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When W. W. Norton & Company offered me a two-book contract for "Tularosa" and "Mexican Hat", I approached them with the idea of using Peter De La Fuente, a New Mexico artist, to create the illustrations for the dust jackets, and they agreed to do so. It wasn't until later in my career that I learned how rare it is for a writer to have so much direct influence over the design and appearance of their work.

I chose Peter because I'd long admired his work, and this happy collaboration was to continue through the first four Kevin Kerney novels, when Scribner, my next publisher, agreed to use his services for "Serpent Gate" and "Hermit's Peak."

Peter is a member of the renowned and prestigious family of American painters that includes NC Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, his grandparents Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth, his mother, Carol Hurd, and his uncle Michael Hurd.

Over the past fifteen years, Peter De La Fuente has become an admired and highly-collected painter of the American Southwest.   I knew he could capture visually the beautiful landscapes of New Mexico I wrote about in my novels, which he did by creating stunning, wonderful images.

Soon after publication, "Tularosa" was selected as a collectable book of the year, and word about the identity of the cover artist began to circulate in art circles through out the southwest. As a result, people now collect the first four books in the Kevin Kerney series both for the enjoyment of owning modern first editions and because of   Peter's  dust  jacket illustrations.

I doubt that Peter will again turn his talents to book jacket illustration, which makes these first four novels even more desirable on the collector's market.  Sadly, this signed collector's set is no longer available for sale new but keep your eyes open, you never know if you might come across them.

The Wyeth Hurd gallery offers a feast of fine art spanning four generations of this famous family of American painters. 

©2000-2008 Michael McGarrity  - All rights reserved.

— 1 October 2008
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