New Format, New Cover!

A Story Behind the New Cover for The Light We Give

I’m so excited to share the new paperback edition of The Light We Give. It has a brand new cover, and it just went on sale today! You can purchase it wherever you get your books, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local independent bookseller.

When my publisher first told me that they wanted to delay the paperback version of my book, I was disappointed. I figured things weren’t going well. Then my editor explained that this was a good thing; that they were delaying the paperback because people were still buying the book. He also mentioned that not every book receives a paperback edition. I felt happy and grateful.

But then, as the process for the paperback went along, my publisher told me that they wanted to put my face on the cover. I hated the idea. The whole point of this book is to share Sikh ideals, including its core teachings on humility and selflessness. I felt uncomfortable enough writing about my life story. Putting my face on it felt counterintuitive.

I told my publisher how I felt and made my case. This feels awkward. I’m not that important. And besides, I’m not even that good-looking.

My publisher listened to me and offered a suggestion in return. What if we did an artistic rendition instead of a photograph? A sketch might capture your kind and inviting disposition. Would that feel better, and would that reflect the vision for the book?

I appreciated their suggestion and appreciated their consideration. I also realized that this could be a big win for the Sikh community. Imagine people from all over, walking through libraries or airports or bookstores, seeing a sardar on the cover of a book. That would be so valuable for creating a positive impression about Sikhs and Sikhi, even for people who didn’t pick up or buy it.

This perspective helped me swallow my discomfort and consider my publisher’s suggestion more seriously. I was still uncertain of how it would turn out, but there was some comfort in knowing that I could request changes or even reject whatever they brought to me. I told them to go ahead and commission the art.

I waited a couple of months, and after I had pretty much forgotten about it, my editor emailed me with the artistic rendition. No spoiler here. I loved it. While I’m still not totally comfortable with my face being on the cover, I know how much representation like this matters—and it helps that the artist did such a beautiful job with it.

I’m so grateful for my publisher’s willingness to hear my feedback, and I’m proud of myself for sharing my opinions and being willing to trust their expertise. I love the new cover for the paperback. I hope you do too.