Literary Fiction Book Covers

The Courage of Slackers

Daniel Tiernan

Designed by Alexander N.

Available to hire

"The cover features a fictional but typical Minneapolis dive bar, grounding the story in a distinct aesthetic while hinting at key plot elements. The 'Art Deco' style, common to Minneapolis bars, influenced both the cover design and the font. It worked well for a modern minimalist design: it's readabile at small scales while remaining interesting up close. Details like the main character, a lurking figure, broken glass, and a cat stalking a pigeon on the roof add suspenseful hints to the story."

A Good Thing

Enid Jeff

Designed by Margarita C.

Available to hire

"In the plot, the moment when the characters meet is important—it's the trigger for the story, and it happens while they are waiting for the tram. I believe the key is to introduce the tram almost as a third character. Overlaying the title on its side adds dynamism and metaphorically reinforces the idea of how fleeting that moment of meeting is. Either you act, or it never happens, and the opportunity vanishes just as the tram does."

Tunnel of Mirrors

Ferne Arfin

Designed by Laura D.

Available to hire

"It was important that this beautiful novel have a beautiful, romantic cover without being trite. The story takes place in the 1900s and is about a young woman coming to New York from Ireland. The ocean is a big part of the story in various ways. The gull flying away from the other birds was inspired by the main character, a very independent, unique young woman. I wanted to add some interest by having the title look like it's sinking into the sea and being reflected like a mirror."

Returning to Carthage

Ben Sharafski

Designed by Owen G.

Available to hire

"For this short story collection, I aimed to evoke a sense of place and atmosphere without focusing on a specific narrative. The fig tree and Lorikeet, featured in multiple stories, serve as a tonal and geographical anchor. While botanical and avian illustrations are popular, I chose a less patterned approach with a mix of delicate and saturated colors. Starting with a subdued palette, I added rich, vibrant hues to bring the cover to life and reflect the warmth of the stories."

I Had to Break Me

Nisha

Designed by Nuno M.

Available to hire

"Nisha’s poems are reflective and expansive, exploring a range of themes. To capture this, the cover design centers around the idea of an unfinished brushstroke, symbolizing openness and exploration. Multiple brushstrokes interact with the book's title, integrating organically with the text layout. The phrase “Break Me” in the title serves as the conceptual anchor, creating a bold and visually striking design that is both raw and arresting."

Toska

Elizabeth C Cabrera

Designed by Danna Mathias S.

Available to hire

"The book is about a woman navigating adulthood. We used florals to symbolize her 'blooming beautifully' into it, with the crack representing the challenge of 'keeping it together.' The heavier serif title font, common in fiction, is balanced by the unique cover image and florals winding through the text. The contrast between the woman's cracked face and the beauty of the florals adds a unique, fun element. I also used texture in the title for cohesion and chose an unexpected title color."

Beyond The Moon

Catherine Taylor

Designed by Vanessa M.

Available to hire

"The cover features a stunning image that captures the book's themes of time travel and love. The beautiful portrait of the woman set against a war-torn landscape adds a layer of mystery. The overlapping elements and contrasting colours symbolise the connection between the past and present, inviting readers to dive into this captivating story."

Awoken

KT Cornelio

Designed by Richard L.

Available to hire

"Awoken immerses readers in the lives of highly sensitive characters, diverse in age, race, gender, ability, sexuality, and even species. The novel follows parallel timelines, and the visual solution was to use the title letters as canvases, displaying fragments of these scenes while forming one unified character when viewed as a whole. Straddling the line between sci-fi and literary fiction, the design reflects this duality, capturing the novel's complexity and depth."

Confessions of a Kamikaze Geisha

M. A. Cooney

Designed by Rafael A.

Available to hire

The Test For Time

Craig A. Czuchna

Designed by Devin W.

Available to hire

"The author of this sci-fi-meets-dark-academia book wanted to see the story's two main characters on the cover, but divided by spans of time and space. I used double exposure photography mixed with glitchy visual elements to create a surreal movie poster style cover, and really let the book title placement create separation in the design."

Gitmo and Back Again

Glenn Fisher

Designed by Caitlin B. A.

Available to hire

"The author initially envisioned a ship crashing into a sailboat or icebergs adorned with peace signs, reflecting the story of a young man in the 1970s eager to escape his small town and join the revolutionary events shaping his country. To bring the 1970s counter-culture concept to life without falling into clichés, I opted for a collage-style design. Instead of the overused peace signs, I "cut" the icebergs from a psychedelic print, balancing clear messaging with a fresh, original aesthetic."

Quick Bright Things

Michael Golding

Designed by David P.

Available to hire

"Set in New York City in 1948, this novel follows a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. The cover is intended to evoke the glamour and magic of the theater. The gilded leaf suggests the forest, as the background conveys the enchantment of Shakespeare’s AND Golding’s stories."

Daughters of Men

J. Martain

Designed by Nada B.

Available to hire

"This book blends contemporary women’s fiction, literary, speculative fiction, with science fiction and paranormal elements. The author wanted an intriguing, modern, and fresh approach. I chose a quirky mix of photographic and illustrated images to highlight the surreal elements while grounding the story in a relatable world. I took an abstract approach, combining characters, places, and surreal elements to create an atmosphere that invites readers into the story's unique mood."

Concord

Don Zancanella

Designed by Peter S.

Available to hire

"For this historical novel set in Concord, New Hampshire, during the time of Emerson and Thoreau (both characters in the novel), I thought, 'Since the setting is the main character, why not depict it?' I searched for period prints and found an engraving that I enhanced by reinforcing the black lines and adding color. The title font, Helsing, offers a hand-drawn, period look with a touch of wit that suits the story. I finessed the sweeping descender in the capital 'R' to preserve its charm."