Creating the right cover for The Yugoslavian was a challenge I began back in 1995. I tried postcard-like images, scoured the Internet for ones to purchase, and even attempted a plain cover—none quite fit. When I set a deadline in 2012 to finally publish the book, I resumed the search. The perfect cover had to be a photograph that captured the novel’s mood. Unlike The Killing Game Series, which has a darker tone, this story always evoked shades of gray and blue. I searched online again, noticing how the years had expanded what stock photo com - panies offered. Still, nothing felt right. As a photographer, I nearly always have a camera on hand. In the mornings, when I’m out in the yard with my pup, I’m usually pho - tographing her (last I checked, about eight years ago, I had over 17,000 photos of her—I can only imagine how many more I’ve taken since). The view from my yard is spectacular, espe - cially in winter. I had spent a lot of time photographing the woods, drawn to the trees across the lake, roughly half a mile away. During the winter of 2013, I dedicated several days to capturing these scenes. After each session, I transferred the images to my computer without reviewing them closely; I could easily take a hundred or more in one sitting. With spring's arrival, I thought a cemetery might offer the atmosphere I was searching for. I reached out to two of the larger historic cemeteries just outside Manhattan, received permission to photograph there, and found several statues that seemed promising. Despite capturing some fantastic shots, none of them quite fit for the cover. My typical approach to photography in - volves shooting a series of the same subject, adjusting lighting, angles, and other vari - ables. I often do what I call a "sweep," using the motor drive at high speed to reduce blur when I’m not using a tripod. This technique sometimes yields hundreds of photos to sift through. It’s time-consuming, but worth - while, as each millisecond brings subtle changes in light and atmosphere. Some- times, the essence I’m trying to capture ap - pears in only a single shot—fleeting, yet perfect. I went back to review all the winter shots I had taken, finding three photographs cap - tured in succession on February 11, 2013, of different spots across the lake. The first shot was taken at 1:00 pm, the second at 1:02 pm, and the third at 1:03 pm. Nothing was taken in between—each time lapse marked my move to a new vantage point. Three distinct scenes, each filled with a haunting beauty and secrecy. I aimed to capture the trees across the lake in a way that suggested mystery, as if seen through binoculars or a rifle scope—someone hid - den, someone who doesn’t want to be seen. The choice was clear. After adjusting the hues to bring out a moody, gray under - tone, the final image was exactly what I’d envisioned. With the hue ad - justed, the lightness just right, and the text added, the front cover was perfectly aligned with the story. The final product is now visible on the left. I’m often chided for downplaying my own name. But for me, the story is about the characters, even if my heart and soul are behind each word. Writing is an art, and once your story is on paper, finding the perfect image to capture what your heart has expressed can be the most challenging part of the entire process. They say, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” And they’re right. Just as you can’t judge a book by its title (another thing I hear about from people). Yet it is true. “A picture is worth a thousand words.” And even if everyone doesn’t see the wintery mystery of someone spying through the trees in this cover, my heart is content in knowing no other image could take its place. In the end, the perfect cover photograph was right in my backyard… All was well until… Designed and then Redesigned So, yes, I thought I had the perfect image— until I stumbled upon one of the photo - graphs I’d originally considered for this cover. It was a snowy scene from an old arch in The Ramble in Central Park, New York. Every time I walk past it, I capture it. I have many photos of this old stone structure, but this particular shot, taken during a snowstorm while out with my pup Kuma, stood out. There she is, scouting the way for me. It’s a beautiful spot, and with the story - line set in historic Sarajevo, the simple stones against the snowy backdrop felt fitting. However, the shot needed substantial manip - ulation to bring out the frosty coldness I envisioned. The date was April 16, 2005, at 8:08 p.m., and this is where it all began. First, I brightened the shot while preserving as much detail as possible. Then, I resized it to the cover’s dimensions of 5.5x8.5, leaving some space on the left, so I cropped and ex - tended the image. To achieve the desired snowy effect, I added several layers of a light, white gradient overlay. After careful adjustments, I arrived at the final look below. I love photographs that wrap around a book. It makes the cover more intriguing and inviting for readers, transforming the book into a piece of art rather than just literature. After experimenting with various font styles and sizes, I arrived at a final design that captured the story’s mood with subtle nu - ances and an inviting passageway, sparking the reader's curiosity about what lies just beyond the stone entrance. Perhaps a meaningful exercise is to reflect on this question: If you were to design a book cover to represent your life, what would it look like? Where would you begin searching for the perfect image, and how would you adapt it to reflect your true feel - ings, thoughts, and beliefs? How might that image evolve over time as you grow, learn, and deepen your understanding of yourself and the world around you?