Project Person // My book's cover!

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My husband told me once that I was a pessimist, but then we realized I was actually just such an optimist that I was heartbroken more often than the normal human.

On that note… I’ve romanticized a few key moments of authorhood as I’ve dreamt of this publishing journey. Some have been realized, abundantly so. But there have also been some disappointments, and there’s for sure a fear of future disappointments.

I wrote out a list of these milestones (things like the deadline, the cover, the author endorsements, and the launch), along with my honest thoughts on what they’ve felt like, on a new email list I started for book-stuff. Click-bait: I also share about my favorite author and what he said when I asked if he’d blurb my book.

If you’re interested in reading my interviews with favorite authors, hearing more about the publishing process, or learning about the families who will receive grants from this book’s profits, you can sign up for this other email list here: https://calliemurray.substack.com/

But while I’ve got you here on this email list (which I’ll maintain every so often with entrepreneurial thoughts), I’d love to share my novel’s cover with you.

→ The cover. I cared so deeply about this part that I was convinced I was going to be let down. I wrote far too many parameters on the Title & Positioning Questionnaire the publisher sent over, and I braced myself for some hard conversations. 

But then the art director sent over the most glorious design, and I (can’t even believe this) had no notes. It was somehow historic but relevant, tragic but hopeful, classic but so weirdly funky.

I can picture it on shelves or in bookstagrammer-photos, and I just keep looking at it. I am so thankful to Laura Klynstra and Nate Eidenberger for their artistry, and to Laura Balfour for the gorgeous marketing images.

I posted the back-of-the-book blurb on my Instagram here. Help me hype up this post with your comments if you can, as we’ll share this with booksellers as proof that this book will sell. 😳

The book won’t actually release until May 19, 2026 (!), but it’s starting to make its way to retailers for pre-orders. More on that soon.

In the meantime, we can go ahead and start adding it as a Want to Read book on Goodreads! This helps jumpstart the word-of-mouth marketing I am hoping for.

We’re about to have some fun with this. Thanks for being along for the ride.

-Callie

 🪩 Meet Your Fellow Email Subscribers 🪩

Yana Remensnyder, who along with her husband Anthony, is leading a business incubator and micro loan investment program in the Middle East! (8 of the 11 entrepreneurs are women 💛)