I love talking to authors. Our experiences are so similar, yet so very different, that every one of us has a new story to share. Everyone says that the moment you get your cover it really hits you – you’re an author. The cover is your story – and you – packaged for the world. So the process of the cover reveal can be slightly panic inducing. Does it fit your story? Is it what you hoped? Will it sell? With this in mind I put together the CRAP (Cover Reveal Anxiety Phase) Interview.

Today’s guest for the CRAP is KayLynn Flanders who has a degree in English Language and editing, and has been a freelance editor and book designer for over ten years. Her debut novel, Shielded, a YA fantasy, will be published by Delacorte (Penguin Random House) July 21, 2020.

Did you have any pre-conceived notions about what you wanted your cover to look like?

Yes! I’d been keeping a folder with covers I liked for several months before I got my cover art. The folder was mostly filled with cloaked figures not facing the reader, daggers, and epic landscapes. And blue—for some reason, I’ve always been drawn to blue covers. One thing I was sure I didn’t want was a face on the cover. But I was proved wrong on that one, because my main character’s face is on my cover, and it’s more epic than anything I ever imagined for my book! 

How far in advance from your pub date did you start talking covers with your house?

The first time we talked about covers was when my editor sent me concept art. It was about fifteen months before publication, and the concept art was so stunning I yelled, “No way!” out loud and startled my kids. 

Did you have any input on your cover?

Yes! While the concept art was pretty set, my editor was really open to any feedback I had. Further along in the process, I had a few concerns about some of the finishing details, but we went back and forth until everyone was happy.

How was your cover revealed to you?

By email! Because there was so much back and forth, the final wasn’t a surprise, but the tagline was! It was one I hadn’t seen, but I’m really happy with it.

Was there an official "cover reveal" date for your art?

I actually didn’t have a big “cover reveal” for SHIELDED. I saw my cover on Goodreads one day (that was a jolt to my heart, let me tell you), and revealed the cover through my own social media a few days later in November of 2019. The response was phenomenal, though, and I was actually glad I hadn’t stressed about organizing a big reveal. One thing I love about my cover is it creates an emotional response, so it was easy for me to post it and see people’s reactions as they hit like and share. 

How far in advance of the reveal date were you aware of what your cover would look like?

I saw the final cover about two months before the reveal to everyone else, and the full jacket a few weeks after the reveal. 

Was it hard to keep it to yourself before the official release?

Yes! I wanted to splash it everywhere, yet there was a tiny voice that wondered if others would like it as much as I did and wanted to keep it to myself instead. It’s been the lock screen on my phone ever since the reveal. 

What surprised you most about the process?

I was surprised at how much input I got, and how much back and forth there was. I know that isn’t the case with every publisher, but I appreciated having a little bit of a say in things. 

Any advice to other debut authors about how to handle cover art anxiety?

Don’t worry too much about fancy cover reveals. The cover comes out really far before the actual book, with plenty of time to build good publicity—your book’s success doesn’t hinge on the reveal. Also, if you’re given the opportunity to give feedback on your cover, spend time talking things over with your agent so you can know what to focus on asking. Your agent has a really good perspective on publishing, and has probably seen way more covers than you have.