Cover Thyself

Cover art is a mystery to almost everyone in the world of books.

Every book has a cover, and I imagine most readers judge by it, despite warnings to the contrary. What is unfortunate is that authors usually have nothing to do with that art. At best, they may get to see it and comment before the book is released, but few have any control over what it looks like, or its relevance to the book being represented.

My case may or may not be typical. I was actually fortunate in my publisher’s decision for a cover design for my first two books. He (or whoever made the decision) chose to photograph a portion of the DIA mural by Diego Rivera. This is perhaps the most iconic image associated with Detroit and the automobile industry. In detail, it is also a subversive, revolutionary statement. Rivera was an avowed Marxist. His mural graphically depicts the woes, ills and abuses of life in the auto factories in the 1920s. He painted a similarly themed mural for the Rockefeller Center in New York that was so offensive to the captains of industry who commissioned it, that it was torn out.

I was pleased with their choice. Since my first book, Red Crush, was about conflict and oppression inside the auto industry, Rivera’s mural was an obvious choice. I had produced my own version of cover art before the book was sold, using a different portion of the mural that was more specific to the storyline, but I could hardly complain.

Actually, I was surprised they could use the mural at all. The image is copyrighted, as far as I know, and using it for a book cover might construe infringement. Maybe they got permission. I don’t know. I wasn’t involved.

For my third book, I am doing the artwork myself. I don’t recommend this, but I did spend my professional career in the cages with stylists, so I know what their work looks like. I’m not quite finished, but it doesn’t look too bad. But then, I’m prejudiced.

Cover art production has its own industry. If you’re ambitious, or sufficiently delusional, you can hire someone to do your cover. 

Be careful what you wish for. The result may be truly awful, and if you aren’t a good judge, you may be stuck with a monstrosity.