I gasped when I saw the final cover art for my novel Creep: A Love Story, a dark YA about Rafi, a lonely sophomore, whose obsession with the most popular couple in school leads to tragedy. The cover is evocative, intense, and, well . . . creepy. It clearly conveys the tone of the novel: thrilling but not a crime novel, sad but intriguing. As soon as I saw it, I just had to reach out to cover designer Julia Feingold in order to thank her. I also had questions about the creative process. She was generous enough to share her answers here. Thank you, Julia!

What are your specialties as an artist?

I went to school for illustration, but I also focus on graphic design. I also do a lot of  printmaking, painting, and hand lettering. 

Cover design is a competitive field and a dream job for many artists. How did you  become a cover designer for HarperCollins?

I applied on the website, actually! It was always a dream of mine to work in  publishing, and because of my love for illustration, the Children’s department at  Harper has been amazing for me. 

How are artists chosen for each project, and how did Creep: A Love Story come your way?

Usually for each project we pitch 2-4 artists. We then work with the editors and the author to decide who to move forward with. Creep came my way after the Clarion and HarperCollins merger. My amazing art director, Alison Donalty, thought I would be the right fit to work on it. 

I remember seeing a few concepts and then choosing to work with yours. What were your goals for this cover?

Our goals for this cover were to demonstrate Rafi’s obsession and the book’s creepy  vibe without veering too much into horror or stalking themes.

Right! That was really important because I didn’t want readers to think this was a horror novel or a murder mystery. It’s a dark contemporary but not a traditional thriller. So, what concepts from the novel influenced your choices?

What influenced me the most was Rafi’s interest in music (I’m a huge Radiohead fan!!) and trying to show how she is obsessed with Laney and Nico. That’s why we decided to have lots of repetitive design aspects, trying to get across how she’s so focused on one thing. 

I love the repetitive handwritten scrawl. I can imagine Rafi doing that! As the author, I was given the opportunity to contribute notes during the design process. I know that you collaborate with the sales and marketing department, as well. What’s it like working with so many people on a project?

It can be easy for some books and tougher for others! For this, it was hard to find the  correct balance of obsession / stalking / creepy, and whether to show a couple or just one girl. Ultimately, we all decided we loved the direction we ended up with. 

Tell me about the perfectly creepy photograph that’s featured on the cover.

Yes, the photo was taken by the incredible Andi Bierlein! Andi is a friend of mine, and it’s a polaroid of our friend Isabella. It was really exciting for me to be able to hire such a talented up-and-coming photographer. So, this cover has a very special place in my heart. 

Originally, I had resisted using a photo, but this one changed my mind. Can you share some of the other creative stages this cover went through?

We went through a ton of different stages for this cover. We had always thought  Andi’s photography was the right way to go. We even did a photoshoot together with a couple but didn’t feel it was right for the cover. We had some type-only directions, and we even asked members of our design team to send in their own versions of what their Creep cover would look like! By the end, we had a ton of different covers but ultimately ended up with the one you see now, which is quite close to the original cover concepts I had designed when I first got the project. 

For this cover, all of it is hand done and scanned. The type is called Letraset, which  designers used before computers were around (keep an eye out for lots of Letraset in the interior). I made the paint swatches, did all the ‘creep’ lettering in pencil, and ‘a love story’ was made with this set of stamps I have. It was super fun to do a more traditional and tactile cover! It was also so fun to design the binding specs, which I included a photo of, as well. 

What’s your favorite part of the book design process?

My favorite part of the book design process is coming up with concepts and hiring  artists. It’s such a joy to be able to hire illustrators, photographers, and designers who do incredible work and give them amazing projects – like this cover – to work on! And we get such varied and interesting projects; we are always getting to work with new people. 

My other favorite part is hand-lettering! It’s so fun to draw what sort of type each book needs, like finding its personality. 

Any advice for young artists who are interested in book design?

I would say, definitely keep up your personal practice. Whether it be doing your own  versions of book covers, painting, print-making, or other design work, etc.! We love seeing artists’ personal projects; it gives us a great idea of who they are. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

This cover has been so much fun to work on, and I’m happy that you love it as much as we do. It’s such a special and personal cover for me , and it’s one of my first big books, too. I also love how different it looks and feels from so many other books out there right now.

Where can we see your work? And where can we follow you?

You can see my work at juliafeingold.com and follow me on Instagram @j_feingold  And follow Andi @nyc.andi

The post Lygia Day Peñaflor Chats With HarperCollins Cover Designer, Julia Feingold appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The category that is young adult is filled with so many different types of books and genres that nowadays it can be a bit tricky to find what to read since there are so many options. However, like most things, there are certain styles and genres that create a trend.

