I’m so excited to announce the second edition of my book Surviving Deployment will be released this fall!

I love the new edition’s cover, designed by Brenda Harris. And I thought it would be fun to do a cover reveal! Over the next 5 days, I will add a cover-reveal clue to this page. So stop back all week to see the pieces of the cover come together!

DAY 1 Clue # 1: Two Letters (Cover on Cover)
DAY 2 Surviving or Thriving
DAY 3 Camouflage Map
DAY 4 Street Name
DAY 5 Hearts
COVER REVEAL

Clue #1: Two Letters (Cover on Cover)
I’m kind of a “go big or go home” dreamer, so when thinking about how to do my cover reveal, I thought: Maybe I could reveal my cover on the cover of a really big industry publication. So, readers, your first clue is that THIS WEEK (April 8-13) the cover of Surviving Deployment (2nd ed) is on the cover of a leading publishing magazine! You won’t find it on the newsstand, but you can find it in your inbox or mailbox by subscription. Also, THIS WEEK ONLY, you’ll find it on the magazine’s website, Facebook page, and Twitter banner.

Professional authors and publishers often refer to this weekly magazine by two letters.

Challenge: Find the magazine, take a screenshot of the magazine cover (or FB or TW banner), circle the new cover of Surviving Deployment, and post on any social media. Tag me (social links above) and the magazine. Hurry! The cover changes this weekend!

Giveaway: Everyone who posts and tags the challenge will be entered to win a signed copy of the book when it comes out.

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It only took author Anthony Clark a few minutes and one clue to solve the first piece of the cover reveal puzzle! Check out his Tweet:

Be sure to follow him—he’s working on a great next book, too!

Seeing the cover of Surviving Deployment on the cover of Publishers Weekly is pretty cool, but it’s also a relatively small image compared to the actual size of the book. And this cover deserves a closer look. So let’s break down this cover reveal puzzle one piece at a time.

First up:

Surviving or Thriving
The title of the second edition remains the same as the first edition:
Surviving Deployment: A Guide for Military Families

Some people have asked me why the title of the book is Surviving Deployment when the content is really more about thriving—turning a challenging situation into a rewarding experience. The answer is that I always want to meet readers where they are when they pick up the book so they feel less alone in their journey.

Most of the readers who’ve written to me over the years or talked with me at events told me they initially looked for the book during a time of trial, when they were just trying to get through the next day. A few proactively read the book, anticipating challenging days ahead. All said they wanted reminders and ideas that could help them feel grounded amidst a highly-stressful situation. My hope is that, while readers may look for a resource to help them survive, once they read the book they will feel confident they can do so much more with their deployment experience. I hope this book helps them survive those tough days and turn more days into blessed days that enrich their lives and strengthen their relationships.

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Camouflage Map
The subtitle of the book is “A guide for military families.” In today’s world, we can pull up directions, information, instructions on a mobile phone. Designer Brenda Harris shares her inspiration for including elements of a modern map, with a military twist:

“Surviving Deployment is a comprehensive guide to navigating the challenges and rewards of military deployment. My goal for the cover design was to create something both familiar and comforting. When I was a child, my mom would help me find my dad on a map and it was comforting to see where he was when he was deployed. He didn’t feel so far when I could touch the spot where he was. So, when thinking about this cover, I immediately thought of those reassuring childhood memories. The camouflage pattern visually connects the two locations, even though they are on different shorelines on the map.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Street Name
When I wrote the first edition of Surviving Deployment, I was married to my Marine husband, Fightin’ Bob Pavlicin. Bob came home safely from many deployments, two helicopter crashes, and being handed a booby-trapped grenade. He died of cancer in 2003, the Ultimate Deployment. In 2011, I married Geno Fragnito, a man who serves in a different way. I decided on the second edition to use my full name, which carries the last names of both men I love: Pavlicin-Fragnito.

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Hearts
My favorite part! When I saw Brenda’s idea to include hearts as location markers, I absolutely fell in love with this design idea! She says:

“In my opinion, there are two parts to a deployment; there are matters of the heart and then there are more logistical tasks or circumstances like finances and parenting. The hearts on the map represent both the physical and mental challenges of surviving deployment. Loved ones may be far apart on the map, but they are never far from each other’s hearts!”

 

 

 

 

 

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Cover Reveal
And now to put the pieces together!