Blog Tour, Guest Post & Giveaway: Accidental by Alex Richards
Accidental by Alex Richards released this week and we are thrilled to host a guest post from the author about the story behind the cover of the book! I love these kinds of insights and I hope you enjoy it too! Be sure to check out all the book details and enter our exclusive giveaway below!
Accidental
by Alex RichardsPublished by: Bloomsbury YA
on July 7, 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Goodreads
This timely, emotionally-resonant story about a teen girl dealing with the aftermath of a tragic shooting is a must-read from an exciting new YA talent.
Johanna has had more than enough trauma in her life. She lost her mom in a car accident, and her father went AWOL when Johanna was just a baby. At sixteen, life is steady, boring . . . maybe even stifling, since she's being raised by her grandparents who never talk about their daughter, her mother Mandy.
Then he comes back: Robert Newsome, Johanna's father, bringing memories and pictures of Mandy. But that's not all he shares. A tragic car accident didn't kill Mandy--it was Johanna, who at two years old, accidentally shot her own mother with an unsecured gun.
Now Johanna has to sort through it all--the return of her absentee father, her grandparents' lies, her part in her mother's death. But no one, neither her loyal best friends nor her sweet new boyfriend, can help her forgive them. Most of all, can she ever find a way to forgive herself?
In a searing, ultimately uplifting story, debut author Alex Richards tackles a different side of the important issue that has galvanized teens across our country.
Guest Post
Story Behind the Cover
by Alex Richards
From the moment my editor suggested hiring Adams Carvalho to illustrate the cover of ACCIDENTAL, I nearly fainted–in a good way!! I knew the cover was going to be amazing. Adams Carvalho has illustrated some of the most breathtaking YA covers I’ve seen, like Nina LaCour’s WE ARE OKAY, and DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY by Adib Khorram. Needless to say, I was excited and eager. We all agreed that the cover should in some way depict a girl, grappling with her thoughts, steeped in isolation, but I wasn’t sure exactly how the designer, Nicole Ceccolini, was going to bring it all together. I so vividly remember the day my editor sent a sneak peek. I was waiting at the bus stop to pick up my kids after school, and of course an email with the sketch popped into my inbox at the exact moment the bus arrived. As soon as I had them on the sidewalk, my kids and I just stood there staring at the cover–marvelling, tearing up. Okay, I was tearing up. My kids were like, “That’s great and all, but can we have a snack?!”
The very first sketch took my breath away. I loved the illustration of Johanna. The way her head is tilted down, hair tucked behind her ear. She looks vulnerable and lost, which is how she feels for a lot of the book. The spiderweb/bullethole effect is both subtle and suggestive, and I really think it will draw people in.
A few things changed, between the first draft and the final draft. The biggest change was probably the color scheme. At first, Johanna was standing in front of a peachy/strawberryish background and the cracks around the edge were more fuchsia, but after noticing a few other YA covers with similar color schemes, we ultimately changed it to the striking turquoise color it is now, with pale yellow accents. Also, Johanna’s wardrobe changed a bit. That was important to me because clothing and sewing are a big part of her character and personality. I really wanted to make sure the outfit felt right.
I honestly couldn’t be happier with the cover of ACCIDENTAL. I think it is bold, striking, and impactful. And, I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but this cover is so breathtaking! I hope readers are so mesmerized by its beauty that they have no choice but to buy the book, read it and love it, and then pass it on to friends! And, ultimately, I hope ACCIDENTAL gets readers revved up and thinking about gun control in this country.
About Alex Richards
Alex Richards is a young adult author and freelance magazine contributor. She is a terrible navigator (just ask the African jungle she got lost in) but makes up for it with a dark sense of humor and home-made horror films. Raised in New Mexico, she and her family live in Brooklyn.
Giveaway
We are hosting an exclusive giveaway to win the ARC of Accidental by Alex Richards – this is an instagram giveaway – so please head there to enter by liking & commenting on the post.
One winner – US/PR only – Closes on 7/15/2020 – not affiliated with instagram, the author, or publisher.
OR!!
Win this or any new release featured in July. Open international so long as Book Depository ships to you!
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