You can't judge a book by its cover... can you?

     I thought I'd mention a word or two about the cover design for Earthen Vessels. Although there is a romantic component to the book, I didn't want to emphasize that on the cover. And with apologies to any romance authors out there, I certainly didn't want to be cast into the same category as the formulaic love stories that crowd the paperback shelves. 
     The theme of EV revolves around the idea that everything in life is for sale on some level, that we trade various opportunities or situations around much as we do with money and possessions. So I toyed briefly with featuring some kind of currency on the cover, but that wasn't quite right either.
     What I most wanted to emphasize was the heroine's journey of discovery - discovery about the world and life and herself. The plant for which the protagonist, Maggie, is searching is the perfect metaphor for her epiphany, and the beautiful rainforest backdrop of the story seemed too gorgeous not to use. I had my plan.
     I then started searching the Internet for photos I might use. I felt it was important that the photo was actually taken in Colombia. Searching for my plant, much as Maggie does, I soon discovered the photo below.

    When I saw the image of that tree, emerging from the surrounding forest, I imagined myself as Maggie, feeling her excitement as she beheld it for the first time. (Does that give away too much?)

     It was taken in 2006 in Amacayacu National Park, Leticia, Colombia. I had already worked the town of Leticia into the story, so this seemed a little like fate. I contacted the photographer to get permission to use his image, and learned his name is Rhett Butler. I've been a fan of Gone with the Wind since I was 12, so it now really seemed like fate. I explained to him that I was self-publishing the novel, and didn't expect to earn much money from it, but if it ever turns a profit, I owe his organization a cut of the proceeds. He works for a group called Mongabay. which seeks to raise interest in wildlife and wildlands while promoting awareness of environmental issues. Visit their website at Mongabay.com