30 Covers, 30 Days 2011: Day 1

Happy November 1! On this most creative of days, when you’re brimming with imagination and cheer, yet to be battered by gale-force winds of doubt, and bergs of writer’s block, we bring to you our first cover for 30 Covers, 30 Days, by the incredible Jessica Hische!




The Cemetery Keeper by A. E. Killingsworth

Emma Eaves is a struggling photographer in Atlanta when she learns of her great-aunt’s death. To her surprise, she’s been left a crumbling old home in a rural Alabama town, as well as a small fortune. The only stipulation is that she must live in the creepy farmhouse for a year before she can sell the home and claim her money.

She reluctantly puts her life on hold to move to Alabama, and as she begins to repair the old home she uncovers a small family cemetery hidden by years of growth. When she begins questioning locals about the family she never knew, a stranger shows up; a man who knows an awful lot about the dark dreams that have visited Emma ever since she moved into the house. What’s more, he hints at a sinister family secret, one that will soon arise if Emma can’t protect the cemetery from an approaching enemy.

When dark apparitions begin appearing in her photos, Emma knows that the danger is near. But can she trust this mysterious stranger to help her fight an enemy she’s never even met?


Jessica Hische is a letterer and illustrator best known for her personal projects Daily Drop Cap and the Should I Work for Free? flowchart. Just five years out of college, she’s been named one of Print Magazine’s New Visual Artists and an ADC Young Gun and currently serves on the Type Directors Club board of Directors. She has been profiled in many publications, has traveled the world speaking about lettering and illustration, and has probably consumed enough coffee to power a small nation.

Although the book itself would spook me too much by the sounds of it (I'm a self-confessed wimp) the synopsis is really intriguing and I think the cover really matches it, it's very eerie and I love the inage used. ;)

I am beyond thrilled! The artist did such an amazing job, so I hope she's very proud. Thank you so much! I know there are so many amazing stories nominated for 30C30D.

Oh, so very pretty!!! (I do find creepy rather pretty. Maybe I read to much Poe, when I was a kid ;)

I was nominated. Hope I get picked... Anywho, this looks AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love how it embodies the title, yet says absolutely nothing about the book. Kind of how covers should be.

A really eye-catching cover :D Definitely something that I would pick up if I saw it in a bookshop. I especially love the dark-room effect going on.

The synopsis doesn't seem to do the story justice, as I can imagine it being quite cool... but the synopsis itself sounds kind of cliche.

Stories are weird like that.

That's a wonderful cover :D

What a thrill this must be. I wasn't picked, but now I really wish I was. The cover looks fantastic, and it sounds like a story I'd like to read. Congratulations! And good luck with it!

Nice. Very well done cover.

Ooooo...nice graveyard look without actual graveyard. Blood red is perfect color.

30 Covers; 30 Days is off to a great start. That is an awesome cover!

Pardon my enthusiasm, but DOES THIS BOOK ACTUALLY EXIST? SOMEONE PLEASE LET ME READ IT PLEASE.

This looks amazing. I must read this! Am I the only one that gets really inspired by all of these awesome synopses. It just is great that there are so many awesome ideas out there.

This story sounds exactly like the kind of book that I would make others read for me. The cover and the synopsis together are already giving me the creeps. Excellent cover, excellent synopsis, a good job all around. :) Can't wait for Day 2!

This is absolutely stunning & it sounds like exactly the kind of book that would draw my attention at the book store.

This is amazing and the story sounds great too! Congrats to both the author and the artist for 2 amazing works

Now that sounds like a good book. Really draws me in, and it has the perfect balance of suspense.

So cool! Though the story sounds interesting, it might creep me out too much to read! X.X

I would definitely grab this one off the shelf! I hope we see this one in print soon, because I want to find out what happens! The cover is very creepy - though I don't get the photos/dark room effect. Unless there's a part of the story that we don't know about yet... Does the fact that she's a struggling photographer come into play? Are there going to be some crazy things show up in the dark room on pics she snapped of the supposedly empty cemetery? Ooohhh... okay - now I REALLY want to read it! :)