Many trends have emerged to worldwide acclaim this century and are part of (now) adults’ teenage reading favourites, including my own. Trends peak and fade with time and interest by readers and many new ones emerge every year, so let’s go down memory lane and see the biggest trends in the last decade or so, as well as the current trends and predictions for 2018 and beyond!

The Paranormal Band: Vampires, Werewolves & Witches

It would be an understatement to say that the paranormal trend took to young adults (and adults!) by storm. It was so hugely popular especially with the fast development of social media that it began a domino effect and crossover into Hollywood as YA book to movie adaptations smashed box offices around the world. Many consider Twilight as the pivotal origin of the paranormal hype as sparkling vampires became famous. More and more successful novels and series such as Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, The Southern Vampire Mysteries (True Blood), and House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, were consequently eaten up by readers, some adapted in movies and many remain current favourites for readers. This trend didn’t only apply to vampires but also to witches (Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia), ghosts (Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake) and werewolves (Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater).

Angels and Demons

There’s nothing more attractive to teen girls than the heavenly dream of finding the perfect boyfriend that is literally an angel or at least angel related, despite all the angst and probable family issues it brings. Angels and Demons was another huge trend, as a subcategory of the paranormal and fantasy genres. Angels were all the rage, with the building of backstories, describing those beautiful wings and the challenges of falling in love with an angel – an angel who might’ve literally fallen out of heaven and fallen for you too. Demons played their part too of course, and some might say the mixed elements of angel and demon drama in The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare and the entire Shadowhunter Chronicles it triggered is what continues to make it the most successful angel themed YA book series to date.

A Recipe for a Utopia with a Dash of Science Fiction

Dystopian and science fiction was another massively successful trend that created many book to movie adaptations and loyal fandoms worldwide. The concept of different worlds and societies in the future gone wrong was fresh and thought-provoking for young adults. It sparked discussion on themes of identity, society, class, politics, power and different versions of reality in a unique way. It even had teenagers taking personality tests for which faction you’d be in (Divergent by Veronica Roth). The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the obvious game-changing novel that began this trend with many more that preceded it like Matched by Ally Condie adding to the fuel.

Fantastic Female Fronted High Fantasy

Any current YA reader would have heard of Sarah J Maas at least once, since her Throne of Glass series was among the great number of amazing female fronted high fantasy series to influence YA books in the last few years. These fantasy books are packed with action, intricate world-building, a bit of romance here and there, and a wide cast of characters to choose your favourite from. The protagonists aren’t delicate ladies either but are strong women who won’t back down or give up the fight and inspire other young women everywhere. Not only do these high fantasy books create an addiction for more but they have also popularised sub-genres of faeries, assassins and dragons which are all current trends of today. These high fantasy books had so much imagination to offer and are still cult favourites in the YA high fantasy genre since they brought so much to love. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder brought gorgeous magic, An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard brought spies in disguise and Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo brought the most badass villain who likes to wear black. It is no wonder that this started a trend and is still successful to this day.

Retold Again and Again

Retellings have also become a trend in the last few years, with many more reaching beyond the usual Grimm Brothers fairy tales. While books based on these tales like Cinder by Marissa Meyer and A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, inspired by Cinderella and Beauty & The Beast respectively, are still extremely popular, there has been a great turnaround for alternatives. A unique and well-loved series by Rick Riordan is of course Percy Jackson & The Olympians series, which is based on Greek mythology. Other alternative inspiring retellings are The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh, a retelling of the Arabian Nights and Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff which is a retelling of Japanese mythology. These books have become quite popular and trending with readers because the innovation of having the same story retold in a different and new way that is fresh and well executed is very appealing. Let’s hope this trend doesn’t die out too fast and continues its minor reign within YA fantasy books.

The Diversity Movement

Diversity has become a huge issue with readers and within the publishing community as more people demanded and expressed their need for equal and widespread representations. Race, sexuality, disabilities and gender themes have been some of the issues young adults have been craving to read in YA Fiction so they can relate what they’re reading to who they are and their everyday lives. The huge push by readers for more diversity has been a slow and successful ongoing trend that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon and sure has gotten some incredible diverse novels out there for us to enjoy.

YA Trend Predictions for 2018

So, these are some of the trends that have occurred in the last decade, but what about what’s happening now? Currently many of the trends below are predicted to make it big and rise in popularity. The success of certain novels in these genres in the last year shows how future books in those same categories can truly boom.

Thrillers & Whodunnits

Novels like One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus and Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco in the last year has shown how powerful and addictive thrillers and mysteries can be, and this genre really seems like it’s about to take off especially because of the second rise in popularity of the book to TV adaptation of 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

2018 Book Recommendations:

• All of This is True by Lygia Day Penaflor
  Four teenagers obsessed with a novel called Undertow make a plan to befriend its author Fatima Ro, and they can’t believe their luck when she lets them into her life. Until they are shocked to discover that Fatima’s latest book unveils all their secrets and revelations with devastating effects.
• The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
  After the multiple consecutive deaths of cheerleaders, Sunnybrook High disbands its cheer squad. Yet 5 years later it seems that there is more to it and something is still going on as Monica, the sister of the last cheerleader killed, unravels secrets and suspicious activity. Some people in Sunnybrook may be hiding more than they’re willing to admit, and even though there are no more cheerleaders, it doesn’t mean everyone is safe.

