After meeting at various venues in Sun City West, the bond between Pam Sievers and Lois Fox materialized, not over their passion for bocce ball or quilting, but art.

When they discovered the del Sol Gallery in Sun City West represented both of them, their friendship and admiration for each other’s art blossomed. Often meeting at various gallery functions, the two began to earnestly discuss a collaboration where Fox would create a painting that would be the cover for Sievers’ new novel, “The Lone Jackass.”

Fox, an acclaimed oil painter — del Sol Gallery’s featured artist in 2022 — was willing to undertake her first attempt at creating a book cover.

“I love Lois’ work and I knew I wanted to try to work together,” said Sievers. “One day I noticed the background on a painting she had at the gallery titled ‘Dancing Girl’ and loved it!”  

While Sievers’ book was in the editing phase, it was now Fox’s turn to put Sievers’ thoughts and dreams on canvas. Working together, altering this, tweaking that, and adjusting this, they finally created a cover design that would attract attention and set the mood for the novel.  

Hot off the press, “The Lone Jackass” is already creating quite a buzz around the area. A novel of love, deceit and resilience follows the story of Ann Cowens. Not expecting to be a widow at age 59, her husband of 36 years dies after sharing a disturbing secret. She must now navigate grief intertwined with anger and resentment. 

“This was a book that kept me up all night,” Carol Beckman, a Sun City West avid reader, said. “This isn’t just a romance novel, but a book with a new adventure every time you turn the page.” 

This is the second novel for Sievers, her first being “Carrie’s Quest.” Both of her novels are available in the del Sol library section of the gallery, which carries books from more than 20 published area authors.

Summer hours for the del Sol Gallery are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. The gallery is located at 13815 W. Camino del Sol in Sun City West.