Meet Fiona Jayde - cover artist extraordinaire!

How did you get your start in Graphic Design?

FJ:  I’ve always wanted to be an illustrator – my inspiration was fantasy cover art by Michael Whelan. Later, I fell in love with fantasy artists like Boris Vallejo and Luis Royo. Problem is, I couldn’t draw.  I went to art school and still I can’t draw a stick figure. I can paint landscapes a la Bob Ross, but even those are questionable.

When I was in art school, I discovered that I could make images on the computer and somehow my pencil clumsy hands could do wonders with a computer mouseJ I started learning more about web design, graphic design etc, all under the banner of “art”. And I discovered that I don’t need skills with a pencil to achieve my dream of producing fantasy covers. I still wish I could draw though.

What are your favorite sort of covers to do? (erotic, fantasy, etc.)

FJ: My favorite covers are edgy moody dark fantasy/sci fi. Give me a hero and a pair of wings and I’ll be happy J Give me a setting where I have to make things blow up or drip with bubbles (or blood, I’m not picky), and I’m in heaven. Give me something metal, and I’ll make it shine (and that can be a pair of handcuffs or a gun… like I said, I’m not picky) I love high contrast colorful dramatic images that draw the eye.

You’re now one of our house cover designers. Do you remember the first project you did for Decadent Publishing? (you can also elaborate into the other stuff you’ve done for us, like the RT magazine layouts)

FJ: I believe the first cover I did for Decadent was Long Hard Ride. I still remember trying to find the perfect cannon with Keta Diablo.  I think I didn’t officially become a house cover designer until I did wings for Deena Ramiel for her Angel series (Deena – when am I getting more angels to play with ???), and we formed a beautiful friendship J

What are a few of your best or favorite Decadent Publishing covers? (we’ll post an image and URL)

FJ: My favorite covers are the ones where I get feedback along the lines of “the staff was speechless for full five minutes”. Hell yeah, I’ll take that compliment!

I already mentioned my winged angels for the Brethren series by Deena Ramiel. A couple more are:

Handcuffs & Silk

The Middlesex Suite (I was afraid Facebook was going to ban that image when it was uploaded!)

I also love the Absinthe series images I’ve done for Azura Ice:

And of course, we can’t forget the awesome Run Devil Run covers (and can I just say I behaved like a mature adult and didn’t giggle like an idiot when I met my cover models? That’s my story and I’m sticking to it)

Do you have other creative outlets besides designing? (good place to talk about your own books!)

FJ: Oh man, what creative outlet don’t I have? I’m a writer as well (and by the way, I hate doing my own covers because I’m my own worst client). When I do drag my rear away from the computer, I paint happy little landscapes a  la Bob Ross,  play a mean F Blues Boogie on the keys (I just bought a gorgeous old upright and already  have a story brewing about it), and I practice martial arts when my long-suffering hubby manages to drag me to class.

Have you won awards for your covers?

FJ: Brethren Trinity was #2 favorite cover at You Gotta Read Reviews. And one of my covers – A Captain’s Order, A Duke’s Command  won favorite historical cover at the Australian Romance Writers Association.

What would you advise authors in terms of communicating their vision to you in creating cover art?

FJ: Authors are my first line of defense in understanding the mood and feel of the book. Give me adjectives that visually describe what your book is about – a dark angsty feel is something I can visualize, while  “a book about revenge” isn’t quite as graphic.

And then,  the best thing an author can do is leave me to my own devices. Authors are emotionally invested in their works – as they should be – and don’t see the marketability aspect. It doesn’t matter that the heroine’s cheekbones/jaw line is different than the stock image, or that a certain scene is the “key” in the book. My job – as is the job of every cover artist – is to create a compelling commercial piece that will show the reader what the book is about and make the reader want to find out more. (This is why I can’t do my own covers, by the way, because I can’t unhinge myself from my own emotional investment to let my non-verbal artistic side come out and play)

Find out more about Fiona, her artwork and her books at FionaJayde.com

Becca Dale Shows (and Tells)

Show and Tell Saturday – the name alone conjures memories of standing in front of the grade school classroom, knee sock drooping down one leg, hand-me-down dress a bit too short, and my heart beating with excitement and trepidation. Would my classmates see the value of my favorite toy or enjoy the cactus candy Grandma and Grandpa brought back from Arizona? Would they understand how dear the picture of my new calf was to me, what a milestone it was that I was responsible for feeding all the bottle calves on my own at seven. Or would they laugh at my weird sense of joy?

I feel that same excitement mingled with unease every time I send out a new story to be judged, to be adored or found lacking. So with that in mind, I stand before you carrying a cover made by Dara, a series developed by Kate and Val and another friend late at night, and my 1 Night Stand – Erotic Healing. This story forced me to step outside my comfort zone. I don’t do casual intimacy very well. I do complicated. So guess what? My 1NS is complicated, but I can honestly say I love it. It is a little unexpected, I hope, but it also adheres to the on-the-edge excitement of a time limit—win or lose, connect or remain lonely, everything rests in one night. What a fascinating concept.

I haven’t been with Decadent Publishing all that long, but in the scheme of things, none of us have since the idea for the company took root little over a year ago. Since walking through these metaphorical doors though, I have pushed myself repeatedly. Can’t Stop Me, which is currently available in the print anthology Run Devil Run and will be available individually mid-June, raised havoc with my writing process. It was the first time that I have even written something which mattered to other people. I woke up more than one night in a cold sweat fearing I would let Heather or Lisa or the band or one of the other authors or someone down. The experience was a true nail biter but one I would not give up. The individual cover for Can’t Stop Me was brought to you by Fiona and the anthology idea the brainchild of Heather. So here again I feel the need to share the credit for the cool factor, if there is any associated with my writing, with others from Decadent.

Each thing I have written since joining this group has helped me grow, not because I wrote it so much, but more because I wrote each one with the unfailing support of my fellow Decadent teammates. So what am I really showing off today? My publisher. This is my newest release, Erotic Healing; and here is my contribution to the RDR Anthology, Can’t Stop Me; but this—holds up Decadent Publishing Banner—this is my publisher. I currently have and have had other publishers in the past, and my editors have all been supportive and downright fabulous, I cannot say a single negative thing about any of them. That is not the point. What I am trying to tell comes down to this. I have been blessed to be a part of Decadent’s growth, the fellow authors and editors along with Heather, Lisa, Meredith and Colleen have made this an experience I will not forget but would certainly recommend. So I stand here a bit more put together than I ever was in grade school, but just as eager to show and tell about some of my favorite things.