Songborne & Seabound Press
Bringing a story into the world
Print, digital, and a three-volume special edition for Vivian Wilderbridge’s Breakwater, with a physical form that echoes the story.
What I did
- Book cover and interior design
- Special edition design
- E-book design
- Promotional graphics
- Launch packaging
In a near-future dystopia where rising seawater is overtaking South Florida, Breakwater follows a pregnant woman weighing her ties to home against her need for safety, medical care, and survival. As she resists pressure to leave, relatives, close friends, and unexpected ties redefine her family. Nature is a character in its own right, informing the colors, imagery, and materials across all editions.
The standard edition
A mangrove watercolor wraps around the cover, evoking life, resilience, and complexity. Sepia contrasts with vibrant greens, blues, and aquamarine, reflecting water’s power to both threaten and sustain. Inside, classic typography pairs with story illustrations and a subtle wave motif links chapter headings, section breaks, and page numbers.
The limited edition
Echoing the three trimesters of pregnancy, the story was divided into three volumes, each following a stage. Alligator, mangrove, and heron illustrations distinguish the covers and connect to the content of each volume.
Fifty limited edition sets were wrapped by hand in a bandana printed with the cover’s mangrove watercolor, finished with twine, seashells, and a natural-fiber net bag. Offered in exchange for creative responses to the book, the sets invited readers to contribute something of their own.
The e-book
The e-book preserves the print edition’s visual character while allowing the text to adapt across phones, tablets, desktop computers, and e-readers in full-color or grayscale models.
Credits
- Illustrations: Molly Pearce
- Editing: Kyra Freestar