And I’m going to have to schedule the reveal sometime next month.
It’s wonderful. I feel like crying. Not just because the artwork is so good–there’s lots of good cover artwork everywhere–but because I know how much went into this novel, the team effort, the passion for the craft of writing and storytelling and just plain love for books.
I’m kind of at the end of my rope right now. I’ve never expected too much from my writing, but it would be nice if I could pay my team and maybe afford some groceries that didn’t come from a can. I’m not one to complain, but we’re feeding six people here (soon to be seven, as my nephew will be joining us next year) on about one and a half person’s salary…my cousins can only work part-time at the moment, and one’s still in school. I’m kind of drawing from savings here, and I’m ashamed to admit that my artist is sort of on a permanent IOU. I pay her when I can, and not nearly as much as I should.
Last year, my husband and I started an industrial maintenance business, which is doing pretty good for a side job at the moment. The hope is that someday we can fit in creating technical manuals for clients, maybe even some drafting, which is when I can contribute, but for now, it’s all him. This means he’s working overtime–he’s been leaving at 5 am, coming back home at 10 pm, these days. He’s been working on Saturdays, too. And so far all the money he’s made is going into shit like car repairs or other stuff that needs to get done around the house.
I’m used to a hard life…I’ve found comfort and a whole heck of black humour in it, even…but it doesn’t mean I don’t feel like tearing my hair out in frustration sometimes. And yet look, my team sits there, putting their best effort where they can, waiting for this to someday all work out even when there’s a big chance it won’t. I feel awful that my husband has to work so hard just to put food on the table, and my only outlet is this…this writing thing. So I work just as hard on it. Nobody in this house questions why I write, or even why I need help to cut up the meat sometimes (repetitive strain injury FTW).
If you ever find yourself holding this book in your hands, take a moment to understand that it has “labour of love” written all over it. Shit, everything I put out (and all of World Tree Publishing’s titles) are done this way.
My cover artist wasn’t even a cover designer when we started out. She just liked to paint and draw, said she’d never do it for most people, but wanted to help us out with our books. And yet she kept trying to do better, and I’d make requests like “Make it more fantasy!” and she’ll go and study fantasy covers just to make it right for me. She does the same for everyone else with their different genres, too.
We do our best. The books don’t come out perfect–nothing ever does–but it doesn’t mean we didn’t do everything within our power. Shit, no wonder we take inspiration from prehistoric meat-eating creatures.
Now to stare some more at this cover and cry…
