Cover Reveal – A Place Called Perfect Helena Duggan

I’m really excited to be able to reveal for you today, the cover of the Helena Duggan’s debut novel ‘A Place Called Perfect’, which will be published on the 1st August by Usborne.

So without further ado here it is…….

This stunning cover has been designed by Katharine Millichope at Usborne, and illustrated by the brilliant Karl James Mountford. I love how this animated cover hints at the darkness that lies within the pages and capturing the creepy feel of the novel.

A Place Called Perfect

Violet hates living in Perfect. Why does everyone have to wear special glasses to stop them going blind? What are the strange noises in the night and why is Mum acting so weird? Then Dad disappears and Violet is determined to uncover the truth with the help of the mysterious Boy. But returning normality to Perfect is a battle they never imagined…

To find out more about ‘A Place Called Perfect’ we chatted to the author Helena Duggan, the illustrator Karl Mountford and Anne Finnis the Fiction Deputy Editor at Usborne.

Helena Duggan, author A Place Called Perfect

“Getting published was a childhood dream but to do it with Usborne has been amazing. I always had this idea of the big scary publisher. Possibly because I write children’s books, publishers in my imagination, looked like something from a Fairytale. Giant people, behind giant desks, in pin striped suits, with long pointy noses and glasses balanced precariously off the end. My experience with Usborne has been nothing like that, although quite a few in the office do wear glasses! I’ve enjoyed every step of my publishing journey so far, it’s been an education and I just hope A Place Called Perfect will be received as warmly with readers as it has been with Usborne.

I work in design and illustration so to let go of my vision for the cover and trust it to another was a leap of faith. When I saw Karl’s illustration combined with Katharine’s design I was floored, I couldn’t believe how they climbed right into my head, took something from my imagination and made it uniquely theirs. The cover took my breath away and I can’t wait to hold it in my hands. Their vision compliments my words completely and I’m in awe of their talent.”

Karl Mountford, illustrator

“It’s great to illustrate the covers of slightly darker stories. A Place called Perfect is a wonderful example – with it’s creepy eye-ball flowers and mysterious characters, especially when it’s set in the backdrop of an Idyllic town. The cover design had a great brief, full of details and direction, I’ve only read parts of the story but look forward to reading it in full when it’s in book form.”

Anne Finnis, Fiction Deputy Director, Usborne

There’s something very wrong in Perfect but the adults are too blind to see it.

What I love about this spooky adventure is that Violet and Boy refuse to be duped by the villains who rule over Perfect and courageously set about uncovering a perfectly creepy plot. The story is hugely inventive, child-friendly and eyenormously fun, but at its heart is a pertinent message about the power in all of us to resist the bullies who would have us follow the herd.

Helena Duggan

Helena Duggan is from Kilkenny, a medieval, haunted city in the south of Ireland, which was the inspiration for Perfect. She writes stories full of adventure because she gets bored really easily. She’s also a graphic designer and illustrator. A Place Called Perfect is her first book.

Thank you to Stevie at Usborne and Helena for inviting me to host the cover reveal. ‘A Place Called Perfect’ is available to pre-order from all good bookshops or online at Amazon.