Since my publisher is in the midst of cover designs, I've been paying a lot of attention to other book covers--what I like, what I don't, and why. Unfortunately, it's not much of a science, and the why question often gets an answer of "I'm not sure."

One book that's really caught my eye in the bookstore is Dark Star, by Creston Mapes. What makes it work? Three things, I think. First, it establishes the story before you even pick up the book; this is a tale of a rock star, and, well, you can guess that just by looking at the photo. Second, the design echoes a certain grittiness and reality--this isn't a nice, neat, tidy cover. Again, that's reflective of the story. Third, there's a certain air of intrigue and mystery to the cover. I think one of the most interesting design choices is the decision to have the face of the rock star unseen--breaking off the top of the cover. Makes me want to open the cover, read a bit, and see what kind of person this is.

A great choice, I think, since it probably would have been much easier to concentrate on the sweaty, contorted face of the guitarist. Had that happened, however, the cover would have lost much of its magic, in my opinion.

Creston's next book is in the pipeline even now; it's called "Full Tilt," and I note the cover keeps that element of the unrecognizable musician intact--thereby keeping the element of mystery intact, as well.