Every book needs a cover

So here, at last, is the cover of my book!

Had it been left to me it would’ve been much simpler — verging on minimal, even — but when my editor sent me the first version (what you see above is the third and final) I immediately understood what they were thinking. We needed a cover that was rich and luscious to draw prospective readers to it. It’s textured, colourful, layered and thoughtful — just like the words it contains. And truth be told, this is absolutely the sort of cover I would pick up in a book store.

Having my mug on the cover made me squirm at first — that old visibility thing rearing its head. But I remember the day I took that photo and it was full of calm and quiet. And the photo of my sister on the right is one of my favourites. Seeing us together makes me smile.

The cover also reminds me of the wallpaper that decorated the dining room of our house when we were kids. This wasn’t planned but it feels so meant to be:

(Can you see how much Noah looks like his mummy?)

We’re working on the insides of the book at the moment — after the richness of the cover, the insides are much more calm and simple, with Polaroids dotted throughout the text. We’re getting our zen on and I think you’re going to like it :)

Some stats:
The book will be 5.5 x 7.5 inches
Hardcover
Publication date: June 5th, 2012
Price: $21.95 (£14.31) but you can pre-order it on Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk* right now for $14.93 (£12.78)

* Did you see what I did just then? I linked to my book on Amazon! There is a young girl dancing inside of me right now, the girl who spent entire weekends lying on her bed reading books. The girl who wrote stories about love and recorded the smallest details of her life in her notebooks…

94 responses
  1. Jenn Gibson

    Susannah! Oh my gosh, it’s gorgeous, so warm and fun and pretty! Feminine.

    I love it! Oh I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

  2. Andrea

    Congrats! Dreams really do come true:)

    It’s a lovely book and I can’t wait to get a copy of it. Off to pre-order right now!

  3. Tia Sparkles Singh

    Congrats girlfriend, that is one GORGEOUS book and it draws me in right away. Here’s to dreams coming true :)

  4. Gayle L..

    Fucking awesome. :D

  5. Gayle L..

    Did you see what I just did?! I followed the link and bought your book!

    #dreamsdocometrue
    #thebeststudentsgetthehardesttests

  6. kats-eye-view

    “this i know” … the book cover is simply stunning …

  7. EMC

    Congrats, it looks so beautiful! Very happy for you. E.

  8. Melbpart3

    I just pre-ordered both of your books on the US Amazon site. Can’t wait! The cover is so beautiful!

  9. angie

    You must have fantasized about this day so many times – and now it’s on Amazon so it MUST be true! It’s all down to your hard work, passion and determination – congratulations, you deserve all the accolades and success I know will be coming your way xx
    PS – I am pre-ordering right now!

  10. Debra Eve | Later Bloomer

    Just beautiful. Loved Unravelling, can’t wait to see this in print!

  11. Kathryn Dyche Dechairo

    Wow, way to go. You must be giddy with excitement.

  12. jane

    this is so fu*king awesome i am doing a dance… and beaming – congratulations Susannah what a gift to the world!

  13. Fiona

    My little girl is dancing too, with happiness for you :)

  14. Aggie

    One can also pre-order on Amazon.ca for $18.15!!!
    Don’t forget us die-hard, Canadian Susannah stalkers :D

  15. Roxanne Galpin

    so lovely … so you!

  16. judy-sue

    Oh my goodness I love it!!!! so excited for you

  17. Marthe

    Congrats!

    It looks awesome, I can’t wait to read it:)

  18. lisa

    I cannot find enough superlatives to describe just how beautiful I think this is.
    So truly well-deserved my friend.
    Sending you wishes for a wonderful weekend!

  19. Susan

    That is SO exciting! Such a beautiful cover, and such fun to know it will soon be on Amazon! Congrats!

  20. Anita

    It looks lovely! Can’t wait to read it. I just finished pre-ordering it!

  21. Laura Fragiacomo

    you’re so sweet! congratulations! PS which sister are you, the older or younger one? can’t wait to order your new book :-)

  22. jodi

    so beautiful! congratulations, lady!!

  23. Christianne

    Congratulations, Susannah! The cover is so, so beautiful! Can’t wait to read this beautiful book — I know it will be moving and wonderful. xoxo

  24. Nolwenn PETITBOIS

    It’s gorgeous !!!

  25. Meg Manion Silliker

    my heart skipped a beat. i am so happy for you and i can’t wait to hold the book in my hands. you deserve this. bravo. xoxo

  26. susannah

    the older! :)

  27. susannah

    i love my Canadian stalkers! :))))

  28. susannah

    you are so awesome, G – thank you :)

  29. Dana Barbieri

    Congratulations! It looks beautiful!

