Under Shōko’s Bed has a cover that’s not homemade anymore. I found my cover designer, Laura Duffy, on Reedsy.com. She had excellent recommendations, but the thing that swung me in her direction, besides a great portfolio, was her promise to read the book before designing the cover. Under Shōko’s Bed is an eccentric tale, and I worried about what might both represent the text and create enough interest that a browser might pick up the book (either physically or virtually) and read a little. Without that first fleeting interest, I will get very few readers.

I like that this cover is unusual. There are no other books out there that show feet from beneath a bed. I think it has an element of mystery. And the novel begins that way, as the reader wonders through the first chapter just what is secreting itself under Shōko’s bed. I hope the question will be enough to pique more than a few readers’ interest.