Davin Malasarn is a biologist-turned-debut-writer. Based in Los Angeles, his work has appeared in Los Angeles Review, Rosebud, Opium Magazine, and SmokeLong Quarterly. The Outer Country, which will be published by One World on May 5, 2026, traces the fractured bond between two Thai sisters after one is sent to America and the other is left behind, their rivalry resurfacing when they reunite to raise a child in Los Angeles. Spanning continents and generations, the novel follows Ben’s queer coming-of-age as he struggles with the scars of a childhood exorcism and the heavy secrets binding his family. It is now available for pre-order.
Debutiful is honored to reveal the hauntingly beautiful cover, designed by Na Kim, along with a Q&A with Malasarn about its creation.
While writing the book, did you have any ideas for what you wanted the cover to look like?
Up until the very end of the writing process, I was stumped by the idea of a title and cover image. The book is about family entanglements, and it includes multiple storylines. I had too many options, and none of them felt like the perfect fit. Also, when I write, I try to hold onto the idea of creating a work that can’t easily be represented by any other medium. So, in a way, I was trying to confound simple visual representation of the story. But I did make note of recurring places and objects that could serve the purpose, and the house and garden always came up. I joked that the book should have been called The House and the Garden, and maybe I would have pushed for that if I didn’t worry my novel would be mistaken for a lifestyle magazine.
Can you explain what the design process was like once you started working with your publishing team?
I feel very fortunate that my editor, Oma Beharry, and the One World/Random House team were committed to creating a book cover that I was happy with. When the time came to discuss ideas, I pulled together images from artists I love, along with historical photos, symbols, and other book covers I admired. I kept my selections broad, caring less about specifics and more about the tone of the art, which for me needed to have a sense of otherworldliness while still being plausibly American. While I tried not to be too prescriptive, the paintings of Peter Doig and Na Kim’s covers were heavily represented!
When the initial concepts were ready, I was thrilled that the covers were hand-painted and that they had been created by Na. Really, I could not have asked for a better scenario. Choosing from among the options wasn’t easy, and people helping me make the decision differed on their favorites. Oma and Ian Bonaparte, my agent, were quick to remind me that it was my book and I should choose the one I liked best. That was scary and empowering.
We arrived at the night scene with the yellow house and the looming vegetation surrounding it. I loved the tone and the colors in both the painting and the text. The only adjustment we asked for was the addition of the stars in the sky, which for me helped to unify the bottom half with the top half and gave the work a sense of hope.
What was it like seeing your finalized cover for the first time?
I think cover designers face the enormous challenge of having to create something that matches the hazy, unformed vision of the author. Doesn’t that seem impossible? So, before seeing anything, I told myself to be open-minded.
When I first saw the options, I was immediately attracted to the little yellow house, which was present in multiple designs. It felt so humble and human. The color palettes were all rich and vibrant while still being harmonious. I didn’t know that Na was the person who was creating them, so I felt incredibly lucky upon hearing the news. And for her to paint the cover felt so personal.
Strangely, there is, I think, something anticlimactic about seeing the right cover for your book because it feels like looking in a mirror and seeing the face you have lived with all your life. That was the sense I had. It felt like me.
How does the cover work to convey what the contents of the story are?
I can’t be certain if my interpretation of the cover is an accurate one. Part of me wishes Na had written a long description of why she made the choices she did. Part of me loves that she didn’t. In an interview by Rachel Scwartzmann at Coveteur, Na mentions the importance of boundaries and trust while designing a cover, and that intuitively feels appropriate. (Although, Na, if you read this, I would love to take you out for donuts and ask you a lot of questions!)
The yellow house is central to the story because it’s the thing that the characters are trying so hard to make work. Meanwhile, threats come from the external world and from within each character, which is represented by the darkness and the vegetation. The painterly—almost childlike—style, for me, hints at what I hope is an earnest quality in the text.