  30. Sandie Cottee

    How exciting Susannah! The cover is just beautiful and exactly what I would pick up too. Good luck with the contents, can’t wait to see it completed!

  31. susannah

    weee! thank, you Anita!! xx

  32. Shandi

    Congrats, Susannah. The book’s cover is beautiful. I’m heading over to Amazon now. :)

  33. mati McDonough

    Congrats lady!!!! Gorgeous!

  34. Nathalie

    Hey, hey, when I saw the colours (all that yellow and purple and rich pink) I thought: one hippie coming out :-) Congratulations on your book, you’re an inspiration, we don’t get enough of you lately.

  35. Traci

    Oh my god, that’s so awesome. I don’t even know what else to say.

  36. Yeti

    exciting! exciting! exciting! exciting! exciting! exciting! exciting! exciting! exciting!

  37. Kelly

    So glad I came across you and your blog. You are a star and a light. Here’s to having dreams come true!

  38. Tina Tierson

    Oh Sweetie – It’s gorgeous!!!!!!! I will definitely preorder!! xoxo

  39. Molly

    I am so very happy for you, Susannah! You have helped so many of us — and you deserve every success.

    Now I need to go pre-order my very own copy :)

  40. kristen

    congratulations susannah, i’m so happy for you. and i love seeing all the pre-orders here in the comments. :) and of course, your cover moves me with you and your sister. i love it. xo

  41. Robby

    Congratulations! You deserve the world and then some.

  42. elizabeth

    Congrats Congrats Congrats!!!!!!

    This is a big, gorgeous, LUMINOUS day– soak it in, celebrate it– create a ritual and MARK it.

    Beautiful.

    I am so happy for you and cannot wait to get my mitts on it!

    xoxox, E

  43. brooke

    this is amazing! congratulations!

    my heart stopped a beat because ‘polaroids dotted throughout the text’ describes one of my secret dreams one day for my book :)

  44. Catherine Just

    When I saw the cover I got chills and my heart gasped! It’s really gorgeous Susannah! Congratulations. And I FELT your joy about linking YOUR book to AMAZON.COM. YOUR BOOK IS ON AMAZON.COM!!!! Fucking AWESOME. I just pre-ordered mine, and I will cherish it. xoxoxoxoxoxo *c

  45. Sharon Harkness

    The cover is beautiful and I would pick it up in an instant in a book store, but I’ll be pre ordering mine on AMAZON!!!!! I love that your dream came true!

  46. DanaN

    Your cover is beautiful! Congratulations on your huge accomplishment. I can’t wait to get my copy.

  47. Melissa Jaine

    Gorgeous girl, it is perfect! PERFECT!
    And the picture of you on the cover is my very favourite picture of you – and well, of anyone really! :)
    mj.
    x

  48. Michele Fischer

    It is beautiful Susannah-congratulations!

  49. Lauren (VisionWise)

    It looks beautiful!

  50. amy

    congratulations… how wonderful! i love that you included a photo of your feet. i have one of your lovely sneakers and flowers photos on my wall!

  51. Heather

    wow, I love it.. Can’t wait to have it to add to my collection of amazing inspiration. I love the cover It’s a book that if I saw at the bookstore I would be drawn to in an instant..

    Congrats

  52. Belle

    Congratulations on all your hard work and a job well done! I look forward to buying my copy!

  53. whitney

    So happy for you Susannah!

  54. Rae

    How amazing.
    Looking forward to having it in my hands soon. :)
    x

  55. bonitarose

    so happy for you. u are living a dream of mine.

  56. judith

    ordered! can’t wait to get it, whatever cover.
    xx

  57. judith

    my order has been placed. Estimated delivery: June 29, 2012 – July 19, 2012
    yes! xx

  58. susannah

    ohh, bless your heart — thank you so much, honey! xxxxx

  59. zainab Waggie

    Congratulations Susannah. Your cover is AWESOME!!! Keep dancing, always.

  60. sarah s. - redlinedesign

    susannah….its lovely…..I am placing my order as well and want to join you in the photo meditations class…..the cover looks soothing and inviting and warm…I think it expresses you so well….congrats…its been a fun process for me to see this project of yours evolve….I feel special to have been able to have a peek into its creation

  61. Kim

    A gorgeous cover. I can just feel your excitement and am so happy for you. Pre-ordered!

  62. Helen

    Oh, Susannah! It’s absolutely GORGEOUS!!! Just perfect.

  63. Ivy

    Susannah, this is absolutely stunning. A perfect cover. I just pre-ordered my copy! Can’t wait to get it! As usual, you shine hope and inspiration into my day. Thank you. xo.

