Cover art for my international thriller PALLADIUM has arrived. It’s fabulous – take a look at the image below.
It’s a truism that writing a novel is the easy part. Editing it, finding an agent and/or a publisher and promoting your work is a tough slog.
A timeline for PALLADIUM
My May 2021 blog post How to get published: introducing my Istanbul thriller PALLADIUM set out the timeline for writing and publishing the book. It began in 2011, when I visited Istanbul, through to 2020, when I first heard the wonderful words “Can I see the full manuscript?”
Yes. That’s nine years.
Cover art: Immortal Works get in touch
Since I signed a contract with Immortal Works in April 2021 we have been working towards publication, planned for May 2022. Key stages have included:
- Several rounds of editing, concluding in September 2021
- Work on the maps for the book, concluding in October 2021
- preparatory work to promote PALLADIUM – including a first excerpt from Chapter 1 in August 2021, a search for advance readers in December, and work to prepare on synopses, taglines, biographies and author photos.
In November, the Immortal Works cover art team got in touch. They invited me to complete a form setting out my thoughts on the cover. Questions included genre, tone, covers of comparable works, target audience, an overview of the story, any relevant images or symbols, and so on. The cover art team made clear that although the publishers would take into account my views on the cover, they would make the final decisions.
Authors don’t decide the cover art
Many authors hate the fact that publishers have the last word on the cover of their cherished book. A successful novelist friend told me she hated the latest cover for one of her best sellers. I must admit, I was anxious to see what the Immortal Works cover art team would come up with. Other books published by Immortal Works have excellent covers. The maps prepared for PALLADIUM were terrific. But what if I hated it?
PALLADIUM: the cover art arrives!
Early this week, an email came from Immortal Works announcing that the cover was ready. I clicked on the attachment with bated breath. Then I smiled. The cover was outstanding. Here it is:
I hope you like the cover, and that you will enjoy PALLADIUM itself when it comes out in May. If you would like to order a copy, please subscribe to this blog (see bottom of page). I shall be writing more about the book soon, including how to order advance copies.
What happens next
The next few months will be dominated by promotional work to support PALLADIUM in its journey of publication. Wish me luck; watch this space; and if you need a thriller today, remember my books ETERNAL LIFE and BLOOD SUMMIT are available right now – just click on the links or, if you are in Vienna, visit Shakespeare & Co.
Post-script
The original cover art for PALLADIUM has now been replaced by new cover art! It, too, is terrific. A copy (with a link to Amazon) is below:
12 Responses
The cover looks tremendous and I look forward to holding Palladium in my hands.
Thanks Wolfgang. Me, too!
Hello, Leigh
Delighted to see such an outstanding cover. I only wish Edward was here to show it – and, of course, to read it! I’m also very pleased the publishers are using your real name, as it’s such a good name for an author.
I am already planning to send it to my critique writing partner and friend – she writes Roman military thrillers – as a present.
Best of luck with it. I’m sure it will surpass your expectations!
Denise
Thanks Denise! I, too, am sorry Edward cannot see it. I hope you are right that it will surpass expectations!
Thanks for all your support,
Leigh
Hi, Leigh:
Congratulations on your new novel! Having written it and having been accepted for publication already is a big achievement. I read your hotel stories and Blood Summit and I can’t wait to read Palladium now.
Thank you very much for writing. I wholeheartedly hope your new novel will be a big success.
Kind regards,
Ramon
Thanks Ramon! I hope you’ll like it!
Hi Leigh
Fantastic cover! It’s great to see your work (in your own name) coming to fruition. I look forward to reading Palladium and wish you every success.
Sharon
Mmmm yes thanks, Sharon. It is indeed thrilling to see the cover, and slowly to shift my writing persona towards my real name. Thanks for your kind wishes and good luck yourself!
They have done a magnificent job. Really eye-catching and captures the spirit of the book.
Thanks! Magnificent is a good description.
Dear Leigh,
Looks really great! Together with your real name! Chapeau!!
Looking forward, Margareta
Danke sehr Margareta! It is indeed good to see my real name on the cover (makes a change). More to come I hope!