Hi-Tech Worlds & Games

With the massive fandoms and widespread love for gaming, social media and new technology in this era, it makes sense that young adults would embrace these high tech sci-fi books that show the potential technology may have one day in the future. The thought of spaceships and virtual reality gaming The Illuminae Files by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman and Warcross by Marie Lu have brought in the last year are pretty mind-blowing and interesting to read about. It seems logical that this YA genre and its themes will remain consistent in 2018.

2018 Book Recommendations:

• The Leveller by Julia Durango
  Nixy Bauer is a bounty hunter with the task of taking kids back to their parents in the real world from their virtual reality gaming world. However when the game’s rich developper loses track of his own kid, Nixy has the biggest challenge of her life finding him especially when it seems that he wasn’t trying to hide but is being held captive against his will within the game.
• Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston
  A space action-packed Anastasia retelling, this fun sci-fi novel depicts a girl named Ana, who was found aboard a pod with no recollection of her past. Desperate to help fix the android named D09 who was aboard with her, she tries to find the coordinates to the lost ship that may hold all her answers. Until a spoiled Ironblood boy beats her to it, yet events unfold that have them both running for their lives, marked as fugitives, and not everyone wants to capture them alive.

Shock! Horror!

Horror has always be a favourite genre for many people in fiction, however for young adult fiction it can be quite rare. Not all young people tend to want to be scared, however this genre might just be on the rise. With the popularity of Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco (Sequel to Stalking Jack the Ripper) and recent release The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, many more older young adults may lean more towards this direction.

2018 Book Recommendations:

• Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
  The sequel to the its predecessor Scythe, Thunderhead follows the adventures, deadly tasks and dilemmas its protagonists must endure following the last event of Scythe. Scythe introduces a dystopia far in the future where humans are no longer affected by age, disease or war. Now scythes are the only ones who can and will end life to manage the world’s constant growing population. Rowan and Citra are two teenagers unwillingly chosen to apprentice for a Scythe. They must master the art of killing yet they must also understand learning the consequences of failing to take a life, as it may take their own.
• Contagion by Erin Bowman
  An urgent SOS is sent from a distant planet. A small crew is dispatched for search and rescue yet what they find is something best left uncovered as they try to piece together who or what decimated a whole operation on this planet.

For Realz

As mentioned above, the explosion of diversity in YA literature has created so many more representations and opportunities of expression. The diversity movement has also helped create another subgenre of Realistic Fiction. This genre is basically fiction that describes real life issues of today, more serious points of discussion everyone should be exposed to regardless of what format they’re influenced by including books. This subgenre is great and it seems like a major theme in 2018 for YA contemporaries and fantasies as well. There’s hope that more novels with themes such as mental illness, race, lgbtqia+, the effect of terrorism as well as teen depression and suicide are well read by teens to engage in discussion about important social and life issues we may all face.

2018 Book Recommendations:

• Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter
  Maddie’s best friend Logan is the President’s son, while her dad is a secret service agent. Unfortunately, life gets in the way and forces her to be dragged to the middle of nowhere in Alaska where she gets not word from Logan. Then he shows up, 6 years later, and an assailant gets in the way of Maddie killing him herself and she really wants to.
• The Place Between Breaths by An Na
  Grace is in a race against time and she doesn’t even know it. When her mother flees in fear of hurting their family due to the schizophrenia she’s been struggling with for years, her dad’s schizophrenia research continues in full force. Grace does her part by interning there, and they find what might be a breakthrough, but Grace starts to unravel and starts to question what’s real and what isn’t. Is her discovery real or a side effect of schizophrenia taking hold?

Under the Sea

While many mermaid novels and series have come out in the past decade such as Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, there hasn’t been a whole lotta love for them but there may be a change in the air. These book recommendations below could mean a massive turnaround for mermaid to come in the future.

2018 Book Recommendations:

• To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
  Princess Lira is a lethal siren royal, known for bringing prince’s hearts home to her collection until she’s forced to kill one of their own. As punishment, she’s made a human and has a year to bring home the heart of Prince Elian, a prince who’s siren killing hobby is peaked when a drowning woman he saves promises him the key to wiping out all sirenkind.
• Sea Witch by Sarah Henning
  Evie has become an outcast witch ever since her best friend Anna drowned, yet she’s convinced Anna survived as she meets another girl with limited time on land who resembles Anna. However, she’s got secrets of her own and Evie will try anything to keep her humanity as well as a prince’s heart with her magic until she discovers too late, the truth of the bargain she made.

