The Lust Garden by Billy Jolie

The Lust Garden by Billy Jolie

Behind the Lens

If you were to ask any of my friends, I’m sure they’d all agree that I’m a bit of a control freak. What can I say, I like things to go my way! See? It even rhymes.

One of the perks of “going indie” with your novel is the ability to maintain artistic control over your own work. There’s no big publishing house over your shoulder dictating the look of your final product. It all rests in your hands and if you find the right people, you can birth something no graphic designer could ever come up with.

In my personal life, I surround myself with many creative types – artists, photographers, poets, and other authors. These unique people are a continuous source of inspiration. I drew from this pool and was lucky enough to assemble a “dream team” to help capture the essence of The Lust Garden and its main character, Gianna.

I think we got it right. Ryan Prado, the photographer, Jessica Hurst, the model, Mark de los Reyes, the makeup artist, and Jon La May, layout designer – all helped create a stunning piece of visual candy that I get to keep for the rest of my life.

I can’t begin to describe how I felt that day at the cover shoot. I was in awe. I was ecstatic. I was finally seeing Gianna come to life in front of my eyes.

Secretly, I snapped this photo with my iPhone:

We took a lot of beautiful shots of Jessica as “Gianna” that day, and as beautiful as they were, something was still missing. I told Ryan she needed blood on her face. The Lust Garden is intense, almost savage at times. I felt the blood would convey the danger and the sacrifices made by all the characters throughout the story. In the end, it really set the image apart.

This is my dream team, minus Jon, at the release party for The Lust Garden:

*From left to right: Mark de los Reyes, Billy Jolie, Jessica Hurst and Ryan Prado

For a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card + Signed Copies of The Lust Garden – enter The Lust Garden Giveaway.