After The Lion of God: Archangel Ari’Elwas printed, I realized that the story of how the cover came to be, needed to be told. It isn’t included in the book. I’m grateful that you are reading about the cover now.
In my agreement with the publishing company, their design team was scheduled to create the book cover. During a consultation with my advisor who acts as a go-between from author to design team, I was tentative about how to say this to her. I asked that she relay to the design team that there be NO WINGS on the cover of the book. She questioned me about my request, asking why I didn’t want wings on the cover of a book about angels? I could tell I was going to get a bit of resistance. After all, they were approaching the cover design from a marketing and sales point of view and felt that Angel Wings would be the image to attract attention as it announced the book’s message. Let’s be honest, don’t most books about angels have angels as we imagine them or angel wings on the cover?
Then I explained that she was really asking the wrong part of the writing team to explain. This request was not my request, it was much more than a request. Archangel Ari’El was direct and emphatic. He insisted that there be no wings on the cover. Because of his insistence I was quite forceful, making it clear that there were to be NO WINGS representing his presence on the cover of The Lion of God: Archangel Ari’El. OMG! I thought surely they would think I’m some kind of crazy woman.
There was an attempt by the design team to satisfy this request, but it was a challenge to come up with something that delivered the essence of the book. I was concerned and went to Ari’El with the question that we were all wondering,
“Ari’El, why don’t you want wings on the cover of the book?”
I have never experienced him this forceful. He replied, “You humans, make us look weak and ‘fluffy’ and we are NOT ‘fluffy’. We are powerful, formidable, terrifying. You haven’t seen anything yet. You couldn’t bear to look at me in my full presence. My six wings are FIERY, red-hot, huge! There are to be NO WINGS on the cover!”
After that little exchange – whew!
I asked friends, with a grasp of computer graphics for help. Together my secretary and I selected two photos: one I took of the sun coming through the clouds and one a pilgrim friend took of me at the end of my Camino Pilgrimage. Vicki took the two photos and worked her magic. First, she somehow cut my image out of the background that surrounded it. Merging the two photos she pulled the sun’s rays over my image gently. The merging of the two images showed the fiery angelic presence as seen in the brilliant white light of the sun’s-rays embracing the human who agreed to partner in this venture.
Archangel Ari’El is pleased with the result of our efforts.
I am so relieved and happy that he likes the cover.