Book Cover Junkie Interviews Paranormal Thriller Author Theresa Cheung

Theresa Cheung is an internationally bestselling author and public speaker. She has been writing about spirituality, dreams and the paranormal for the past 25 years, and was listed by Watkins Mind Body and Spirit magazine as one of the 100 most spiritually influential living people in 2023. She has a degree in Theology and English from Kings College, Cambridge University, frequently collaborating with leading scientists and neuroscientists researching consciousness.

Theresa is regularly featured in national newspapers and magazines, and she is a frequent radio, podcast and television guest and ITV: This Morning’s regular dream decoding expert. She hosts her own popular spiritual podcast called White Shores and weekly live UK Health Radio Show: The Healing Power of Your Dreams.

Her latest book is the paranormal thriller, NightBorn, available at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

You can visit her website at www.theresacheung.com or connect with her on X, Facebook, Instagram or Goodreads.

Tell us about your book! What inspired you to write it? 

Nightborn is my debut novel, but in many ways it’s also the culmination of everything I’ve learned from decades of researching and writing about dreams. I wanted to write a thriller that felt utterly gripping on

the surface but also worked as a kind of covert crash course in dream decoding. I kept hearing from readers of my non-fiction that my books were helping them remember and interpret their dreams so I thought, what if a novel could do that too?

The story came to me almost like a dream itself, dark, vivid, symbolic, and unsettling, and I knew I had to write it. It’s fiction with a purpose: to entertain you, to keep you turning pages, and to quietly kick-start your own dream recall in the process.

How did you choose the title for your book? 

The title Nightborn arrived almost before the plot. It felt like the perfect word to describe someone shaped, guided, and haunted by what happens in the dark. It also echoes the idea that dreams are a kind of second birth: every night we descend into this mysterious realm and emerge changed, whether we realise it or not. Once that word appeared, it never left me. It became the heartbeat of the entire novel.

Tell us about the cover design process. Did you have a basic idea of what your book cover would be like? 

From the very beginning, I knew the cover needed to evoke that eerie threshold between dreaming and waking. When the idea of heterochromia, two different coloured eyes, surfaced, I felt an electric jolt. Eyes are the windows to the soul, yes, but I also think they’re windows to the dreamer within. The dual colours suggest dual identities, dual realities, dual truths and everything the book plays with.

I didn’t want something metaphorical or soft. I wanted visceral. Something that makes you feel watched, or awakened. And that’s exactly what happened.

Who is your cover designer and how did you find him/her? 

My cover designer is my own son-in-law, and that feels wonderfully poetic. Because Nightborn wasn’t supported by my usual non-fiction publishers, I turned indie for the first time in my career. That meant relying on the creative people already in my life and honestly, it was the best decision I could have made. He understood instinctively what the book needed because he’s seen my passion for dreams and symbolism up close for years. He built the image from scratch, and he absolutely nailed it.

What has been the readers’ response to your cover? 

I’ve been blown away. Truly. Readers are telling me the cover gives them an instant, visceral reaction some even say it triggers dream recall the moment they see it, which is astonishing and exactly the secret intention behind the design. Others say it feels haunting, unsettling, hypnotic. I’ve had messages from people who bought the book because the eyes called to them. As someone who writes about dreams, that makes me smile, because dreams often begin with a single image you can’t shake.

What tips would you give to authors who are looking for a cover designer? 

Find someone who understands the emotional mood of your book, not just its genre. A cover isn’t just marketing it’s the first line of communication between your story and your reader’s subconscious. Look for a designer who listens, who isn’t afraid to explore symbolism, and who can translate your themes into an image that stops people in their tracks. And if you’re indie, don’t overlook the talented creatives in your own circle. Sometimes the perfect collaborator is much closer than you think.

Anything else you’d like to say about your book?

