Jennifer Shaw

Last year, I discovered how awesome it felt to have an artist illustrate a picture for my work.

Artist and writer Sybil Wainwright created the above for my feminist ghost story “Hello, Dear,” published by Amaranth in September of last year. I love how she chose sepia tones to mimic the look of an old photograph.

Artist Khareese Orr created this one for “So Many Fragile Things,” a Christmas horror story with dark fantasy elements, published by Amaranth in December. The crack in the glass suggesting a hand seizing the house is perfect. I also appreciate the little images inside the holly berries.

This year, no one is commissioning work for any of my pieces. It’s looking like I’ll end 2025 with only one story published, though I believe I’ve improved in my craft. That’s how it goes sometimes, I suppose.

I decided, however, on whims of rebellion and self-love, that I would commission something for myself. Why not?

I was also curious about how that process worked. How does the writer communicate their vision to the artist? What are the details of a contract? What does the creative process look like? Commissioning book art, especially cover work, is a key piece of self-publishing, which is something I’d like to learn more about.

So, after being taken by the beauty of Marta Into the Forest’s gorgeous, gothic-y medieval creations, I reached out to her via Substack.

Here’s a small sample of the work she’s shared there:

Samples of internal book art

Titled “The Blood Rings,” ominously beautiful. There’s a definite narrative here, probably a commission from a writer.

Holy hell, look at this gorgeous end paper… hauntingly impressionistic. Done for author K.M. Davidson’s book “Sundered Heavens”

Marta was warm and quick in her response. She had openings starting in October, so on the first of the spooky month, I sent her a short description of my vision for an internal art design inspired by “Elspeth and the Fairy.” I relayed how the character was a fairy with pointy ears and long dark hair, but her ears didn’t have to show. I visualized her holding a daffodil (significant to the story) and wearing a gown of woven leaves, as she’s described in the tale. I explained she is beautiful but haughty and antagonistic. I also said I would defer to Marta as the artist–whatever she thought would look best, I was game to see.

I paid the fee–a very reasonable one–upfront and signed the contract with Marta. I agreed to limited rights, allowing Marta to retain the image for her own portfolio and marketing purposes, basically, and she got started. She sent me samples of her work-in-progress for feedback along the way (as outlined in the contract), and they were like little pop-up treats for my in-box.

If you’re not familiar with the term, an internal art design is a small sketch or symbol found inside the pages of a novel or story collection/anthology, often at the top of a chapter or above a section break within a chapter or story. It adds a little flair to the book’s format, an additional little aesthetic appeal.

Marta worked fast, finishing my commission in about two weeks. So, without further ado, here it is…

Cue drumroll…

Isn’t she gorgeous?! She is Lady Rowan, a fairy guardian of early spring and antagonist to Elspeth in my fairy tale, published in Spellbound in September of this year.

I left a fair amount up to Marta, and I love how she chose not to show Rowan’s face. This is common in book and especially cover art, as I understand it, the idea being that readers get to envision the exact look or beauty of the character in their own minds. It’s arguably more universally appealing, and I can understand that notion.

Happily, this image works well not only for “Elspeth and the Fairy” but even better for the fictional piece I just completed, a novelette and sequel to “Elspeth” in which Rowan makes a brief appearance at the very end.

Again, if you’re not familiar with the term, a novelette is a fictional work longer than a typical short story but shorter than a novella. It ranges in word count from 7,500 to 17,500 words.

I wrote my 12.5 k sequel, quite simply, because I just wasn’t ready to be done with the story’s world. In fact, I started it the day after Spellbound was released.

I was intrigued by the idea of writing another version of the same ending, from a different character’s perspective. How could I flesh him out? What were things like through his eyes? How precisely did he feel? What exactly did he grapple with, and how did he change? How could I develop the love story itself, unfettered by word count and completely free for me to write exactly what I wanted to?

I call this piece (more a historical fantasy romance than a fairy tale) a sequel because it does extend the story a little way beyond the first tale’s end, but really it might just be a companion piece.

