Hey everyone!
I want to tell you a quick story because we’re unveiling the cover of my novel “The Wages of Grace” TOMORROW!
So, two artists and a rabbi walk into a bar . . .
Ok, maybe there was no rabbi. There could have been, but I’d doubt it.
One artist was my mom.
One artist was a guy I’d never heard of in my life named Derik Hobbs.
My mom was among a small group of us pregaming at an East Nashville pizzeria before going across the street to see one of my favorite ever bands, Arkells, at the recently tornado destroyed Basement East.
Derik had just booked a job and was having a celebratory drink at the bar, and doing a very artist thing—sketching.
Mom was walking to the restroom and saw Derik drawing… She stopped… And watched…
Just one of my mom’s amazing pieces! See more on her Instagram!
Eventually, she sat down next to him and asked, “Can I watch you sketch?”
I’m told his exact response was, “It’s a little too late to ask, huh?”
The artists talked.
She told him about her son who was a fiction writer and was trying to design some cover art.
He gave her one of his cards.
When mom returned to the table, she told me about this little encounter. She gave me his card and told me to go talk to him.
I pulled up his website on my phone and my first thought was: “There’s no point—I’d never be able to afford this guy.”
His work was incredible.
As in, he’s a proper artist.
But, I put the card in my pocket and thought, “Maybe some day.”
As it turned out, that day was two days later, when Derik emailed me.
He phrased it as a “cold call” and “possibly a strange email to receive.” (lol!)
Then, he offered to collaborate.
And a friendship was born.
We got together a few weeks later over drinks and talked about our backgrounds, our work, our views on art, and more.
A while later, Derik did the cover for my short story “Cast No Shadow.”
A while after that, Derik (along with his friend Kevin Catalan) illustrated the cover of my upcoming novel “The Wages of Grace.”
(He even did some incredible illustrations to go with each chapter!)
I can honestly say that I never dreamed of having someone so crazy talented, committed, and qualified design my covers.
I can also tell you that he is a top notch professional, easy to work with, and develops your ideas and vision in a way that you couldn’t have imagined!