An Artist's Journey 🖌️🎨🌌
Discover the artistic journey behind the breathtaking cover of Do Not Die Today and how creativity brings stories to life.
Hello, artists, authors, and adventurers,
Life has a magical way of bringing remarkable people into our path, often when we need them most. I met Kate in Berkeley while organizing volunteers and voters for Bernie Sanders. We were leaders with Our Revolution East Bay, both driven by a commitment to people, the planet, and building a future to believe in for all.
Creative Paths Meet in New Mexico 🎨🧳🏜️
As the years passed, Kate and I took different paths. I moved to Oregon to write, explore, and serve, while Kate followed her creative dreams to Taos, New Mexico, to pursue her passion for painting and creating art.
Last fall, my partner and I visited New Mexico and Kate’s studio in Taos. She greeted us with warm tea and shared her beautiful paintings and the stories behind them. Her art isn’t just something you look at; it pulls you into another time and place.
At the time, I was wrapping up Do Not Die Today, my mystery thriller set in Joshua Tree National Park. Inspiration struck me like a lightning bolt in the desert.
I asked. “Would you be willing to paint the cover for my book?”
I was thrilled when Kate said, “Yes!”
From Desert Dreams to Canvas Colors 📷 🖌️🖼️
I wanted something special for the cover that would pull readers into the vast, haunting beauty of the desert.
I shared my vision with Kate. I told her about my characters, Mitch, Ben, and Alex, and described the blend of beauty and danger in Joshua Tree. I sent her photos from my trip to Joshua Tree that inspired my story. Kate added her research, drawing from her experiences painting desert landscapes in New Mexico and beyond.
Kate began assembling a collage of images, blending elements that captured the story. We met over Zoom to review the composition, discussing how the painting would wrap around the book—front cover, spine, and back cover—creating an invitation to step into the world of Joshua Tree. I wanted something bold, vivid, and immersive, something that would make readers want to pick up the book and dive into the story.
One of my requests was to incorporate the deep, dark desert night sky, filled with stars stretching down to towering boulders and the desert landscape below. I envisioned a winter night with no moon, mysterious, foreboding, and captivating. Kate embraced the challenge, experimenting with colors and textures to bring this vision to life, layering the night sky with the rugged beauty of the desert in a way that felt alive and true.
Once we finalized the concept, Kate moved on to sketching. We reviewed her initial drawings, adjusting details before she began painting. Over the next few weeks, she balanced her many commitments, taking classes, attending art shows, and working on other projects while continuing to bring our cover to life.
I was blown away when Kate unveiled the nearly finished painting. It was everything I had imagined and more. But she wasn’t done. Kate kept refining, adding more depth to the Joshua trees, sharpening the hidden rock formations, enhancing the glow of the distant desert horizon. Every detail mattered, and the result was breathtaking.
Once the painting was complete, it was time to digitize it for the book cover. Kate’s background in design came into play as she helped lay out the fonts and even designed a subtle emblem for the National Park Mystery Thriller series. We also had fun hiding small, ominous details within the painting—clues to the dangers lurking in the desert, waiting to be discovered.
With the final cover in place, it was up to me to launch the book in all three formats—print, e-book, and audiobook—ensuring that Kate’s stunning artwork remained the centerpiece. I kept text minimal, letting the painting do the talking.
Looking Back on a Creative Adventure 🖊️🎨📕
This cover isn’t just a painting; it’s a part of the story, pulling readers into the world of Do Not Die Today. Collaborating with Kate reminded me of the powerful connections we build along our journeys. Her art reflects her path, just as my writing reflects mine. Together, we created something special.
Kate’s artistic journey is shaped by exploration and passion, rooted in her Midwestern upbringing and the high desert landscapes of Taos. For a deeper dive into her work, visit katehenkeart.com.
Enjoy your adventures, travelers. Let curiosity guide you, and may you always find joy in the connections and creations along the way.