I thought writing the book would be the difficult part, and don’t get me wrong, it was. Telling a story that spans more than 50 years includes; laughter, war, heartbreak, challenge and passion. What to include and what to leave out is a struggle, and an editor’s nightmare. Once the final content approval is signed, you would think the rest would be easy…but no, it is time for the cover design.
The first round of covers had that feminine look, airy and full of pastels. I didn’t think that would suit my fighter pilot daddy, or the “special mission” left to my mother in bringing me through my war with polio. I am, after all, a woman but this is not a woman’s story, it is a human story.
In my mind’s eye I could see something like an old bombardier jacket like my dad might have worn. It had to be rugged because he was, and our fight was long and hard. The fight only seasoned us, just like like old leather, making us rich (in the sense of experience) and pliable by use.
When I saw the final cover, I thought of the log my dad kept of his missions and how it could have been covered in a similar way. The picture representing mother and I, spoke to me of the love he had for us Jon and home, hidden in his heart under that jacket.
The mother gazing deep into her child's eyes, represented that strong will in my mom...willing me to walk, to never quit or give up. This is the legacy that carries me today, the fight I try to develop in the children I serve, it is ingrained in me...
And the leather strap, securing the contents… Of course, there are strategies, uncommon, even mighty weapons, and instruction for use… definitely not for the faint of heart!
