One of the acclaimed book covers.
Though I work in book publishing primarily as a publicist (for esteemed literary press Coach House Books), this year’s end had resulted in some probably undeserved kudos for my book design efforts.
I worked with talented poet Jon Paul Fiorentino to design the cover of his new, pedagogically minded collection, Needs Improvement. The report card swipe ended up on both Quill & Quire‘s list of designer-selected Covers of the Year and The Casual Optimist‘s (or Dan Wagstaff’s) 50 Covers of 2013. Pretty sweet for what is basically some decent mimicry!
Then, the CanLit website overseen by the multitalented Chad Pelley, Salty Ink, held an online vote for Best Canadian Cover Design. Their annual Judge-A-Book-By-Its-Cover Competition context featured a shortlist of ten titles. Amazingly, another cover I’d designed for Coach House, Matthew Heiti‘s The City Still Breathing, tied for first place alongside Natalie Olsen‘s design for Belinda’s Rings by Corinna Chong (NeWest Press). This win (or tie) was extra-special since I illustrated the cityscape that forms the chalk outline on the cover. And I couldn’t ask for better company in the winner’s circle than the incredible Natalie Olsen of Kisscut Design!
I never thought of myself as much of a designer. Friends, I am overwhelmed!
The second acclaimed cover, in it’s full, unfolded glory.