And you know what? Writing it was deeply satisfying.

In fact, it turned into my unexpected passion project for the year.

I did not write it with an eye toward publication (though now I’m considering what I could do with it on my own terms), and that proved meaningful because it reminded me why I devote most of my free time to this fiction thing in the first place.

I do it because I love challenging my imagination through the medium of language. I love the act of writing itself, regardless of the outcome.

It is, first and foremost, my ultimate act of self-care.

I’m no longer a working professional strategizing and problem-solving on a daily basis. So, writing keeps my mind sharp and my creativity nourished. It allows me a healthy escape and even a way to manage difficult emotions. It gives me a purpose beyond my domestic life and even something toward which to aspire (as long as I remain firmly rooted in its primary purpose). When I’m in that delicious flow state, it gives me a way to transcend myself, even when I’m writing utter dog crap.

It’s magic, in short. And not just magic in the metaphorical sense but in the literal, if we define magic as “the practice of moving natural energies to effect needed change… a tool to improve ourselves and the world in which we live” (Scott Cunningham, from Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner).

My new novelette does have a working title, but I don’t want to include it here in case anyone reading this post hasn’t read “Elspeth and the Fairy;” I don’t want to give too much away.

I will share a blurb for it, however:

A curse breaks.

A second chance reigns.

A first chance aspires to love.

For ten years following a witch’s spell, the mysterious Muir has labored as a wretched half-man, half-goat in the scullery of a minor lord, his true identity unknown. Only a maiden of the household, the brave and sympathetic Lady Elspeth, has shown him protection and care. In return, he has done his best to guide her on her quest to save the man she adores, the afflicted Lord Alistair, heir presumptive, from the fairies wreaking havoc in a kingdom without a monarch.

Now, having proven victorious in her trial, Elspeth has not only saved Alistair but someone else… And Muir, restored to his former glory, is now free to pursue all that’s his, including his beloved Beth.

But first, he must find her while wrestling deep, new shadows in the dark heart of the forest. Can he reach his maiden in time, even as he confronts his greatest failures? And if he finds her, will she even want him?

Can he prove himself worthy of her?

This blurb is definitely a draft and little cringey, but hey, it’s early. Thanks for letting me share it with you! If I can work up the courage, I might share the very first scene of Chapter One in a new post tomorrow.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this one full of beautiful images. And I hope your November is going well. Thank goodness the government has reopened…

To wrap up, here are the latest additions to my list of things I’m thankful for, each one inspired by the goings on of that particular day. This list covers Nov 8 through today, Nov 13:

8. A sweet daughter who still loves spending her Saturday with Mom and Dad

9. Morning cuddles in bed with coffee while the first snow falls outside our witch’s window

10. Doing housework leisurely while T Swift sings through my earbuds (I’m currently obsessed with the acoustic version of her new song “The Fate of Ophelia”)

11. Wonderful mother-in-laws who spoil our kiddo with things like hot air balloon windsocks just because Daphne took a fancy to these particular aerial vehicles. Happy birthday, Julie! Cary, we love you too!

12. A long To-Be-Read (TBR) list and being able to swap book recs with my own amazing mama. I just got her to read Mexican Gothic.

13. A husband who knows how to buy me THE. PERFECT. XMAS. GIFT: A Nov 26th performance of The Nutcracker by the Newport Contemporary Ballet, done in one of the Gilded Age Newport RI Mansions, Rosecliff (where parts of the Robert Redford Great Gatsby were shot). Apparently, the audience will walk room-to-room for the first act and then enjoy the second act in the grand ballroom. I *cannot wait* for the Sugar Plum’s grand pas de deux under those chandeliers!!!

Thank you for reading. Do you have any news? Anything you’re particularly grateful for? Or any insight into commissioning artwork, if you’re an author?

Feel free to pop anything in the comments.

See you tomorrow, maybe. Next week, for sure.

XOXO,

Jenn

Download a free e-version of Spellbound to read “Elspeth and the Fairy,” which has the privilege of opening this collection of fantasy/magic stories.