New look for The Somewhere Aching Series

New Look for The Somewhere Aching series

Original Look for The Somewhere Aching Series

I opted for a new book design for the Somewhere Aching series to better align with my genre of dark romance. I had some negative feedback from reviewers on my original artwork and decided, yeah, they might be right. The color scheme is a bit too bright and pretty for the gritty content in the story. It was rather misleading! I liked my initial idea, though, and I was happy to find a way to retain the silhouette theme while giving it a darker vibe.

It's challenging to make all these executive decisions about my work. It would be much easier to have a publisher handle everything. But I knew going into this that I wasn't likely to get published the traditional route. I submitted my work to over eighty agents and was rejected by all of them. I guess mental illness, childhood trauma, and toxic relationships do not a conventional romance make. I'm sorry. I get my inspiration from the Brontë sisters. I pen stories about soulmates, psychos, and fiery maidens—not billionaires and hot blondes.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not at all. Those are just not my stories to tell. I am compelled to write stories about people who are often overlooked in society. I know that reading about trauma makes people feel uncomfortable. One reviewer said (in the nicest way possible) that A Daughter to Die For was "unpleasant." I take that to mean my story stirs the pot! But I also know we need to move past that. Maybe my mentally ill Casanova in this series will move things forward a bit. Celebrate trauma survivors and normalize mental illness, perhaps? I can only hope! Anyhow, I am evolving as I learn more of what it takes to share my stories. It's a hell of a lot, but I'm up for the challenge. It takes a fair amount of adaptation, so I'm feeling sorta like a platypus right now. 🦫