Judging a Book By Its Cover

Karen Essex apparently did not think my question so superficial! Here's her in-depth response:

Dear Lynn,

The question of cover art is a very good one. Just as our first impressions of people often prove to be accurate, I do believe that we can frequently judge a book by its cover, which is why I try to be as pro-active as possible in the design of my book covers. I am a very deliberate writer in that I know exactly what story I am trying to tell and what themes I wish to convey to a reader. It's crucial that a book cover reflect those things, and who would know better than me? My undergraduate work was in theatrical design. I'm a very visual person, and my books are often inspired by works of art. With both Leonardo's Swans and Stealing Athena, I knew which art should grace the covers before I had written the books.

The cover is the "face" of the book, if you will. A reader may not judge the book by its cover, but the reader cannot get inside the book without seeing and regarding the cover. Like faces, a cover is either alluring—or not. Publishers (publishers of us more fortunate authors) put a great deal of time and consideration into what a book cover should convey. Choosing the elements for a cover is now as exacting as if it were a science. I am very grateful to have a publisher that wants to involve me in these decisions. Not every publisher defers to an author in these instances.

The painting on the cover of Stealing Athena is a self-portrait by the French painter Marie-Geneviève Bouliard in which she envisioned herself as Aspasia. I selected it because it is an imagined portrait of one of my two heroines done by a female artist who was painting in the time period of my other heroine, Mary Nisbet (circa 1794). Considering the dual narratives of my book, you can't get more perfect than that! The first attempt at a cover design, however, was unsatisfactory. The painting was a good choice, but the true star of the book, "The Elgin Marbles," had no representation. I asked Doubleday to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to get those marbles on the cover, and they graciously accommodated me. I think the result is stunning. The insertion of a small portion of the Parthenon frieze at the bottom was genius, as far as I am concerned. It does not intrude upon the design but enhances it. And I also love the gilded Turkish trim that the designer uses at the top of the cover because it brings in another element of the book, which is its setting in Ottoman-ruled Turkey and Greece. Also, a funny aside—the figure in the painting has one exposed nipple, which the book designer brilliantly wrapped around so that it fits on the spine, not on the cover, and then covered it with a plaque containing my name! Many bookstores, in addition to "family" stores such as Walmart, where thousands of books are sold, will not carry a cover that has nudity.

So you see, designing a cover is truly an art form in itself, but just as important are the marketing and sales realities that one must also consider. Another great question in designing a cover for Stealing Athena was how to make it reminiscent of the paperback of my last novel, Leonardo's Swans, which was very successful. Now, I know that a lot of people don't even like to think of an author having to trouble her pretty little head with these business-type considerations, but the truth (the real, solid, inescapable reality) is that if we don't sell books, we can't get published anymore. And if we can't get published, well, you can't read us, and moreover, we can't eat! So I am delighted to work on these issues with my publisher to satisfy all parties while still remaining utterly true to the integrity of the book. With a little patience, fortitude, and creativity, it can be done.

To recap, I think it's amazing that we were able to convey so many elements of the book in the cover design with visual clues alone: an 18th century woman in classical dress represents the two female heroines; the frieze suggests that the book is about The Elgin Marbles; the gilded letters and trim suggest the Turkish setting; the lettering, colors, and florals suggest the lavishness of the settings and the time periods; and the similar composition and elements that were present on the cover of Leonardo's Swans all suggest that the book was written by the same author.

My best,
Karen Essex