I love checking out the covers of new hardbacks; so often they’re works of art.

When I visited Hatchards in London yesterday, the cover of recently published Yuki Means Happiness by Alison Jean Lester really stood out. The cover of the American edition of The Girls by Emma Cline is also a favourite – pop-arty and so eye-catching.

I’m drawn to covers that are bold, bright and colourful, but I didn’t have a clue what the cover of The Maid’s Room should be like.

When I was still submitting a version of the book to literary agents and feeling a bit glum, my daughter, nine at the time, got busy with her felt-tips and drew the picture below to cheer me up. I’ve still got it pinned over my desk.

I collected a whole bunch of photographs to help inspire me while writing my book – pictures of smudged make-up, wedged shoes and a small dog called Malcolm among them. But none of those images were right for the cover.

So when my editor at Hodder & Stoughton, Kate Howard, showed me the cover of The Maid’s Room on Friday, I felt like I’d been given a beautiful gift. It has all the elements of the covers I most admire. What a massive honour it is to have this stunning design wrapped around my words.