Covered

In the past few weeks, I have been working on Traffic Stop: Human Division’s cover with a professional photographer, willing models, and a creative graphic designer. We are getting close to finalizing the details. Once this takes place, the e-book version will be out into the world in 45 days and the paperback will be available in about three months!

There’s been much to consider when creating this cover. It’s the first thing people notice when picking up a book. The questions I have asked myself on the regular are as follows: Does it catch the eye and attention of the potential reader? What is the symbolism I want to portray in this first impression? Is it offensive or discriminatory in any way?

Whoever said, “you can’t judge a book by it’s cover” was correct on so many levels, and also equally misinformed. We should not judge, period. There is so much depth and breadth of information underneath what is shown. However, the human race glances, assesses, and decides in a heartbeat whether this cover in front of them is worth the investment of their time and attention. Don’t we do the same when we meet new people?

While collaborating on the novel’s cover, my character, Layne, has been on my mind. He is a suicidal mortician and hides behind a mask of platitudes. The public persona he portrays is that of a competent, empathetic individual who will respectfully care for the dead so the community doesn’t have to. His inner demons devour him with guilt, shame, depression, and angst for the failure he feels he has become. How conditioned people are to cover their shame with some false attributes assumed that others desire…

Utopia, to me, would be if people withheld judgement of others and instead opened up a dialogue to understand and know (really know) someone else. I wonder how much richer and enhanced our relationships would become. We could deep dive into the content and history presented by the person in front of us, not our assumption or misperception of them.

In my utopia, genuine-ness would be normalized and valued. Vulnerability would be the go-to option rather than the one most people avoid at all costs. There seems to be fewer people willing to be real and raw with each other. Most people I know hide behind one cover or another in the name of self-protection. What a calamity to waste an exorbitant amount of precious time and energy on mask-wearing and cover-ups.

The cover chosen to embody the contents of Traffic Stop: Human Division will be genuine, vulnerable, and to the best of my ability, a visual snapshot of the essence within the written words. Like me, there are imperfections throughout; the face I present to the world, the body of information that unfolds. And like me, I am open to genuine, vulnerable feedback. Thanks for covering my back.