Kerri Cuevas: Cover Reveal for Moonlit by Jadie Jones and Interview

I'm so happy, and excited to be a part of the cover reveal for Jadie Jones, and her book Moonlit. Before I show you her cover though, Jadie was kind enough to answer some questions that I had for her.

1. What was your inspiration for Moonlit? I am kind of a nerd when it comes to being inspired. I love the way it feels to be moved by something, especially when it jumpstarts a scene/character idea. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a huge inspiration for me – both in high school and in Moonlit. I love a self-sufficient, resourceful leading lady. Images from “The Last Unicorn” wouldn't leave me alone until I let them show me where they fit into the story. I’m also tremendously inspired by music. So if a song starts playing in the proverbial background of a scene, I know I’m on to something. J

2. Your cover is absolutely gorgeous. Who designed it? The team at WiDo Publishing stunned me with this cover. I’m told that cover artist Steven Novak designed the cover, and that Allie, the submissions editor who I worked with during the submissions process, gave a ton of creative input. I am thrilled and humbled by their enthusiasm!

3. I know you go to horse shows. Can you tell us more about your experience with them?Growing up, I competed in a few local shows here and there, but showing is expensive. I worked to pay for a lot of my horse-related expenses, and showing was simply over-budget. Once I was in college, I rode/competed for two of the school’s traveling teams. I’m not a competitive person at heart though, and really enjoy working behind-the-scenes at shows. I prepped horses for shows on the “A” circuit, and have worked for several competitive farms in multiple capacities. Coaching is a fantastic fit, and being paid to ride is a nice bonus. I currently coach a high school team that competes in a league called the IEA. I think part of what sets this book apart is that it isn’t just a girl who loves horses, it’s a girl who is very involved in the industry. So the horse world is explored a bit more thoroughly than most YA books involving horses.

4. What was your journey to publication like? In a word: long. I started querying agents in March of 2012 and wasn't getting any bites. I got frustrated, so I put my manuscript and thoughts of publishing aside for a solid month. Then I took it back out and read it all in one sitting, and realized I had some serious work to do. Once the story was in the right place, I decided to query small publishers directly. That time, nearly all of them responded positively. WiDo has been awesome to work with. I feel like I have a whole team of people in my corner, rallying on my book. My editor and I developed a fantastic working relationship, and she helped me take my story to a whole new level.

5. Will there be a sequel to Moonlit? Yes! I am working on it right now. The journey takes a bit of a darker turn. Tanzy has to pay the piper for some decisions she made in Moonlit. And there are more fantastical elements at play, which has been a lot of fun to write.

6. What would you like us to know about your main character, Tanzy? I think something that comes across early on is that although Tanzy keeps her cards close, once you matter to her, you MATTER, and she’ll walk through fire for you.

7. Can you share a little snippet of Moonlit to give everyone a tease? Happy to! Here is the prologue for Moonlit (WiDo Publishing, 2013.)

Prologue

The first anniversary of my father’s death was even harder on my mother. Back then, I thought she was haunted most by what she didn’t know. I refused to blame her when she raged above me on our staircase that night, drunk and sad and angry. When she made me promise I’d never ride again. When she hurled a half-full bottle of vodka at my face and it exploded on the wooden stairs at my feet. I hadn’t tried to get out of the way. She had just missed.

I wanted to tell her that knowledge was no solace, that what you know can burn inside you until there’s nothing left but guilt and ash. I also wanted to protect her from losing the only piece of him she had left. So I didn't say a word.

Great little snippet! I can't wait to read this.

Here are the links for pre-order
WiDo Publishing
Amazon
Goodreads

And now what you've been waiting for, the beautiful cover of Moonlit.

Eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with them on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture. Things happen out there that can’t be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods.

When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything, from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins. Broken and confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn’t.

But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?