Nightborn is a thriller, yes, but it’s also an invitation. If readers walk away feeling thrilled and a little more connected to their dreams, then I’ve achieved exactly what I set out to do. This book was a leap of faith into fiction, into indie publishing, into a new way of sharing my lifelong passion. And I couldn’t be prouder of the result. 

http://www.theresacheung.com

@thetheresacheung on IG

@thetheresacheung on Tik Tok

 

Book Cover Junkie Interviews Christian Memoir Author Johanna Frank

Johanna Frank is a Canadian author based in Southern Ontario, where she lives with her husband, and delights in time with her children and grandchildren. Her award-winning A Lifeline Fantasy Series includes The Gatekeeper’s Descendants (Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Medalist), Jophiel’s Secret (Winner of the 2023 General Market Suspense Fiction Award and the Christian Speculative Fiction Award), and Here Lyeth (finalist for The Word Guild’s 2025 Christian Speculative Award). 

In addition, Johanna has introduced a creative memoir, a deeply personal work that explores God’s abundant mystery and healing. 

Known for her lyrical, imaginative style rich in symbolism and spiritual depth, she invites readers into otherworldly adventures and real-life reflections that illuminate belonging, faith, and the unseen.

“Frank, one of Canada’s emerging authors in spiritual fantasy, walks a fine line between general fantasy and faith-based fiction. Her work aims to innovate and transcend traditional boundaries, catering to a hungry market of curious readers who don’t want to be preached to but are open to exploring spiritual themes through fantasy.” – Sheri Hoyte, Reader Views

Johanna's latest book is the powerful Christian nonfiction, The Voice I Couldn’t Ignore. Connect with her at Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram and BookBub. 

Tell us about your book! What inspired you to write it?

Thank you for this question. I included a Letter to Readers at the beginning of the novel to share more about its origins. In short, it took me well over a decade to piece together the unusual events that have shaped my life—many of which, I believe, reflect God’s abundant sense of mystery. Should you choose to

read the book (and I hope you do), the prologue draws on inherited knowledge of an ancestor’s trauma, while the main narrative—told in first person—reveals personal experiences of haunting visions, profound dreams, and deep loss. Ultimately, the story leads to an enduring sense of peace and an unwavering faith in life everlasting.

How did you choose the title for your book? Did it come to you right away, before you started writing it, or did it come later?

Great question given I struggled with this considerably once I finished the manuscript for The Voice I Couldn’t Ignore. The working title – The Spiritual Side of Grief - had cemented considerably so it was tough to smash it to bits once I’d realized it wasn’t quite a good fit any longer. Originally, I was wanting to simply get certain unique experiences on paper, suitably and only possibly, for sharing. Though the writing flowed more as a novel – a story – and I needed a title to reflect the story of experiences. That’s when I changed the title to The Open Window, then after considerable thought to The Voice I Couldn’t Ignore.

Tell us about the cover design process. Did you have a basic idea of what your book cover would be like?

I did actually. First, it needed to be considerably different from my previous three novels which are a different genre – a speculative fantasy for adults and young adults. Many authors change their pen name when writing in a different genre, I chose not to and for that reason, required a different look for The Voice I Couldn’t Ignore. In my head, I knew I wanted it to be clean, simple, profound, and with a white background. 

Who is your cover designer and how did you find him/her?

Google, of course! About five years ago, I came across a website whose cover designs instantly caught my eye. I was impressed by the creativity and professional quality of their work right from the start. Over the years, the team has expanded and taken on more clients—a clear reflection of their success. With that growth, their service has become a little slower and not quite as personal as it once was, but their design expertise remains outstanding and continues to deliver beautiful results.

What has been the readers’ response to your cover?

BookLife gave the cover an “A-” grade, so I was happy about that. However, after receiving a few queries such as – ‘but it ends well, right?’ – I’ve realized some readers may bypass this creative memoir, which reads like a novel by the way, perhaps because they are not confident in the faith component. While in reality, the novel is a strong testament of faith, one that survives a harsh storm.

