I’m excited to share the full-color cover of my new novel. My designer Baris Sehri, who I found on Reedsy, worked with me to get it just right. I told him I was looking for a cover with a Romantasy vibe. Even though This Sea Within isn’t fantasy, I like covers that convey a strong sense of action and adventure, as well as romance. I also wanted something that would convey the genre, setting, time-period, major themes and motifs:

• historical fiction set in the 70s
• a revolution set in the jungles of Central America
• a story with Mayan elements
• guerrilla warfare, danger, excitement
• and something that resembled a 60-70s rock-star poster or album cover

Baris did a beautiful job creating a framework that captured that. Then he set images of the two main characters, Lena and Raoul, side-by-side at the center. While I had suggested pairing them that way, in the end it didn’t work for me. Lena is the main protagonist, this is her coming-of-age story, so I felt it was important for her to star here. Yet I didn’t want to leave out Raoul completely, since this is a love story too, and Raoul as the leader of the revolution is super-important to the story, and to Lena’s character arc.

I’ve seen a few covers I love showing women with flowing hair like sea-waves and elements of the story caught in that flow, so I suggested trying that and sent Baris this example.

I liked the profile view with the flowing hair and wanted a soldier with a rifle (Raoul) entangled in it. But finding a free female profile image I liked was difficult. Then I remembered a photo my husband took of me back in the 60s wearing a hippy, peasant-style blouse with my hair streaming back. Since it was a personal photo there wouldn’t be any issue with copyrights, so I sent him that to use as a prototype.

At first I didn’t liked the closed eyes and asked him to give her a downward gaze instead. But the opened eyes didn’t work for me either. So I sent a couple of versions with opened and closed eyes to people I know to see what they preferred. The closed eyes won. It denoted someone in contemplation, inward looking, calm and serene, which contrasted with the dangerous surroundings and the soldier with his rifle. I felt that contrast set up an interesting dynamic, so we went with that.

Baris carried the design over to the back. And of course, I told him to use my favorite color combination: Blue and Gold.

I already had blurbs from authors who read advanced copies of my book so we put one at the top, and the other two in the back, along with this description of the novel:

She came to find herself.

She stayed to fight a revolution.

Some waves you can’t outrun.

         1971. While American students protest the Vietnam war, rebellion brews below the border where a U.S.-backed dictator rules.

         Lena Landon, an avid surfer and anti-war activist, wants to do something meaningful when she graduates with a degree in journalism. Feeling the sea’s restless energy pushing her toward some unknown destiny, she travels to San Balanque, her estranged mother’s homeland, to learn more about her Maya heritage.

         There Lena teams up with fellow journalist Daniel Weatherly to interview the Aguileros fighting to overthrow Viktor Ortiz’s corrupt regime. Then she sees Raoul—the rebels’ charismatic leader—rising from a jungle pool. Everything changes. That dark wave sweeps her into a life she never imagined.

         Lena’s transformation from pacifist to freedom fighter comes at a brutal cost as she witnesses the harsh realities of guerrilla warfare: executions, kidnapping, torture. All the while she guards a dangerous secret: her mother, the esteemed artist Dolores Machado, is married to the enemy—Ortiz’s Vice President and closest confidant.

         As the revolution intensifies, Lena must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice for love, justice, and a cause worth dying for.

So what do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

ARC READERS WANTED!

I’m still looking for a few more ARC readers: Book lovers interested in receiving an advanced reader copy (ebook) and willing to write an honest review that could be used in promotional materials. If This Sea Within sounds like something you might enjoy and you’d like to volunteer, let me know.

Here’s what readers have said so far about This Sea Within:

“A captivating love story about freedom, rebellion, and willingness to die for one’s principles. It kept me turning pages late into the night.” D. W. Peach, award-winning fantasy writer

“An epic, page-turning tale filled with passion and beauty, political intrigue and revolution.” Mark Paxson, author of The Jump.

“A passionate affair, thrilling dangers, masterful writing–what else could a reader want? This is a book you will feel and long remember.” Harvey Ardman, author of The Final Voyage.

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This Sea Within is up for pre-order on Kindle.

Pre-orders in paperback and hardback coming soon on all major outlets.

It will be released June 15.

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