The Art of the Cover

Phantom Gavel series... Genre Specific, Bold fonts, Good artwork, a good compromise.

Here at Phantom Gavel Publications, we believe in the importance of a good book cover. In this age of a multi-million book selection at the customer's fingertips, there is more emphasis placed on the simple book cover than at any other time in history. And as a new generation of egotistical over-confident teenagers rise into the self-publication era, the competition is only going to get worse. Many million times worse.

1970's Chris Foss artwork, told the story, genre specific, emphasis on author rather than book title.

But today's book-browsers don't stand in bookshops, they don't read back-covers, they don't care about famous names as much as book-buyers did decades ago. Today's online readers also don't get a 8" x 5" glossy version of the cover to drool over... they get a tiny one inch postage stamp to peer at.
If the customer is shopping from their tablet or mobile device (a fast growing market segment) they might have a smaller image yet.

More Phantom Gavel covers... genre specific, bold, decisive, 

To attract customers and grow sales in this internet bookstore, your book cover has to encompass so many different elements; it is almost a work of art in itself. We, at Phantom Gavel Publications, feel your book cover must have some or most of the following...

Eye Catching Theme
Vibrant, Exciting Colors
Genre Specific
A Tug on the Heartstrings
Good Quality Artwork
Telling the Story
Good, Clear Lettering
Comfort and Familiarity

Yes, it's a formula, we all know that, but unless you've came up with the newest thing in cover engineering, it's a formula that works.

Enigmatic, yet has a wholesome appeal.

A good well-worked book cover is usually a compromise of many of the above. Far too many authors forget one or more aspects, and emphasize on their own favorite. The book cover becomes a personal issue, and like the book contents, the self-published author tries to take or keep control. Trust me, if you're a good writer, it's highly unlikely you're a good cover designer too; such a combination of talents is rare, yet most self-publisher writers think they are in the best position to make crucial decisions on their book cover.

This is where Phantom gavel Cover section take over.
Yes, at Phantom Gavel we work with authors, but we lead by example. the formula is a framework to live in, a canvas in which to play.

Our cover designs help authors turn their books into marketable products.
From initial concept, we will work with authors, but we won't break with the formula just because the writer says so.
We want successes, not mediocre work.
In closing, we'll help you, but you have to let go your 'baby' just a little.

Science Fiction... Again, genre specific, matching bold font; a 'brand' in the making.