Designing a book cover for a historical novel: my collaboration with Julia Quinn

Before I explain how this book cover design came to be, let me first tell you how I landed this special commission.
Most of you probably know the popular TV series Bridgerton. The series is based on the books by Julia Quinn. After watching the series, I devoured all the books as well. Then I started creating fan art. I redesigned the book covers for the series, but featuring the actors from the show on the front.

To my great surprise, these illustrations eventually caught the attention of Julia Quinn herself. She was enthusiastic about my work. When she founded her own publishing house, JQ Editions, to release historical novels as beautiful limited editions, she approached me to design one of the books.

I could hardly believe it and felt incredibly honored that she had asked me for this. For this edition, I got to design not only the book cover but also the sprayed edges, chapter headings, and endpapers. In this blog, I’d love to take you through the design process of the cover.

Designing a book cover starts with the story

For this project, I was asked to design the cover for the first installment of the Pennyroyal Green series by Julie Anne Long. The story is set in England during the Regency period and combines romance, adventure, suspense, and a murder mystery.
When I design a book cover, I find it important to first thoroughly understand what the story is about. I also look at the genre, the target audience, and the atmosphere the cover should convey. After all, a good book cover attracts the right readers and immediately gives the right impression of the story.

From initial sketch to final concept

After a conversation with JQ Editions about their wishes and ideas, I started on the first sketches. In the original designs, the main characters Colin Eversea and Madeleine Greenway were central to the front cover.
However, we soon decided it would be more interesting to focus on a building from the fictional village of Pennyroyal Green. Since the series consists of multiple volumes and is named after the village, it seemed like a lovely idea to give each book a different recognizable building from the village.
For this first part, author Julie Anne Long chose The Pig & Thistle, the village pub where the story begins.

Sketches I made for the cover

Hidden details and easter eggs on the cover

To give the cover more depth, I added various elements from the story. For instance, a three-legged dog plays an important role in the book, so it was given a prominent spot on the cover.

Additionally, I incorporated several subtle references to the story, including:

a pistol
a small clock
a perfume bottle with a lavender scent
a wanted poster

These so-called easter eggs give readers little hints about the story. It’s great fun for big fans of the series, but also for new readers who discover them while reading the story.

Determining color, typography, and atmosphere

Once the sketch was approved, the work on the final design in color began. During this phase, I experimented with different color palettes, fonts, and moods.
In total, we tested no fewer than five different color versions before everything felt exactly right. Ultimately, we chose a fresh shade of green that perfectly matches the springtime setting of the story.

Sprayed edges and the back of the book

When the front was finished, I designed the sprayed edges and the back of the book. For the sprayed edges, I created a pattern using elements that also appear on the cover. For example, the lavender plant returns in the design. For the background, I chose a soft pink tone, which makes the pattern contrast beautifully with the green front.

Because this is a limited edition, the decision was made not to place a traditional blurb on the back. You see this more often with luxury American editions. Instead, a song from the book was featured on the back: The Ballad of Colin Eversea. A fitting detail, as the song is sung by Colin himself.

The spine of the book also had to be designed, of course. This part only comes into play once the exact thickness of the interior is known. Only then can all elements be perfectly aligned. So, I’ll have to get back to you on that one!

After finishing the cover, I also got to design the chapter headings and endpapers. These elements ensure that the entire edition forms a cohesive whole. I’ll be happy to tell you more about this process in a future blog post.

Looking for a unique book cover design?

Are you looking for a unique design for a book cover or book illustration? I’d love to brainstorm with you, from the initial concept to the fully developed design.
Check out my previous book illustrations and discover the possibilities for your book.

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