I can’t believe this day has crept up on me! Almost every month this year I have a secret manuscript slotted to read, but they aren’t to review. No, these darlings are for upcoming books slotted to publish this coming year, and I get the privilege of Cover Designing for them. There’s just something so special and rewarding, working with my Authors.

And since I designed this cover it also means I get to take you on another Behind the Design!!!

Haven’t heard of Behind the Design? Well, you sure have been missing out. Behind the Design is exactly what it sounds like, where I take you into the realm of the shadows on how a cover comes into existence. With some glorious examples! Check out some of my previous Behind the Designs:

As Much As I Ever Could Behind the Design

Love On Main Behind the Design & Blog Hop

Bee-hind the Scenes Light on Glass Cover Design

I know I’m excited for another behind the scenes of how the cover design occurred, but first, let’s see this amazing cover, dive into the well-crafted blurb, and meet the author.

Publisher: Filles Vertes Publishing

Book Title: Dreamwalkers

Author: Leslie Rush

Cover Design: Jena R. Collins/ JRC Designs/FVP Artist & Cover Designer

Genre: YA Speculative & Magical Realism

Between working in her mom’s Tarot shop and trying to graduate before her nine-year-old genius brother beats her to it, Vivian Night Hawk has only one escape from her tiny New Mexico town: the ability to control her dreams, a gift she inherited from her Apache father. But lately that control is slipping, stranding her in a nightmare that seems to follow her even when she’s awake.

When she finds a jacket she suspects belonged to her dead father, Vivi steps beyond her usual lucid dreaming and discovers the electrifying secret of Dreamwalking—the power to control the dreams of others. But with it comes a deadly menace: a top-secret CIA plot that threatens her brother, Brian.

Sought out by fellow-dreamwalker Lucas, who is convinced their fathers are still alive, Vivi ventures deep into Dreamland to find a way to protect Brian. As the bond between Vivi and Lucas ignites, the conspiracy linking them together closes in, and Vivi must unlock the darkest power of all–a power that begins with her father’s quiet words:

Walk with me.

Y’all here’s a special excerpt from Chapter 1!

The worst thing about living in the Land of Enchantment is that it hardly ever

lives up to the promise of that name. When we first moved here, I thought there

would be actual magic, like the sky might change color at my command. A

nighthawk with my father’s voice would teach me all the secrets and show me how

to fly. Even though New Mexico looked mostly like desert, I figured that was just a

clever disguise. The magic was hidden, but I would find it.

Seven years later, The Land of Enchantment still sounds great and sells a lot

of T-shirts, but the magic is hard to find and slippery when you do. There are

enchanted spots, if you know where to look, and when the sun sinks into its fiery

cauldron of color every evening, I almost believe. But controlling the skies and the

animals, flying wherever I want to go? I can still only do those things in my dreams, and since Mom won’t let me get my driver’s license, the only flying I’m doing is on

my bike.

Fortified with coffee, yogurt, and a handful of pecans, I’m doing my pre-flight

backpack check when Brian shuffles in, still in his faded Spider-Man pajamas. I don’t

know how my little brother can tell, but he always can. He takes one look at me and

shakes his head.

“That dream again?”

“Yeah. Third time this month.” It’s the one dream I can’t control—a lightning-

cracked nightmare, a ravenous storm of panic and rolling thunder. Normally I would

have gathered it in before it took shape, the way Dad taught me, but I never feel

this one coming until it’s too late.

“I’m glad I never dream,” Brian announces, opening the refrigerator. “Oh,

gross. Almond milk again.” Yawning and scratching his sticking-out-all-over brown

hair, he pours a bowl of Raisin Bran Crunch, dumps the last of my cream over it, and

plops onto a chair to dig into the cereal.

“You do too. Everyone dreams. You calculate the secrets of the universe in

your sleep. I’m just lucky you don’t remember them, or you’d beat me to graduation

for sure.” I’m only half-teasing. Brian’s not even ten, but Genius Boy will be finished

with high school before he’s twelve.

