Kristen Pham

YA Science Fiction & Fantasy Author

Throwbacks Series

On Joan Fasces’ eighteenth birthday, she discovers that she is cloned from the famous Joan of Arc. But being cloned in America comes at a steep price. Segregated and oppressed, clones are forced to act as docile servants to the rest of the Evolved population.

Follow Joan as she decides whether to run from her fate and spend the rest of her life in hiding, or to join a Throwback rebellion populated by clones of the greatest leaders in history. Her decision will lead her down a path of intense danger, new friendships, and epic love.

Check out an excerpt from Joan the Made here. Read this book here on Wattpad.

The streets of Seattle have never been more lethal, for Throwbacks and Evolved alike, and Joan knows that the fault rests with her. She and her friends unwittingly ignited a violent uprising of Throwbacks, and now they must be the ones to end it.

But stopping the momentum of a movement powered by rage against decades of brutal oppression and masterminded by one of the greatest villains in history may be more than even Joan can overcome.

Read this book here on Wattpad.

In the final book of The Throwbacks Series, Joan and her team must face their biggest enemy – Strand Corporation.

Joan Ascends is available exclusively on the brand-new Yonder app. Check out the story here, where you can download a chapter for free every day.

Recent Posts

2020 Cover Art Trends for Young Adult Fiction

Posted on February 21, 2020 by conjurors

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The first thing you hear when you’re reading advice on how to make your self-published novel sell is to have a professional cover that fits into the genre you are writing for. But what’s left out of that advice is that cover trends change over time. Whether you’re ready to launch a new release or you’re looking to reinvigorate your backlist with a fresh new cover, it’s critical to be sure that you’re leveraging cover art that is appealing to the young adult audience of today (not five years ago).

Cover art contests are regularly run by several self-publishing sites, such as The Book Designer. These sites can be great resources for inspiration or to get visibility for your own book by entering your cover into one of the free contests. Another way to check the pulse of cover art is to look at best sellers in your genre to see what your audience is clicking on. It’s good to know what’s working, but also don’t be afraid to make your cover different so that it pops out at the reader who’s scrolling through dozens of books.

For the young adult audience, below are five key cover art trends in 2020 that are compelling readers to click “Buy”. Proof that they work? I know that I bought more than one of these titles because I had to see what was inside the pages.

Trend 1: Grabbing the eye by using grayscale with a pop of color

Example: Circus of the Dead by Kimberly Loth

Trend 2: As a variation on the example above, muted palettes are leveraged for a dreamy, fantastical appeal.

Example: Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

Trend 3: Intriguing readers with a glimpse of something beautiful and mysterious

Example: Ember Queen by Laura Sebastian

Trend 4: Pairing vibrant color and detailed graphics to make the viewer take a closer look.

Example: All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

Trend 5: Pairing opposites (like death and beauty) compels readers to take a second look

Example: The Queen’s Assassin by Melissa De La Cruz

What cover art tactics have you seen work well, either on your book or others?