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readergirlz is a literacy and social media project for teens, awarded the National Book Foundation's Innovations in Reading Prize. The rgz blog serves as a depot for news and YA reviews from industry professionals and teens. As volunteers return full force to their own YA writing, the organization continues to hold one initiative a year to impact teen literacy. All are welcome to "like" us on Facebook!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Cover Stories: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

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Beth Fantaskey's covers look almost like they're underwater to me--they're shadowy and muted in an enticing way. I invited her to share the stories of her two novels, and here she is!

"When I wrote Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, I had no ideas for the cover. I couldn't even imagine selling a book to a publisher! But as we started discussing art, I got a very firm idea in mind. I really wanted to use an image from the first chapter, where the vampire prince, Lucius, stands in the middle of a lonely country road, watching his destined princess's school bus disappearing into the morning fog. I could just picture him from the back, straddling the yellow line.

"Of course, the people at Harcourt had different ideas, and when I saw their first sketch, I was beyond disappointed. It was a line drawing of two angular, gawky people dancing. The fact that I didn't even save the image speaks to how much I hated it. Who doesn't save the artwork for her first book?

"But I was a new author, and I didn't complain..."

Read the rest of Beth's Cover Story, and see the cover for her latest book--Jekel Loves Hyde--at melissacwalker.com.

4 comments:

holly cupala said...

That red dress is to die for! So to speak. ;)

Chasidy Jean said...

Read this book several months ago and don't remember much of it except at the time I really enjoyed it. I was just getting into Vampire Diaries. To me the story was a miz of Vampire Diaries meets Twilight meets Romeo and Juliet. I wouldn't mind picking it up for yet another re-read.

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