When My Mother-Daughter Novel Needed a Cover, I Knew Just the Artist: My Mom (Exclusive)

**Exclusive: A Personal Touch to ‘Love Forms’ Novel Cover**

The journey of creating the cover for the novel ‘Love Forms’ took an unexpected turn when the author turned to a familiar artist: her mother. Claire Adam, the author of the novel, which was published by Hogarth in July, found herself faced with a challenge in finding the right image for the cover. This led her to seek out her mother, a talented artist with a hidden treasure trove of artwork in her possession.

In ‘Love Forms,’ Claire Adam weaves a compelling tale of mother-daughter relationships, separation, and reconnection set against the backdrop of the Caribbean. The story follows Dawn Bishop, a woman from a wealthy family in Trinidad, who embarks on a journey to find the daughter she had to give up for adoption decades ago. The lush tropical landscape of the Caribbean plays a central role in the narrative, embodying the characters’ lives and struggles.

The search for the perfect cover image led Claire and her publisher to consider incorporating tropical imagery, particularly that of fruit, reflecting the family’s business of producing and exporting fruit juices. However, finding the ideal image proved to be a challenging task until a serendipitous moment occurred. Claire’s mother, who had pursued art passionately in her earlier years, emerged as the unexpected answer to their quest.

In a heartwarming twist of fate, Claire’s mother, Mary Adam, revealed a painting she had created years ago featuring Portugals, a type of citrus fruit reminiscent of the Caribbean landscape. This painting, rediscovered after a thorough search through the nooks and crannies of their home, struck a chord with Claire and her publisher. The vibrant colours and evocative imagery perfectly encapsulated the essence of ‘Love Forms.’

The collaboration between mother and daughter, artist and author, breathed new life into the cover of the novel. The painting not only serves as a visual representation of the story within ‘Love Forms’ but also symbolises the enduring bond between mothers and daughters, often hidden beneath the surface. Through this creative endeavour, Claire and her mother found a unique way to connect and express their shared experiences and emotions.

The journey to uncovering the painting and its subsequent inclusion on the cover of ‘Love Forms’ resonates with the themes of the novel itself – the idea that love, like fruit, ripens in its own time and that even the most hidden connections can be rediscovered. This personal touch to the cover adds an extra layer of meaning to the novel, inviting readers to delve deeper into the intricate relationships explored within its pages.

As readers hold a copy of ‘Love Forms’ in their hands, they are not just experiencing a story about mothers and daughters but holding a tangible symbol of the creativity and love shared between two generations of women. The cover, born out of a collaborative effort between Claire and her mother, stands as a testament to the power of art and storytelling to bridge gaps and illuminate hidden truths.

In a world where stories often mirror real-life events, this unique collaboration between Claire and her mother serves as a poignant reminder of the beauty that can emerge when personal experiences are translated into art. The cover of ‘Love Forms’ is not just a visual representation but a testament to the enduring bond between a mother and her daughter, captured in strokes of paint and words on a page.