The Genesis of a Book Cover

As a lover of art and most artists, one of my favorite finishing touches for my novels is the development of cover art. I loved writing Mayhem in the Mountains and can't wait until my readers get their copies. But how do I get the book into new readers' hands?

Cover art is more critical than ever before. In the United States alone, close to 4 million books are published annually (3 million self-published), creating an unimaginable level of competition among authors. Compare that to the entire 20th century of 2.5 million unique titles published.

With the advent of digital, audible, and self-publishing, the industry has seen astronomical growth. With it has come a new level of competition between both publishers and authors. The old idiom, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” is no longer the case. The quality of cover art often sets books apart, narrowing the field of choice and guiding prospective buyers to select a book with a strong cover.

So what contributes to a strong cover? Certainly, there are plenty of fads - beach reads often have beachy, colored covers with a slanted font (slanted font is a current fad). For a decade, women’s historical fiction had backward-facing women dressed in period garb. Although these fads work for a while, in my opinion, they are good differentiators for a specific table in a bookstore, but not a specific title. Good graphic artists know that although a cover needs to be uncluttered, it also needs to pop, using eye-catching color that elicits emotions reflective of the story and time period within. Best of all, it should be a one-of-a-kind look.

When Mayhem in the Mountains was complete, my publisher, Level Best Books (blessed with a collaborative editor/cover artist, Shawn Reilly), worked on a few concepts with me. First, Shawn and I explored books published in the 1920’s for a look of authenticity. But as you can see, they did not pop. Then she offered a few other concepts.

This is where my friends, particularly my artist friend, Laurie Kalb Kaswiner, came into the picture. Together, we studied the options and, with Laurie’s help, including manicure scissors, scotch tape, and a bit of shadowing, came up with the final cover. It incorporates both the expected tranquility of the Catskills, more subtle background color, with only one of the looming threats my story envelops. Additionally, on a more subliminal level, the border and font is period specific, Art Deco. Thankfully, Shawn was game. I was thrilled. And I hope it pops off the shelf or internet page right into your hands. If you are reading a soft cover, I think it will make you excited to pick it up and start reading. Mark your calendars. The release date is June 9th!!!