Isn't she lovely? Beautiful You shows her face.

There are various moments when a book becomes real to her writer. 

There is the moment when a publisher says, “yes, that’s brilliant.  I must have it” and you go to contract (Okay, maybe I am embellishing a bit there but just work with me). 

There is the moment when you pound out the last word of the 400 pages and realize that in front of you are 400 pages of stuff you said that did not exist before. 

There’s the moment when your editor says, “yes, it’s brilliant.  We really are going to publish it.”  (Again, perhaps there is a touch of embellishment there.) 

 And then there is this moment.  The moment when you, your editor, and the amazing team that supports your publisher- especially the designer- find the cover that is absolutely meant to visually represent your book.  This, ladies and gentlemen (Hi BF, Hi Poppy), is that cover– born both of visualization and discussion but also of someone else (the designer) just getting the spirit of the book on her own.  This cover takes my breath.  I love it on its own, but then I also love how it resembles the cover of Hijas Americanas in some ways.  You can’t see either woman’s face and yet the photograph is evocative.  There is bright colorwork on the bottom of each cover.  And, on this cover, I love how that bright floral scroll resembles a tattoo on this woman’s back– even though it’s not and I am way too wimpy and fickle to get a tattoo (I would absolutely fall out of love with it well after the tattoo artist started it but definitely before she finished it.).  I like that my book cover model might not be as wimpy or fickle or boring  as me.  To that I say, you go girl.  And to this book cover, I say cheers!  I love you already.  And I know that I’ll never get tired of looking at you. 

Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance comes out October 5th.  Between now and then, we will have lots of build-up, buzz, contests, and other fun on here.  Let me know if you have any ideas!

Now, what do you think of the cover?  Do you have any questions about the process that I didn’t answer?  Let me know!