Recently, while rummaging through old photos, I started thinking about the evolution of the Amanda Noble covers, how much fun it’s been to create and share them. I decided since I’ve updated and re-released book 1, Amanda Noble, #Zoolife, with books 2 and 3, Amanda Noble, #Agentlife and Amanda Noble, #Swamplife, soon to follow, I would do a series of posts about the many phases the covers have gone through, including those not chosen. That’s the beauty and the agony of being the publisher. I get the privilege of choosing, but I also get the obligation of rejecting.
The first image I’m sharing was basically fan art, but very near and dear to my heart. At the time I was writing the first book, originally called Amanda Noble, Zookeeper Extraordinaire, I worked in a middle school library. When the kids found out I was writing, they wanted to read it. Since they were my target audience, this seemed like a brilliant idea. And it was. I received such great feedback. It was their inspiration that made me decide to self-publish. In fact, when they asked if it would be a series, that led me to create books 2 and 3. So, when we talked about publishing and what the cover might look like, one 7th grade student created her image of Amanda. Unfortunately, it was one that didn't make the cut, but it’s such a treasured piece. I love it because it reaches to the heart of the character and never fails to make me smile.
