{"id":5903,"date":"2025-06-17T04:11:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T11:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/?p=5903"},"modified":"2025-05-26T15:28:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T22:28:36","slug":"cover-design-secrets-for-subtle-resistance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/2025\/06\/17\/cover-design-secrets-for-subtle-resistance\/","title":{"rendered":"Cover Design Secrets for Subtle Resistance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Let\u2019s look in detail at my book cover so I can share some fun behind the scenes stories with you.<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/april.edwards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe53567a1-0005-4e02-89f0-1001bcff0515_1080x1350.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>#1 &#8211; my blurb quotes<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F526ed7a8-bbfc-4543-87ae-e50085f7ee35_1080x443.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F526ed7a8-bbfc-4543-87ae-e50085f7ee35_1080x443.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ruth Anne Smith, PhD is a former nurse, professor, and an avid reader of my blog from the beginning. She was excited to read my advanced reader copy and send me a blurb to indorse my book. I am thrilled to have her support. \ud83d\udc99<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jalynne Hall is a dear friend who helped me with several editing stages of the book. My book is better because of her diligent work and helpful comments on my rough draft. \ud83d\udc99<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>#2 &#8211; the subtitle: Practical Tips to Live Deliberately<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This subtitle took a while to pin down. It has had many variations and iterations. I wanted to include key words that highlight what my book is about without being too wordy or complicated. I feel like the phrase \u201cintentional living\u201d has been overused and worn out by too many authors and so when I came across the words \u201cdeliberate living\u201d I immediately wrote them down in my idea book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also wanted to include something about overwhelm because, unfortunately, that is the word that defined so many years of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/open.substack.com\/pub\/embracinghome\/p\/help-needed-working-title-and-subtitle?r=1qjcbv&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;showWelcomeOnShare=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Here is a post where I asked for advice and shared the previous versions of my subtitle.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>#3 &#8211; a few fun facts about me<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/april.edwards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F05632525-b42f-4630-990e-764636e82402_4582x3903.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Humm.. things I haven\u2019t shared here before\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I never planned to be a homeschool mom. It was a family lifestyle that I \u201ctested out\u201d when my oldest was a preschooler and we couldn\u2019t afford the expensive private school tuition. Then it stuck. I have loved teaching my kids and managing our household for the last 20 years. \ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83c\udfeb<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I have been an avid journal writer since age 9. I see now that I have been a writer my whole life I just didn\u2019t have a proper outlet for it. I tried writing a fiction novel in my teen years and it was terrible. I wish I would have found writing practical non-fiction earlier in my life. \ud83d\udcdd<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I am a book dragon (aka hoarder of books). I have full bookshelves in almost every room of my house. I read over a 100 books in 2023 and probably around 75 in 2024 (I didn\u2019t track it as closely.) I usually have a stack of 5-7 books I am currently reading. \ud83d\udcda<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I really want to be the cool person who knows all the exciting places to go and unique things to do, but reality is that I am a rather boring homebody. My oldest daughter is the person that creates fun experiences for all of us. \ud83c\udf88<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I have discovered that being in my early 40\u2019s includes a bit of reinventing myself. I have loved the life my husband and I have created, but it also feels satisfying to step into some new adventures and push myself to learn new things. Writing and publishing a book has been a creative journey that has opened new paths forward as my kids get older and need less hands on parenting from me. \ud83c\udf3c<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I used to kill all houseplants despite best efforts. The past few years with some encouragement and help I have learned more about different types of plants and I have kept many alive. \ud83e\udeb4<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>#4 &#8211; leaf pattern<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd2636877-7a85-4f68-af4b-d2db6d0ed265_695x329.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd2636877-7a85-4f68-af4b-d2db6d0ed265_695x329.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This subtle leaf pattern is a nod to my first versions of my blog header. In some of my first newsletters and posts I used a similar leaf pattern as a border piece. In my journaling when I was a teenager it was something I would doodle between entries. I love simple nature drawings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This specific leaf pattern was drawn by Mary in InDesign when she was creating my book cover. I love the hand drawn, imperfect nature of it and the subtle green color she chose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>#5 &#8211; the title: Subtle Resistance<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffb68eec3-c559-4656-9d0e-97b64baf4664_1080x240.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffb68eec3-c559-4656-9d0e-97b64baf4664_1080x240.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The word <strong>subtle<\/strong> was inspired by the book <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/markmanson.net\/not-giving-a-fuck\">The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*uck by Mark Manson<\/a>. After burnout, I worked through stacks of non-fiction books and this one helped me understand the nuances and layered aspects of adult life that I did not see before. On a rainy weekend in January of 2023, I was sick on the couch making notes about writing a book and the word subtle kept coming back to me. I looked up the definition in several dictionaries and knew I had to use that word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fefa6628c-549b-48fd-b5a2-27a9f116c872_1080x239.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fefa6628c-549b-48fd-b5a2-27a9f116c872_1080x239.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It seems ironic that I would have a book with the word <strong>resistance <\/strong>in the title. In this very polarized and political world I find myself staying out of most those kind of very intense conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>But after I hit burnout I realized that the fight to slow down, to live differently, and to practice restful productivity is an act of resistance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I want others to see the areas where they are blindly accepting stress, hustle, and pain so they can make small changes towards a better life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/april.edwards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff1bdc294-ba0f-4e18-93de-731292574ab8_4530x4469.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This was fun to share with you some behind-the-scenes pieces of my book cover! \ud83d\ude01<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An extra bonus for those who already have my book in their hands\u2026\ud83d\ude09 The top quote on the back cover was something I posted on my wall in my closet and I would say it to myself every morning. It became my mantra as I built new boundaries and started saying the magical sentence \u201cNo.\u201d (And it still makes the people pleaser inside of me cringe a little.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please share this post and help me get the word out about my book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"%%share_url%%\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am a ridiculously practical person and I hope that my book launch reflects that. I have created a variety of freebies like <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Book-Guide-Subtle-Resistance-v.3.pdf\">my PDF Book Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you are subscribed to grab the book freebies when they are posted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>I love to write for the quietly overwhelmed\u2014the ones who look like they\u2019re keeping it all together but are running on empty behind the scenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you read every post or just now and then, your presence matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am glad you are here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Have a great day!<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1febc491-8237-4ce3-99c3-17d1fc108c88_1344x256.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1febc491-8237-4ce3-99c3-17d1fc108c88_1344x256.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2\" href=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/april.edwards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F321a7889-57b1-4762-936d-e0ff8844c8c1_1080x573.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s look in detail at my book cover so I can share some fun behind the scenes stories with you. #1 &#8211; my blurb quotes Ruth Anne Smith, PhD is a former nurse, professor, and an avid reader of my blog from the beginning. She was excited to read my advanced reader copy and send&hellip; <\/p>\n<div class=\"readmore-wrapper\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/2025\/06\/17\/cover-design-secrets-for-subtle-resistance\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read <\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_stc_notifier_status":"sent","_stc_notifier_sent_time":"2025-06-17 04:40:00","_stc_notifier_request":false,"_stc_notifier_prevent":false,"_stc_subscriber_keywords":"","_stc_subscriber_search_areas":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,121],"tags":[519,394,567,662,659,663,67,336,653,661],"class_list":["post-5903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mom-life","category-writing","tag-book","tag-burnout","tag-burnout-recovery","tag-burnout-story","tag-burnout-symptoms","tag-healing-from-burnout","tag-overwhelm","tag-overwhelmed","tag-subtle-resistance-book","tag-subtle-resistance-by-april-edwards"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5903"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5903\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5943,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5903\/revisions\/5943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}