It's finally here: the cover reveal for my fantasy book, The Elementalist: Rise of Hara!
The Elementalist: Rise of Hara
Written by T. M. White
Cover Design by Emir Orucevic
On Sale: November 19, 2019
If you had told me that the final cover for my debut novel, The Elementalist: Rise of Hara (TEREOH), was going to be orange, blue, and covered with stars, I probably would have corrected you with a very detailed description of what I had in mind.
Sometimes you can't predict how things will turn out, even when you're the one managing the project.
The good news? I still got a kickass cover!
Creating a Fantasy Book Cover
Over a year ago, I had a vision for a pretty specific illustrated cover. The problem is, when it came time to hire an illustrator, I kept coming across a lot of frustrating roadblocks and couldn't find a reliable freelance artist with the style I was looking for.
In the end, I had to make a decision: keep running myself into a brick wall, or find one with a door that opened. (These things always sound way better in my head.)
Needless to say, I found another door, and this one opened.
Now, having a background in design (interior design), I was bound to have some strong opinions on the cover. At the same time, I wanted to work with a cover designer who really understood the style I was going for (fantasy meets espionage with a possible noir twist) and could also work within my genre (fantasy). Trust on the basis of stylistic compatibility was a big deal because I didn't want to feel like I couldn't trust the designer to go in an unexpected direction if that's what he/she felt was best for the cover.
There was one designer I had come across a while ago on 99designs named Emir Orucevic. I loved the retro, graphic look of his work, but at the time, I thought it was too bold for what I originally wanted. The thing is, even after failing to find a compatible illustrator who I could rely on, I kept coming back to Emir's work. It really spoke to me.
So, after many closed doors and near-meltdowns, I decided to take a chance on Emir—and boy, did he deliver!
To be honest, I'd been struggling with two different versions of a cover on my mind. (The illustrated one was no longer an option.) I knew the second one, which was more graphic, would suit Emir's style, but I couldn't really "see" the finished project. (That doesn't happen very often with me.) All I knew was that I wanted to use silhouettes for my characters and have a plane with a cityscape that resembled Florence, Italy somewhere on the design.
Thankfully, Emir is a wizard, and he came up with some really good ideas that, quite frankly, I could have never thought of in a million years. And that's what a great designer does: finds creative solutions to problems in innovative ways.
We had some different ideas on the fonts. That was something we had a lot of back-and-forth on. "I need more fantasy," I told him, so he found something that, to me, almost has a whimsical Art Deco quality to it. Since my book draws a lot of inspiration from the early 1900s, I thought this worked out great.
Needless to say, everything came together—and while the process was intense, I had a lot of fun.
So thanks, Emir, for putting up with my ideas (good and bad) and coming up with an awesome cover! I'll probably be bugging you again for another one.
After all, TEROH is the first in a series.
About The Elementalist: Rise of Hara
A disgraced pilot saved by elemental magic. A jaded spy haunted by his past. An occult mystery threatening to ruin them both.
All Voi wants is to fly her plane and live a decent life, but something stands in her way: emelesia, a rare condition likely to land her in a mental asylum. Forever. Then comes Mr. Callahan, the mysterious agent who coerces Voi into spying for a cure. The catch? She has untapped elemental powers, and the enemy is psychic.
Desperate for a remedy, the aviatrix trains for a dangerous mission, wary of Mr. Callahan and their new colleagues. A surprise encounter with an adversary heightens Voi's suspicions. Someone isn't telling her the whole story. Can the budding elementalist trust her handler and their allies, or will paranormal politics work in favor of their foes?
Blending occult science and magic with the intrigue of a noir spy drama, this retro adventure of self-discovery is perfect for fans of steampunk, dieselpunk, and adult high fantasy.
The Elementalist: Rise of Hara is T. M. White's debut novel and the first in the Elemental Spies series.
Available for Pre-Order
Good news: TEROH is now available for pre-order and releases on November 19, 2019! Click below to reserve your copy.
