Kate Douglas | Last of the O'Rourkes | Cowboy in My Pocket | The story behind the cover... | On Wings of Love | Honeysuckle Rose | What's next? | More about Kate | Reviews | Cover Art | 2001 Eppies | Photos | PASIC-NY 07 | RT CONVENTION 2007 | RWA 2007 ½ 2002 Eppies ½ Erotic Romance ½RT Convention 2002½ RT Convention 2003
The story behind the cover of:
COWBOY IN MY POCKET
The QUASAR is EPIC'S award for excellence for bookcovers. I am really proud to announce Cowboy in My Pocket as the winner of the 2002 Quasar Award.
 original photo
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 retouched photo
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 final cover art
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Cowboy in My Pocket
All through the writing of Cowboy in My Pocket, I had a very clear image of the cover. It had to be reminiscent of the standard "clinch" cover but not so overdone that it wasn't still an attractive piece of art. And, in keeping with the inside jokes, the woman on the cover had to be a blonde...even though my heroine is auburn haired.
Over a glass of good Sonoma County wine, I convinced our son's girlfriend that she and Jon would be perfect models. I knew the MOM could never talk him into it! Of course Mel managed the impossible, so on a chilly day in December Doug and I got the kids out behind the barn, both of them poured into too-tight jeans, Mel in a skimpy little halter top and Jon bare-chested, wearing his dad's old cowboy hat.
With our daughter, Sarah, acting as "prop girl/director" and calling out instructions from the sidelines..."work it, people, work it. Put a little more lust into it...we need to feel this clinch..." Doug snapping one shot after another and me laughing so hard I almost had a wreck, (use your imagination on that one...) we finally got "the perfect shot."
A little tweaking with my graphics program, the addition of the Mistral font, and the cover for Cowboy in My Pocket was born. Though I've also done the art for my other books, this one was definitely the most fun. Of course, I don't think Mel or Jon had any idea how many people would see them in their cover model debut!
August 2005 UPDATE: Jon and Melanie have been married now for two years and are expecting their first child. I am SO glad our son had the good sense to marry this terrific young woman--I'd absolutely hate to tell people the couple on the cover of my book was our son and his EX-girlfriend!
Update: Jon and Mel now have a lovely daughter, Ella, who will one day wonder just what it is Mommy and Daddy are doing on a book cover!
To order a copy, click on the cover below. Hard Shell Word Factory is now shipping paperback orders as well as the standard downloads. All of my books are also available through any online bookseller.
