Today is the day! Aphotic Love's cover is finally out for the world to see!
And on top of that, pre-orders are open on my shop! I'm selling both hardbacks, paperbacks, and book boxes.
But onto what we're really all excited to see ...
The cover!
Behold....
Isn't it gorgeous???? Special thanks again to H. A. Pruitt who did the incredible sketch art of the hands. A masterpiece, really.
While feeling romantic, it also gives those dark undertones of less happy endings but also the idea that sometimes even death doesn't part love.
As I did with COTDP, it took me a long time to fashion a cover I was happy with, so I thought I'd make an ode to all those trashed ideas!
The first design on the upper left was a mockup made with a Pinterest image on Canva, just because I love making covers I'll never use...
The second on the upper right was the first attempt at making the cover and while the drawing of the rose went quite well, I drew it on the wrong size and no amount of Photoshoping could make it bigger without it becoming a fuzz ball of red and black.
The last and final attempt almost made it to being the official cover! I designed the art based on my story The Price to Truly Live which was the short story that inspired the theme of the anthology. However, it never quite felt right and after H. A. Pruitt pointed out to me that it was a bit too specific for an anthology, I had to scrap the idea. However, she saved the day with her skeleton hand sketch and from that conversation, the beautiful cover for Aphotic Love we have today was born!
I've come to realize that I'm going to have to go through quite a few cover attempts before I ever get anything I'm going to use, and that they aren't failures at all! I would have never gotten to the cover I have today if these hadn't come first.
Don't forget! Aphotic Love releases in March 2022 and is up for preorder on my shop!
Here's the blurb:
Aphotic:
Devoid of light. A depth beyond comprehension.
Everything that stands in the light
Also has a side that stands in the darkness.
Love is no exception.
Love is often depicted as light, joyful, fun, exciting, carefree ...
But there is also a darker side to love—a deeper, frightening, desperate, tragic side.
Dare to dive deep into this raw, emotional collection of short stories, prose, and poems which strives to expose the lightless side of tragedy, heartbreak, desperation, and love.
From the love of gods and goddesses to mortals who fell in love with death to the love forbidden between commoners. From pure sweet romance gone astray to villains who loved the hero.
An actress no longer acting she's in love, a phoenix whose lover gives everything to be with her reborn, a villain who burned the world so his love could be the hero, two immortals who give up everything to live and love, a lonely queen whose touch turns loved ones to ice, a romantic moment re-lived and lost in gold paint. Promises made and promises broken.
Some fall in love.
And some fall out.
After all, ... all's fair in aphotic love ...
May the suns smile upon your presence,
—Effie Joe Stock