Passionate About This Book Cover

Welcome to the COVER REVEAL for Heart of Passion!

I am thrilled to introduce the cover of the True to Heart Trilogy Book 3, Heart of Passion with you all.

I debated so many times whether to have horses, no horses, horses, no horses on this final cover and decided on no horses because really, the trilogy is about Spupaleena (Rabbit) and her life choice: train, race, breed, sell, anything but traditional woman’s work. This last cover had to be about her, her passion for the four-legged animals, her passion for her dreams, her passions for family, her passion for life.

I had taken both photos: one of Spupaleena model Shayna Palmanteer, a Colville Tribal member, standing in a creek near my home on the Colville Reservation, and the tipi photo that was supposed to be used solely for my back cover. I asked my cover designer, Rachel Rossano of Rossano Designs, what she thought, was the water too busy? Should I select a different photo? And she came up with the marriage of the two.

Isn’t it wonderful?

She agreed the creek photo was too busy and combined the two photos for the perfect cover, and it still has water.

Behind the cover model is Round Lake near Inchelium, WA. A beautiful setting that Spupaleena either rode past or caught its breathtaking view from on top of the mountain behind it.

Ms. Palmanteer captured the essence of Spupaleena in a magical way in this photo from her soft features, slender but strong build, and even in the way she held her otter ties. No one told the model to hold her braids in the same manner as Spupaleena in the tale, but she did.

I still get chills thinking about the photoshoot. If this was a movie, everything about the cover model would project my main character like feet to moccasins. For those of you that have never made moccasins before, the sewer traces the wearer’s foot so the moccasin is a perfect fit.

If I had to describe this book cover and Spupaleena in one word, it would be passionate.

We all make harmful and healthy choices in life, and so does Spupaleena. Yet as she tries to ride her course in life, from the back of a horse no doubt, her heart remains passionate. She has a drive that gets the job done. She has a tender heart that allows her to love when she doesn’t want to. She has an instinct and gift that carries her through tough times, some of which are self-inflicted.

Nevertheless, she perseveres through fear, heartache, and threats.

So what’s coming next?

You’ll have a chance to meet the horses before they gallop across the pages of Heart of Passion.

Beginning in September, I will share each team’s horses with you and their race symbols and what those markings mean.

Who are the teams?

Spupaleena

Pekam

Rattlesnake

Visiting Teams from nearby

These horses are my drawings and are of the main equine character, except with Spupaleena you will meet all three of her horses since all three of them have major roles in the story.

This way you will be familiar with the horses and owners before you read the book, which will come out sometime in October.

So, what do you think about the cover? Do you have any questions about the photo sessions? Any questions about my cover model? I’d love to hear from you.

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