: When I was on submission to editors (which now seems like a long time ago), I got to talk to the Razorbill publisher on the phone and he asked me what my publishing daydream was, and I said that as long as I was being completely frivolous, I wanted to have a pretty cover, and he said, “We can do that.”
And they did it!
They gave you that and more, I defy anyone not to pick it up in a book shop!
Whoa. That is gorgeous!
Thanks! I’m glad you like it!
That is so beautiful… Very Tim Burton! :)
Also, it looks kinda of like the cover of a Vertigo comic book or graphic novel, which is ultra-cool.
Totally Tim Burton! Which is extra-appropriate because when it was on submission, people kept comparing the atmosphere to Edward Scissorhands–a comparison that I obviously have no problem with ;)
Ooooh… I totally want to read it!
Also, very interesting re. the difference in US and UK titles. Have I missed you saying more about that?
Have I missed you saying more about that?
No–I probably should say something about it, but I only found out for sure that they’d be using the original title about a week ago! I don’t even really know what to say, except that apparently S&S UK finds my joke funny enough to outweigh the fact that I sometimes have to explain it :D
Is it to do with iron? Or am totally on the wrong track? ;)
I’m glad the UK wants to keep your original title! Not that the other one isn’t cool, too.
Congrats! Reminds me of the animated images at the start of the Ghost Whisperer series and the movie Saw. Creeps me out a bit and only zombies do that. Well done.
It’s funny–the cover creeps me out too, but in the most delicious way! When I first opened the file, it gave me a little shock :D
LOVE that cover. It is so dreamlike and creepy! Even if I wasn’t already eager to read this, that cover alone would make me think, MUSTBUYBOOK. ;)
Definitely dreamlike–there are so many things that don’t seem reconcilable with each other! Also, this is not final, but they’re talking about making some of the metal implements shiny, which . . . well, let me just say, I’m kind of like a magpie ;)
Looks good :)
Thanks!
Ooo-I love it! It’s creepy and beautiful and something that I would be drawn to.
Now there’s talk of adding some foil to make the hardware shine, which has me extra excited, because I’m kind of like a raccoon that way!
this is an amazing book cover. If I saw this in a bookstore and had no idea who you were I would pick this up. Amazing.
I don’t even know what it’s about! Fairy changelings? Maybe?
I don’t even know what it’s about! Fairy changelings? Maybe?
Kind of? :D It definitely draws on that folklore, but also has a specific focus on the town, and the town’s relationship to replacement children. And a love story! And some bands, and lots of stuff that’s spoilery (man, I have got to comes up with an more pithy way of talking about this book)!
This book just went from “I should check that out” to “MUST-BUY.”
Absolutely GORGEOUS cover. I’m thoroughly creeped out and intrigued.
Yay! I was so impressed with how the photographer and the designer managed to make the cover scary in this way that actually makes a person want to come *closer*!
That’s FANTASTIC. Oh, MAN. I would (*will*) pick that up in a heartbeat! Never seen anything like it. Huge congratulations!!
— Steph
http://www.stephanieperkins.com
Thanks, Steph! I really couldn’t be happier–it was my ideal cover and I didn’t even know until I saw it!
So exciting! Let me know when you have advance copies, I’d love to take them to the local book stores and give one to Sue-Ellen for her Teens. I think Old Firehouse Books is looking for local authors to do signings and stuff:)
Congrats!
Kelly Gay posted the cover of this on her blog, and I have to say that it is probably one of the coolest covers I’ve ever seen!! I will definitely be waiting for this one to hit the shelves!
I saw that–I’m absolutely thrilled that people are sharing it!
I first saw this on Sarah’s blog. Very cool, Brenna. :)
That’s awesome! I get confused about when I’m allowed to do stuff, so Sarah is my baseline–when she posts stuff, I know that it’s okay for me to do it ;)
Once again, I’m late to the party, but… YAY!!!
I would buy this based on the cover alone. It’s gorgeous. Very Addams Family meets Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Very Addams Family meets Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Ooh, I like that comparison!
Drop. Dead. Gorgeous.
I would snatch this up in a heartbeat! SOOOO happy for you!
Thanks, Dawn! I am SO in love with it:D
minds
minds so finely attractive they must be entwined, with slightly evil if not completely devilishly deviant. When those minds are female, that is what IS better, than anything.
Yes, let’s find out what you are capable of. I have an idea, I just don’t believe in those types of things until I know it with all the senses. Until then, there is always alternate possibilities