There comes a point for all authors—after they finally finish that manuscript—when the reality sets in that now they need an awesome book cover. The prevailing thought is always—Will it ever be good enough? How will people judge my book just by looking at its cover?
When that time came for me, I was fortunate to work with the talented Silvio Sequera, the cover designer for my publisher Histria Books. I knew that I wanted an uplifting look and feel to The Branches We Cherish, but beyond that, I was not sure.
I came by the title of my book one beautiful Sunday morning sitting outside for our church service while the pandemic was in full rage. In a field surrounded by green trees and soft morning yellow sunshine, it was comforting being alone in my thoughts and immersed in so much nature.
That morning, I looked up and there was this giant, imperfect tree with a strong trunk and two great distinct branches on either side. I thought, This is us! One big beautiful, whole tree. Our family tree has more distinct branches than many family trees. In the center trunk and branches are our two children, my husband, me, and our families. The great forked branch to the left represents our first child’s birth parents and their children and families. And the great forked branch to the right represents our second child’s birth parents and their children and families. We are all connected in this family tree, and we cherish every single branch. The Branches We Cherish just captured our true feelings.
From then on, I knew I wanted my book cover to have natures colors of green for growth and golden yellow for light and joy. The branches too seemed like an obvious choice, but the rest was hard to imagine. When Silvio showed me a beautiful, arched branch with healthy green and luminous gold ginkgo leaves, I knew that branch was right in an instant. The ginkgo leaf has been used as a symbol of resilience, healing and longevity. It also represents strength and endurance. It is the perfect symbol of what is needed to create healthy relationships between birth and adoptive families.
Next, we had to decide on how to represent what The Branches We Cherish literally stand for. These cherished branches are meant to demonstrate how we embrace our children’s birth parents and their families as members of our family. Silvio added silhouettes representing birth moms and birth dads to show the place of permanence they occupy in our family tree.
Finally, we decided to place a picture of my two children in the center of the cover as the children are the North Star in any adoption story. If all parties put the needs of the children at the center, then there is a foundation for building healthy, healing relationships. I chose one of my all-time favorite pictures of my children. This was taken the day we brought our youngest child home from the hospital and she met her big sibling. My three-and-a-half-year-old instinctively cradled the baby’s hands and looked into her eyes for the first time. This was the start of an unbreakable bond between my two adopted children. Thinking about that day still makes my heart flutter.
So, you tell me, how will you judge my book when you see the cover?
The Branches We Cherish: An Open Adoption Memoir launches February 20, 2024 and is now available for pre-order. If you order directly from my publisher Histria Books with code CHRISTMAS25 before December 25, you receive an additional 25% discount.
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