What’s It Like to Choose Cover Art?

The good folks at Debut Lit, who will be putting on an event at the Brooklyn Bookfest Bookend series this Friday night, asked me if I had something to say about the vastly different designs between the hardcover and paperback editions of my novel.  Here’s a bit of what I wrote:

Everybody knows the saying — you can’t judge a book by its cover.  Which is true.  But at the same time, it is the first thing that people see, and you want it to be original, relevant, and eye-catching.  I didn’t think my hardcover jacket was any of those things, but I didn’t have much choice in the matter.  Unless your last name happens to end in Grisham or Patterson or King, I don’t think you have much input when it comes to your cover.

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In the short essay, I mentioned the rejected “shoe cover.”  Curious about what it looked like?  Here it is.

Not a bad cover.  I especially liked the way the designer integrated “A Novel” into the insole of the slipper.  Alas, it was not meant to be.

In any case, come on by this Friday to Brooklyn to celebrate all things books!  It’ll be a rollicking good time.

DEBUT LIT Presents “Opening Act,” a flash reading of original work by literary rock stars. Readings will be written on a theme provided by DEBUT LIT—it’s fun and it’s fast. Readers include Aryn Kyle (The God of Animals), John Murillo (Up Jump the Boogie), Sung J. Woo (Everything Asian), Brooke Berman (No Place Like Home), Matt Stewart (French Revolution), Fiona Maazel (Last Last Chance), and Daphne Beal (In the Land of No Right Angles).
Location: powerHouse Arena, 37 Main St.
Date: 7 p.m.
Price: FREE

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