As an author, there are few moments more exciting than seeing your book in its final form. Holding the product of your ideas and imagination in your hands, knowing that this book represents countless hours of dreaming, writing and editing your story, not to mention the arduous and often dis-spiriting efforts to find a publisher. But there’s something even more special about having a book cover that truly reflects the feel of the story within.

When I began thinking about a book cover for The Whispering Trees, my new YA novel, I had an idea in my head of a girl (my protagonist, Liv) watching the moon rise over the mysterious hill that speaks so strongly to her. I turned to AI for ideas, wondering what it was capable of. I put in the prompt, and was astonished when it turned up an image that closely resembled my teenage daughter! The image was commercial and competent and I liked the glowing quality of the cartoon-style picture it had created. For a while, thanks to the spooky resemblance to my 15-year-old, I became a bit fixated by it. Thank goodness my publisher talked me out of it! Thank goodness the search for inspiration took me to the website of Claire Armitage, an incredible Cornish lino printer, who then worked with us for months to produce the final cover. I love it. And not just aesthetically, but because I know that real labour and love and imagination has gone into it, just like I put into my novel.

A beautiful book cover is more than just an aesthetic pleasure; it’s a visual invitation into the world you’ve created. When a reader picks up a book, the cover is the first impression, the first hint of the adventure, romance, mystery, or drama that lies inside.

For me, seeing my story brought to life through Claire’s beautiful cover art is a thrilling experience. It’s like stepping into the East Devon hills where my book is set. The eerie moonlit tones, the mysterious hill, the vibrant berries of the magical rowan tree—I hope that all these elements will work together to entice the reader to explore further into Liv’s adventure. AI chanced on an image that was a dead ringer for my daughter, but Claire has channelled the spirit of my story in her art work- and that feels spooky in its own way, as if she had seen into my mind’s eye. It’s exactly right.

Working with a real person who connected with my work has been such a rewarding and important experience that I would never again fall back on AI’s soulless regurgitation. I hope you love the cover as much as I do!

The Whispering Trees is available to pre-order from Waterstones and direct from Blue Poppy Publishing.