Literary Hub has unveiled the cover for Wei Tchou’s upcoming experimental memoir, “Little Seed,” set to be published by Deep Vellum/A Strange Object in May 2024.
The book intertwines the author’s personal journey with her family and her brother’s mental health crisis, alongside a unique field guide to ferns. With associative chapters, it explores themes of assimilation, identity, love, and nature. The narrative structure breaks when the author’s brother experiences a psychotic break, leading the protagonist on a transformative adventure to the cloud forest of Oaxaca.
Designed by Michu Benaim Steiner, the cover represents the book’s emotional depth and connections between nature and experience. The design draws inspiration from field guides, combining botanical illustrations by Emma Hunsinger and Tillie Walden. These illustrations, including the sensitive fern, a crucial element in the story, have been reimagined with a touch of iridescence to convey the memoir’s emotional nuances.
Wei Tchou, the author, reflected on the collaboration that produced the cover, expressing gratitude for the contributions of the illustrators and the sense of creative camaraderie. “Little Seed” is scheduled for release on May 14, 2024, and preorders are available.
The memoir encapsulates Tchou’s exploration of her conflicts and emotions, while merging the personal, artistic, and natural aspects of her life.
