Cover! I have my cover!

Besides the phone call when an editor says those magic words, "I'd like to buy your book!" I can't think of a better moment than seeing your cover for the first time. 

Really, it's right up there with seeing a picture of your own baby ... And I have experienced both, so I'm not exaggerating. :)

Back in 2002, when my husband and I were waiting for our referral from China -- confirmation on the request for a baby girl -- what we were REALLY waiting on was a picture. We wanted to know what our baby looked like. 

I was at the office on our Referral Day, and Ricky had made me swear a solemn vow that I would wait for him to look at the photo. 

The call came in. They were sending me a pix of the baby girl we'd waited for over 18 long months. And true to my word, I waited a little longer for my husband to get off work and make the half hour drive to my office. 

In the hour or so it took him to get there, my co-workers couldn't believe I was not even going to take a peek. They started hatching plans to hack into my email. I believe they would have if Ricky hadn't come in the office door at the nick of time. 

Back then, it was strictly dial-up. I remember how Ricky and I crouched over the computer, waiting for the picture to download. For the longest time, all we could see was the crown of a bald head with just a touch of fuzz. 

I remember thinking crazy thoughts, like, "What if she's ugly? Will I still love her?" And that agonizingly slow download did nothing to abate my insanity, let me tell you!

Of course the photo finished downloading, and of course she was beautiful - really, have you EVER seen an ugly baby??

But those memories come back to me before I click on an attached photo of my book covers. I literally hold my breath. 

My doubts are always for nought, though. Harlequin's art department does a slam-up job with their covers, and SECRET SANTA, my November release, was no exception. 

Of corse ... Book covers could be like babies, and whoever heard of an ugly baby, right? ;)