Do you know any of these iconic novels and series in these older trends? What do you think of these trend predictions for 2018? Let us know in the comments!

The post YA Book Trend Report & The Trends of 2018 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

“It’s the idea that we should approach each other with open hearts and reveal our authentic selves through precious truths.”

When Miri, Soleil and Penny, three girls obsessed with the novel Undertow and their new friend Jonah get the opportunity to meet the author, they jump at the chance. They can’t believe their luck once Undertow’s author, Fatima Ro, allows them into her life and hooks them on her theory of human connections through being raw and using precious truths to really connect with another person. However, this charming and charismatic author may be more to the eye as a year later, her new novel The Absolution of Brady Stevenson depicts these teens’ lives and all their secrets that leads to disastrous consequences.

Miri is the girl who is already obsessed but takes this obsession with Fatima and her philosophy to a whole new level as she almost creates a cult full of other fans (or should we say disciples) to spread the message of using ‘precious truths’. Named Marni in the Fatima’s new novel, she encompasses a fan and is described as having become a clone as she remains so dedicated to Fatima despite all the events that have occurred.

Penny is the rich girl, whose home hosts the girls’ lavish party lifestyle yet who always feels invisible and unknown to everyone. She tries her hardest to be seen by Fatima Ro, and her obsession lies in getting recognition and attention.

Soleil is a passionate girl, who’s naïve and trusting personality makes her closer to Fatima, who nudges her try to find out more about the mysterious Jonah who harbors enough secrets for the girls to always wonder “WWJ” (What’s with Jonah?).

As the book progresses, this story sucks you in and is so addictive you can’t put it down as you read on to find out what secrets Fatima revealed in her book about Jonah that leaves him in hospital after its published, and why the teens are either so defensive or so angry at her. Jonah’s past slowly becomes more evident as you try to piece together the puzzle pieces and why his behaviour and Brady’s is the way it is as he tries to find whether absolution is possible.

There isn’t much else to say before we enter into spoiler territory! Sorry!

Each character is written quite well and is distinctive in their personalities. The mixed media format of this book is a bit confusing at first but it becomes enthralling as it’s written through interviews, text messages, journal entries and excerpts of Fatima’s new novel. The excerpts from the new novel themselves become so fluid with the current interviews that it’s unbelievable to think that Fatima didn’t just use their lives as inspirations but wrote it out completely and published it with only a slight change of names.

Fatima’s character was so mysterious and charming. Although it seemed like these teens were getting to know her, her subtle manipulation to get so much information and secrets out of them has you almost wondering whether she’s really manipulating them at all, or if she’s actually genuine.

“What’s cooler than owning the scene? Disowning the scene.”

This book was so cleverly written and incorporates many different and interesting themes such as redemption, forgiveness, toxic relationships and the psychology behind mob mentality, cults and grief-coping strategies.

The story is suspenseful and addictive, but yet confusing and leaves you with more questions than answers as the ending is anti-climactic at best. Readers will probably be left wondering who Fatima Ro really was.

Were her intentions good or purely for her career? Did she really care about these girls or only about Jonah because of his character potential? Was she really using her writing and her books to make herself feel better by rewriting history or was it really because it was a story to allow forgiveness and redemption?

There are so many questions that it’s obvious that this is written amazingly well just by the fact that it’s thought provoking and leaves you wanting more. More answers, explanations and theories. It almost wants you to create a fan club like Miri’s and analyse every line to find the real meaning and intentions of this book (or would that be too much book inception?).

This book was provocative, original, addictive and so enjoyable to read. If you’re looking for a fast, suspenseful thriller, All of This is True is perfect for you!

All of This is True is available now on Amazon, Book Depository, or other book retailers and it is out in Australia & New Zealand on May 31st. Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for providing The Nerd Daily with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis | Goodreads

Miri Tan loved the book Undertow like it was a living being. So when she and her friends went to a book signing to meet the author, Fatima Ro, they concocted a plan to get close to her, even if her friends won’t admit it now. As for Jonah, well—Miri knows none of that was Fatima’s fault.

Soleil Johnston wanted to be a writer herself one day. When she and her friends started hanging out with her favorite author, Fatima Ro, she couldn’t believe their luck—especially when Jonah Nicholls started hanging out with them, too. Now, looking back, Soleil can’t believe she let Fatima manipulate her and Jonah like that. She can’t believe that she got used for a book.

Penny Panzarella was more than the materialistic party girl everyone at the Graham School thought she was. She desperately wanted Fatima Ro to see that, and she saw her chance when Fatima asked the girls to be transparent with her. If only she’d known what would happen when Fatima learned Jonah’s secret. If only she’d known that the line between fiction and truth was more complicated than any of them imagined…

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