Monday, April 28, 2008

Cover Story part 1

I need your help. I'm casting about for images and art and objects that capture the feel of Secret Keepers, my forthcoming novel. I'm no graphic artist...and I'm so happy to foist off--I mean delegate-- jacket design to the professionals. But my editor agrees that bringing along some ideas that evoke the novel is a splendid idea. For The Garden Angel, I helped track down the featured porch--and actually took the photo myself. I wanted something definitely UNpristine and forlorn and beautiful--sort of ruined finery. And so I emailed my humble jpg, and the true artists then worked their magic and designed around it.

This time, I'm attracted to vintage seed catalogs and botanicals. Secret Keepers is about the emergence of a swallowed-up lost garden--the legacy of a tragic planthunter.

I love this:

Burpee, 1898

And also this--because of the landscape of the town:
Nurserymen's Specimen Book, 1875

And this:
Burpee, 1900

Here is the album for more examples and larger views.

Vintage Botanical Illustrations, Prints, and Seed Catalogs
What do you think? Do tell.

2 comments:

  1. Mindy,

    Those seed catalog images are wonderful. I like the middle one on your blog, with the view of the house. There was also one in the huge album that had "tiles" on the right side of the image, like an old tiled floor in a potting shed, or something like that. Can't find the image again, but thought it was v. interesting.

    Can't wait to buy your new book! Take Care,
    Elise D.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks! I'll look for the tiled floor image...Oh, delicious procrastination.

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