  64. Cat

    Looking forward to it. I love how the ‘i’ is bold and has a shadow of it’s own in the coloured background… Since you use an iPhone to document so much of your life and it is the journey inward to you…The ‘i’ is so perfect, : )) C x

  65. Marianne

    Oh my goodness! I am SO excited for you. It is beautiful – not what I can imagine you would have created yourself – but somehow still very representative of the values you represent to me – beauty, connection, vulnerability, honesty and richness.

    I expect my first draft cover this coming week and they have insisted on having my mug on the cover too and have advised against the very simple approach I wanted to take too. I feel you every step of the way, sister. xx

  66. Cat

    Just clicked the Amazon pre-order : )<3

  67. susannah

    thank you so much, lovely Cat! x

  68. susannah

    weee! thank you, Ivy!! x

  69. susannah

    yay! thanks so much, Kim! :)

  70. Alicia

    My order has been placed too! So excited–will be like Christmas in July next year :)

  71. Debbi Jackson

    “Beautiful” cover – so feminine and so heartfelt, the “i” being in red is so powerful too – makes you connect with yourself on some level.

  72. Renee @ The Calm Mama

    Eeeeeeeek!!! oh my goodness!! BEAUTIFUL!!! i can’t wait!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!

  73. Alita

    So Beautiful!… is it July already????… I want my copy!!!!
    Congratulations for everything, you inspire people to keep moving, your wings can be broken in pieces but they just simply will not disappear… =)

  74. Jen Lee

    So very, very lovely!

  75. Lynda Howells

    congrats..beautiful coverxx congrats on your bookxxlynda

  76. Ellie

    I remember reading your early thoughts avout publishing a book and an so wowed that you made it happen, that you did the unravelling and the work and got to here!!!
    It’s old style buy I’m going to order it through my local book shop so I can support them and have the whole bookshop book meeting experience. Hope that still supports you as the author?! x

  77. Cheri Andrews

    The cover is perfect! Calm, warm, inviting… exactly the kind of book I would pick up and it just “feels” like I did in the unravelling courses!

  78. wini

    Congratulations on your new book!! The cover looks gorgeous!

  79. Erin Oates

    This cover totally envelopes me with warmth – the cover makes me want to jump into the story right NOW! Gorgeous, lush and everything inviting.

  80. Cricket aka Gypsea Nurse

    Stunning…..

  81. Cat

    Congrats! The cover is brilliant!! Simply divine!
    Smiles~

  82. Holly Becker

    It’s beautiful but I’m concerned about the title because that is something Oprah always says – could be a problem for you???

  83. michelle gd

    susannah…
    oh, i know i don’t really know you {outside of this blog and unravelling} but i could just cry for you, having read this post and having seen the cover for your book. it is beautiful, though that word doesn’t seem to quite cover it. it has such feeling in it, such peace. it’s stunning.

    hugs and congrats to you as you move through another mile marker.

    now off to pre-order…

  84. Chelsea

    what a gorgeous cover! I work in publishing and this is one of the most beautiful covers I have seen. absolutely one that I would be drawn to in a bookstore. congratulations susannah! I can’t wait to get my hands on this beautiful book. xo

  85. susannah

    oh wow, thank you Chelsea! that means a lot to me! x

  86. Thea

    Oh angel this is just magnificent! I am beaming with joy for you. You are magnificent.

    Love you
    xo

  87. Julie Daley

    Oh, my. It is stunning. The cover is simple stunning. Like you and everything you do, dear.
    Big grin over here across the pond. Big grin for you and how the world might be different for you having written this work of art.
    Love you.
    j

  88. dara

    the cover is really really “lovely” & suites you! from another Canadian stalker LOL
    Congrats!

  89. Bonnie

    doing a happy happy dance for you!!! this is so exciting and just so awesome!! congratulations!! the cover is rich and vibrant and I can’t wait to add your book to my collection. I know it will be stunning! so happy for you. :) xoxo

  90. Renee Howell

    congrats and more congrats. you are doing. and that is good. enjoy the ride.

  91. VSC

    Beautiful, beautiful. The kind of book you never want to hide, but keep over the table just to look at its cover. Perfect colours. Congratulations!

  92. Rhianne

    Eeee, Susannah, you’re on Amazon!!! It looks beautiful, perfect even, I’m so happy for you and I can not wait to read it :)

  93. Nicole | Blue Bicicletta

    oh it is beautiful! congrats!

  94. Kathryn

    it’s completely gorgeous! My sort of cover.
    I, too, have dreamt and still dream of seeing my name on a book one day and I’m sure I will. :)
    So, congrats a hundred times! Dreams are lovely, especially when you make them happen.

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