Author Shelley
Coriell on the Magic of Cover Making
In
my debut contemp novel WELCOME, CALLER, THIS IS CHLOE – I describe my main
character, Chloe, as a sixteen-year-old radio talk show host with a huge
collection of vintage shoes and “red-orange hair, as soft and wavy as a handful
of poppy petals.” That’s it. Nothing else.
Chloe,
who is strong, self-confident, and comfortable in her own “skin” – is such a
different YA protag, and her story is very different than many YAs on shelves
today. As most authors are prone to do, I worried (okay, obsessed) over what
kind of cover I would get, especially with the limited physical description I
gave. I knew a girls-in-gowns type cover wouldn’t fly, and I couldn’t visualize
a half face or random body part.
So
imagine my shock when I first saw the cover comps from the design team at
Amulet who absolutely nailed Chloe and her story. Like Chloe, all of the cover comps
were different, bold, bright, and in-your-face. And that mouth is spot on. I
can hear her say, “Welcome, caller, this is Chloe. What’s on your heart
tonight?”
(Photos
courtesy of Amulet Books/Abrams)
Early
on, the Amulet design team decided to use a real girl on the cover, not an
illustration, something that thrilled me as an author. This is a contemporary
YA about a real girl with real problems. The book surprises many people in that
it isn’t “light and fluffy” as the people in Chloe’s world deal with serious issues
such as Parkinson’s and drug addiction.
Amulet
performed a model search, thumbing through hundreds of portfolios looking for a
teen-aged, red-headed model who could also pull off the vintage vibe that runs
through the book.
They
found teen model Taylor Adkins in Atlanta, Georgia, and flew her to New York
for an audition. After meeting her, the design team knew she was the perfect
“Chloe.” Taylor flew
a
second time to New York where designer Maria Middleton, photographer Jonathan Beckerman, and the Amulet team
worked their magic.
Middleton
said they hired
two talented hair and makeup artists and solicited some great vintage clothes
from fashionistas in the office. “Viola! Chloe!”
(Photos courtesy of Jonathan Beckerman)
I
have since met Taylor, who is doing a number of book signings with me across
the United States, and the crazy thing is, she’s just like Chloe: upbeat,
funny, and genuinely kind hearted.
Your
turn, now. Let’s hear about your cover “loves.” Give a shout out to some of the
best YA covers you’ve seen in the past year, especially those that “nail” the
story.
To learn more about young
adult author Shelley Coriell and Chloe’s high school radio world, visit
www.shelleycoriell.com
I read this book earlier this year and adored it - You can find my review HERE
Be sure to check out the Abrams & Chronicle Facebook page for some awesome 'Chloe' related Giveaways
