June Park

We’re thrilled to share the ultra-fabulous, June Park-designed cover for Jac Jemc’s new novel, Empty Theatre: or, The Lives of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and Empress Sisi of Austria (Queen of Hungary), Cousins, in Their Pursuit of Connection and Beauty Despite the Expectations Placed on Them Because of the Exceptional Good Fortune of Their Status as Beloved National Figures. With Speculation into the Mysterious Nature of Their Deaths. Phew!

At the heart of Empty Theatre are royal cousins Ludwig and Sisi, who were born to enormous privilege and wealth in the mid-nineteenth century. They were international celebrities and rulers, both widely admired for their personal beauty–but both struggled profoundly with the expectations of their roles. Empty Theatre imagines the inner worlds of these extraordinary people with tenderness and a wicked wit, plunging us into their extravagant, rarefied world, exposing their foibles, and revealing the hidden tragedies of their lives–their struggles with sexuality, mental illness, loss, and above all, loneliness.

This gorgeous, epic, over-the-top satirical tragicomedy hits shelves February 21st, 2023, and you can preorder the book here.