What tips would you give to authors who are looking for a cover designer?

Review their prior work as well as their cost for producing a cover. Ensure they will provide two or three options and are willing to make adjustments once you’ve settled on an option. It is key that they ask for your input before design, input that is sufficient for them to get the ‘feel’ of your book – the feel you want your readers to have in order to pick it up.

Anything else you’d like to say about your book?

The biggest challenge was to take the heart and guts and experiences I’d kept secret and carried on my sleeve so-to-speak for many years and allow it to transition into a product per se. When writing, I’d decided to put my best foot forward, to have the story professionally edited and with a professional cover. Then I would make that final decision – to publish. And hence, I did publish.

Book Cover Junkie Interviews Historical Paranormal Fantasy Author Kayleigh Kavanagh

Kayleigh Kavanagh is a disabled writer from the North-West of England. Growing up in the area, she learnt a lot about the Pendle Witches and launched her debut novel around their life story. Her main writing genres are fantasy and romance, but she loves stories in all formats and genres. Kayleigh hopes to one day be able to share the many ideas dancing around in her head with the world.

Her latest book is the historical fantasy, One Foot in the Ether: Whispers of the Pendle Witches. 

You can visit her on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads and Tiktok. 

Tell us about your book! What inspired you to write it?

I wanted to write a sequel to the first book, “Whispers of the Pendle Witches,” but I didn’t want to just cover the trials, as I thought the ending of the first book was better and more empowering than what

happened in reality. 

I love the idea of reincarnation, and those with strong psychic gifts often claim to remember snapshots of previous lives. At first, I was going to have Demdike reincarnate in the modern day, but then I realised there was a span of time between this, where others could have reincarnated. The next idea was to have the books set exactly two hundred years apart, but this was pushed aside when I learnt more about 1800s England. 

The end of the first book ends with Demdike, Chattox, and Alizon casting spells, and I wanted to follow this thread. It developed into a story where Demdike and Chattox’s spell had unintended consequences, trapping them as spirits bound to their bloodlines, while Alizon’s actions (which they were unaware of) added another layer of issues. 

The rest developed naturally as I learnt more about the time period. There are people in the modern world trying to pull us back to these past times, where women had so few rights, and I know for a fact that even back then, there were strong women fighting against these unfair standards. I wanted it to show how women are strong, no matter the circumstances, and hopefully, it will help empower others to keep going even in these uncertain times. 

How did you choose the title for your book? Did it come to you right away, before you started writing it, or did it come later?

It was actually the original title for the first book. However, I didn’t think I’d be doing a sequel, and when betas talked about my book, they just kept calling it Whispers, so I shortened it to “Whispers of the Pendle Witches”.

When I decided to write the sequel and decided where the book was going, the first title felt like a perfect fit. The WotPW part became the series name, and One Foot in the Ether became the name of this new project. 

Tell us about the cover design process. Did you have a basic idea of what your book cover would be like? 

I knew I wanted it to be blue. The first book was green; this one is blue. The third will hopefully be red, and the fourth purple (subject to change). But this was my only real idea.

It did take several revisions, as the first few weren’t great, but the quality was much better once I sent more image suggestions and mockups. It was collaborative, and I think we made a great final cover. 

Who is your cover designer and how did you find him/her?

I used Get Book Covers .com, which I’ve used several times. They’re affordable and do great work. Also, if you do have issues, they’re good about revisions. I’ve heard you can also change designers, but this hasn’t been necessary for me. I plan to continue to use them in the future.

What has been the readers’ response to your cover?

Positive, they think it suits the spooky atmosphere of the book.

What tips would you give to authors who are looking for a cover designer?

Shop around. Ask other authors who have covers you like. Look on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc, and see what’s trending and what you’d like your book to look similar to. 

Anything else you’d like to say about your book?

Whether you judge a book by its cover or not, this one is worth trying.