My newest novel, Captivity, can now be ordered in advance on Amazon.com.  Because this book has taken years to write and publish, I sit at my computer, amazed at the product page on my screen. 

The cover, in particular, thrills me.  Because authors don’t often get a say when it comes to cover art (except, perhaps, for the obligatory question, usually when it’s too late for changes, “Is this cover okay?”), I had braced myself for artwork that did not meet my expectations.  However, the staff at John F. Blair acquired this stunning photo, taken by the National Geographic photographer Michael Nichols, and, in doing so, exceeded my expectations. It embodies the themes and emotions of Captivity, and, in the eyes of the chimp, reveals the humanity shared between the two species.

Because this photograph was not staged, it has a story behind it, as explained in a few short sentences in the Michael Nichols/Jane Goodall book Brutal Kinship.  This young chimpanzee was held captive in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia, and was offered for sale.  Unfortunately, the chimp never found a happy ending, as he became a victim of Liberia’s civil war.

As I embark on the publicity for this special book, I hope to meet some of you, my readers, along the way.

Copyright 2007 by Debbie Lee Wesselmann