Working on this totally singular memoir was both exciting and challenging.

After extensive rounds of drafting and deep conversations about what look this cover should have, these were the final two drafts, both inspired by this truly gutting line from a climactic scene in the book. For the final design, we ended up combining the stylized rosebush image on the right with the font from the thorn design.

(Side note: I made the decision to switch up the font because I wanted some part of the cover to reference the 70s—the time period in which the book is grounded—and also for it to stand out among all the recent books with that bold, sans serif type treatment. Apparently many other designers had the exact same instinct!)

Designing the interior was as exciting and challenging as the cover, which is somewhat rare for a narrative book. If these snippets don’t make you want to read this book immediately, I don’t know what will!