Create an original book cover for "Anywhere But Here: Stories"

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I am a novelist, and I write literary fiction. This will be my first published work -- it is a book of short stories about a group of six friends who are in their mid-20s, who want to leave their small Missouri town for the big city, but life keeps getting in the way. The intended audience is mainly women ages 18-30 in the U.S. Themes of the book include Midwestern/small town culture, friendship, mistakes of early adulthood, trouble in relationships, self-discovery, and independence.

I would like to have the front cover designed for my book of short stories, be as creative as possible! It should look like the cover of a novel (it will be available as an ebook as well as printed book that will be in standard book size - approx 5x8 in) and include the title, "Anywhere But Here: Stories" and my name "Angie Walls."

The theme i want to capture is the idea of being out of place in a small town (feeling like a big fish in a small pond - but not literally please). I was thinking if there was a way to represent the need to escape, or show something/someone that looks out of place in a small town?

Alternatively, I could see capturing the theme of close friends (there are four girls, two guys, who have been best friends since high school). Or another idea could be capturing one (or multiple?) specific image represented by one of the short stories.

The theme of the book that I hope can work well with the cover -- early 20-something friends feeling stuck in a town they don't belong (people born in the wrong place), the dreamers who fantasize about life beyond where they are.

I'm very open to different interpretations on the theme - representation of character(s), stock photos, creative illustration, etc.

I've attached some other book covers I've found interesting, as well as a list of similar novels/authors that inspire me, if that should help with ideas.

The book will contain 6 different stories, there are a couple that may lend well to a visual for the cover? One is called "Lake House Rules," about the six friends planning a lake house weekend together at the end of summer. The second is called "Something Blue," and it is related to "something blue" as in wedding bride tradition - the main character struggles with keeping her marriage troubles and sudden pregnancy a secret while attending a family wedding.

Specs for book cover design (BookBaby):

All color must be converted to CMYK.
• All fonts must be embedded.
• Images must be 300 DPI.
• Save black & white images in grayscale mode.
• 1/8″ bleed is required.