Jamesland

Sometimes the perfect image for a book is right under your nose—or, in the case of Michelle Huneven’s inspired novel Jamesland, hanging on your wall.

Jamesland starts off with a compelling and hilarious scene in which a woman is awakened in the middle of the night by a deer that has somehow found its way into her dining room ; it may or may not be real. The deer imagery continues straight through to the end of the book and is central to the story. As I read the manuscript in my bedroom, I became increasingly aware of the deer painting that hangs on the wall across from my bed. When I reached the last page, I was convinced that, had I searched high and low, I’d have been hard pressed to find a piece of art more perfect for the jacket. Thankfully, the author agreed.

“I have been so taken with this jacket for so long that I am only now getting past that to actually read the title. It is a wonderful appropriation of found art, manipulated just enough to tell the story without destroying the integrity of the original art. Take me to Jamesland, wherever that is.” Archie Ferguson