“I told you when we were taking Pre-Cal to let me help you.” Brian slurps an

enormous mouthful from his spoon, wiping off his cream mustache with the back of

his hand.

“I’m a senior now,” I remind him. “Even if you did get all of the math and

science DNA in our gene pool, I don’t think you can catch up with me.” Even if he did

get an A in his online class, while I got a C in an actual class with an actual

teacher.

Brian spies my paint box. “Are you finishing the sign today?”

“Uh-huh.” At least when I paint, I can control light and color the way I do in

my dreams. No math required.

I splort a blob of sunscreen onto my arm. I may have Dad’s dreams and his

thick, black hair, but my skin is like Mom’s, and even an early morning bike ride is a

menace in the New Mexico desert.

“You can’t wear that shirt.” Brian’s eyes narrow.

“Yes, mother.” I check my backpack for gum.

“She’ll make you cha-ange,” Brian sings through another crunchy mouthful.

“Bet she doesn’t—and you don’t have any money anyway.”

“Bet you five Macaroonies she does.”

The backpack is good to go: Phone. Sunglasses. Paint box. Dad’s iPod. A

couple of cheese sticks. And, best of all, a long, skinny, spicy, non-organic beef stick

consisting primarily of fats, nitrates, and forbidden-by-Mom deliciousness. A heart

attack in stick form. Yum.

Brian sees the snacks sticking out of my backpack and snakes his hand in,

which emerges clutching my prized beef stick. He eyes me hopefully. “Are there any

more of these cat tails?”

“In the garage. Who knows, maybe they’ll feed you something good this year.

Remember the Spaceman Sticks?”

Gagging noises erupt as Brian crosses his eyes and dies in his chair. Last

summer, the Space Campers got samples of astronaut “food.” Tang—an orange-

flavored drink powder—and this truly disgusting thing called a Spaceman Stick. It looked kind of like Brian’s cat tails, but it was chewy and sweet. Its grainy texture

and vitamin-chocked taste was too gross even for the eight-year-olds.

“Okay,” he sighs, putting the cat tail back in my bag. Just in time.

Mom, silent as a ninja, appears in the doorway. “Don’t dawdle, Brian. The bus

will be here in half an hour.” She pauses. “And that shirt, Vivian. It’s certainly true,

but not for work.” Busted. Summer Hawk, Psychic Tarot Life Coach, can spot

inappropriate at 7:00 a.m. without even using her magic powers.

“Okay, I’ll change when I get there.” Personally, I think my “KARMA’S A

BITCH” T-shirt is totally appropriate. Mom’s shop is a collection of vintage clothing,

New Age books and supplies, Native American crafts, jewelry, and assorted work

from local artists. Christened “Déjà Vu,” it’s where all things—from “experienced”

clothing to crystals, carvings, and tarot cards—are either reincarnated from an old

life or designed to help each customer find a new one. Now that school is out, I get

to work there a few days a week instead of just Saturdays.

She hands me the shop keys. “Okay. Be careful riding, Vivi. Oh—Una should

be coming today. Jewelry and probably clothes from Santa Fe.”

Brian fakes a cough and holds up his fist, releasing his fingers one at a time,

reminding me of my cookie debt. I grab my backpack and drop the keys in the

outside pocket. As I pass Brian, I flick my finger on the back of his head in farewell.

“See ya, Brainiac.”

“See ya, Vivisection.”

Click here to get your Pre-order today.

Get to know the Author, Leslie Rush!

Leslie Rush grew up near Philadelphia, spending much time at the Jersey Shore. She moved to El Paso and fell in love with the desert Southwest. Disguised as a history teacher, she spent years eavesdropping on her future readers. When she’s not in her classroom, Leslie can be found on the road with her husband, exploring the desert and the world of dreams.