THE FOURTH COVER OPTIONS

April 11, 2018

Continuing our discussion of How A Cover Gets Made and our cover-design contest (see http://lmelliott.com/lauras-blog/how-cover-gets-made/ )

Ultimately, we all fell in love with the poses of this model (by Richard Jenkins http://rjenkins.co.uk/ . The final choice was of the Peggy figure sitting at the window, looking out expectantly—to add a bit of tension, a sense of impending action, and to show Peggy Schuyler is an active heroine. The pose asks: Is she keeping watch for a British invasion (which happens); or for couriers from General Washington bringing dire news to her father, commander of the Northern Army (which happens); or for her father’s spies coming to report intelligence they’ve gathered (which happens); or for French officers and Iroquois sachems who need to confer with General Schuyler (which happens); or for the return of her sisters and their lovers (which happens). It also really captures the tone of the prologue—as Peggy gazes out her bedroom window, trying to gauge if she can survive traveling through the worst snowstorm ever recorded in American history to ensure Eliza is safe with her new, roguish suitor, Alexander Hamilton.

Jenkins’ photos were so perfectly evocative of the narrative, we used a number of his images in the book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=x4BF-XGXMqI

This pose is beautiful, but ultimately it seemed a bit passive for the “spritely” “wicked wit” Peggy. But it definitely captures her book-loving side!

Once the window pose (below) was chosen, designer Sarah Pierson designed several options with subtle alternatives in text font, color tone, scrolls and embellishes to create differing feels for Peggy’s personality, how modern/feminist were her sensibilities, how bold she could be. ALL gorgeous choices. But ultimately….Sarah was still not finished!

Next up.... why the big change for the final choice.