Book Cover Junkie Interviews Literary Fiction Author Paula Onohi Omokhomion

 

Paula Omokhomion is a Master of Public Policy student at the UC Riverside School of Public Policy, though she’s fairly certain that won’t be forever. She holds a B.S. in Public Health Nutrition from UNC Chapel Hill, where she also minored in Creative Writing (Fiction) and graduated with highest honors for her 120-page thesis novella, New Age Taffeta.

Paula developed her skills and love for writing fiction in a very, very interesting Nigerian boarding school, where the lack of television meant she had to invent entertainment for everyone else. She loves reading manhwa, watching Indian TV dramas, listening to music, and writing short stories.When not doing any of those or in the classroom handling R code, she’s refining her LinkedIn or taking Instagram selfies.
She lives in California with her family, including her two fellow triplets, and is currently dreaming of a future PhD in public health—and maybe another novel.

Visit her website or connect with her on Facebook and Instagram. 

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

My book, Shape of the Sun, focuses on a heir to an Indian construction empire that has to decide between choosing ethics or not when he falls in love. The stakes are higher because he is going against his half-brother for this inheritance, and the latter is playing very dirty, so love is an obstacle and he’s trying to maneuver it. 

I believe I was really inspired by how fiction canon traditionally does not express male leads in an unflattering manner, and going further, how some actually have male leads that do terrible things but put in major efforts to compensate for it, which could come off as whitewashing in realtime. Raj, SOTS’ male lead really is that central character that is by no means misunderstood and is particularly consciously unreliable. There is also meta-fictional commentary on whether romance can really wipe out negativity as well as the effect of family neglect, and performative masculinity. 

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?

I actually thought of Shape of the Sun after seeing a particularly sad image that won a Pulitzer, I believe. The sun was being particularly oppressive in the picture to a child that was malnourished and at risk of being prey to a vulture. The next day I believe, I was listening to a friend discuss how the sun was a proof of life and something that everyone cherished.

In that moment, I couldn't help thinking how the sun could be two-faced and given meaning based on who was describing it; it was a problem to some and a promise to others.

Raj, SOTS’ lead is exactly like that. Sure, he is rich and handsome and is the lead, but based on who you are asking, he might not have done some really nice things, which you get to see in the book. 

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

Yes, I didn’t want it to be too priming in a way that readers concluded what the themes were and entered the novel with that idea in mind. Sure, there is romance and I could opt for the popular go-to of a couple on the cover, but that book really involves more themes than that. So I wanted a cover that conveyed seriousness, but not to the point that people thought it was horror or something like that. 

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

I was the cover designer, and I did it in Canva. 

What has been the readers’ response to your cover?

I haven’t gotten many comments on the cover compared to the content, but one did admit that the cover might be understating the rich content and a possible problem for garnering interest. Thus, I am contemplating a revised cover after a few months of floating the original. But nothing is certain yet, as I am watching for more reviews. 

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

Try Canva templates first. If you can afford it, Threads is a good resource for finding out from other indie authors which artists produced their cover work. 

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

Shape of the Sun is literary fiction, romance, inheritance drama and family saga all at once. Readers should approach it with an open mind and also be prepared to expand their worldview and perspectives. All reviews are always welcome. 

 

Book Cover Junkie Interviews YA Fantasy Author B.B. Swann

BB Swann is a twenty-seven-year retired elementary teacher who writes books for children and young adults. Her issue-driven stories focus on characters who face difficulties most readers can relate to, and how they succeed through perseverance, ingenuity, and hope. She is also a literary agent at FinePrint Literary Management in New York representing a diverse group of authors that write picture books through adult manuscripts mostly in the genres of sci-fi, fantasy, or speculative fiction. You can visit her at Facebook, Instagram and TicToc.

Interview:

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

Wooded Discovery is a young adult urban fantasy. I like to describe it as a mash up of Supernatural (#teamcrowley), Scooby Doo, and Harry Potter, if Harry hated magic. There’s lots of teen angst, discovering themselves, and mystery to be solved. And of course, a dash of romance!

Really, my son was a big inspiration for this story. He and I were huge Harry Potter fans. But in general, we shared a love for fantasy stories that had magic. That’s partly why I wrote this one. The main character Zaidyn is based off him, to a point. Zaidyn is just so loveable, bit of a mama’s boy, likes to read—all traits my son shares. Zaidyn’s best friend Iggy was tons of fun to write! He’s that snarky BFF who isn’t afraid to poke fun at his friend, but just a quickly will have that friend’s back in a crisis and do what it takes to help. Book 2 is his story and I kind of tortured him a bit, but he’s tough and can take it. Ky started out quiet and moody, but in his book (#3) he really blossomed into something I didn’t expect! These three POV characters each came to life during the course of the series and have stuck with me for long after. I hope readers feel the same and hopefully they see a bit of themselves in the characters, too. 

Piper, Gabby, and Melody, the girls in the story, don’t get to share their POV, but that doesn’t mean they don’t take charge. I’m a bit of a feminist (okay, a HUGE feminist) so my girls will always be strong, even if they don’t believe they are. And these girls are absolutely the strength behind their friends. 

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?

Originally, this book was titled Out of the Woods. I attended an online workshop where Bryan Cohen was the speaker and had the opportunity to have an evaluation done of my marketing/sales page by his company Best Page Forward. His team suggested I change the cover and title to better fit the genre. The original cover looked a lot different. I don’t think it was bad, but the new cover and title absolutely is better. The colors are striking and jump out at the reader from the thumbnail. That’s an important thing to have when you’re trying to stand out on a screen. 

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

Changing from the old to new cover, I asked them to focus on the woods as the biggest part of the image. But their designers came up with the rest of the design. I don’t even think I had them change anything! I just fell in love with the look and ran with it. I’m glad I did, too. I get a lot of compliments on the covers for the whole series. At the time, I was preparing to publish book two and hadn’t even started book three, but I went ahead and had the team complete the other two covers as well. When you write a series, it’s important to have a cohesive look for the books. I’m really happy with the way these all have similar structure, but the colors and little details embody the uniqueness of each story.

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

The team at Best Page Forward worked on the covers. I don’t have a specific name, but I do recommend them as a great place to consider. 

What has been the readers’ response to your cover?

When I go to book signings or events, the cover for Wooded Discovery always gets the first glance. I’ve heard so many different people say, “I love this cover!” so I know readers like it. 

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

I would first go with a recommendation from someone you know or trust. If that isn’t an option, then I suggest looking at references/reviews. Reedsy is a good place to start.  If you see a cover you like, try to learn the designer’s name. This will be easier if it’s an indie author because they will be able to share the name. Traditionally published books will be more difficult to figure out. But you can collect images of covers that might have a feature or style that you envision for your cover. Be sure to get a cover designer who knows what your genre needs because a romance cover will look a whole lot different than a mystery.

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

Just that I hope people seek it out and give it and me a try! And if they do, please consider leaving a review. It’s the best way to help an author get more visibility, and to help other readers decide if the book is for them.