Buzz. A fat drop of pink dropped from the paintbrush tip, splashing on the painting. Purple bloomed smack dab middle of her pale blue sky. Cursing, Trish reached for a cotton swab to soak up the mistake. Her cell phone vibrated.

I’m really in trouble this time. I have no one, the text read.

Trish focused on repairing her sky. She needed to finish this set of illustrations for approval tomorrow. Trish really didn’t want to let her author down. Lavender clouds crossed the twin moons. Trish dry-brushed the moon. Buzz. Another text appeared.

“I know things are tight, but if you could lend me the money. I promise to pay you back with interest next Friday.

Trish knew she should just turn off her phone. Or at least put it on silent. Instead she mixed leaf green with cobalt on her palette. Grey green stones met the sky on her artwork. Loose rectangles became the edge of a stone castle. In Adam’s story, the main character has been kept behind the castle’s walls his whole life until his escape into a magical quest. For this cover art, Trish wanted to capture the feel of story, the loneliness and the adventure. Trish’s brush added the first stroke of shadow on the castle’s precipice. Her phone chimed. Deep emerald drops splattered the watercolor. That was Ellie’s ringtone. Trish wavered between the phone and the brown splotches.

“Ellie, tell me what’s wrong.”