For A CARAVAN OF BRIDES, Louis suggested we incorporate the concept of paper collage, which is a current trend in covers, as it adds a warm, three dimensional feeling. The human figures are hand-painted pieces of paper. The border is hand-drawn. The background is also hand-painted. One of the themes of the book is the pre-modern way of life in Saudi Arabia, in which women wove and sewed their own clothing. The collage and hand-illustrated cover echoes this element.
The process that Louis went through with the cover was really interesting. First, he read the book. Then he sketched out several ideas for the cover, some really interesting elements of the plot, some just fleeting moments. We focused in on one, and Louis was off and running.
There was a stretch there where neither of us was working on it. When we returned to finish it, he came up with some new ideas. He finalized it and voila. Now, he's working on the map!
I am so pleased with the result and hope it will be enticing to readers interested in Saudi Arabia.
