The approaching holidays have me thinking about gratitude. Long ago I wrote down this quote from Mary Jean Irion: “Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.” I try to live by those words, but this autumn has been full of extraordinary days as I’ve celebrated Sugar Fix coming into the world. And now it’s time to thank all the folks involved!
First up, because perhaps you CAN judge a book by its cover, I want to introduce you to Janet Hill Studio. I first came across Janet’s paintings on Pinterest, where I occasionally hang out and create pins related the The Art of Reading. (It’s possible I also pin a lot of cookie recipes – shocking, huh?) One painting led to another, and then to a Google search, and soon I was on Janet’s website, enamored with her colorful, vintage-feeling, slightly quirky images. Janet lives in Ontario, but to me her images also have a very Southern feel.
Months later, when Terrapin Books accepted my manuscript, I was delighted to learn that publisher Diane Lockward wanted my input on the cover. Over on her blog, Blogalicous, “Finding the Right Cover Art for Your Poetry Book” tells how we eventually arrived at using Janet’s painting “Twelve Days at the Penny Fontaine Hotel. Day Six” for Sugar Fix (with Janet’s permission, of course).
The cover looks too yummy to resist, doesn’t it? (Umm, if you have resisted but don’t want to any longer, check out how to get a copy of the book.)
Janet has paintings, greeting cards, and her own books for sale. Check our her shop on her website or on Etsy.
