At The Art Department blog, Tor Books’ Art Director Irene Gallo uses the recent paperback publication of Tobias Buckell’s Crystal Rain to discuss why the covers of paperback books might look different than their hardback predecessors.

“Basically, a tremendous amount of paperback books are not bought in bookstores. They are bought in supermarkets, pharmacies, airports, or, as the ads say, “wherever books are sold.” People don’t often go to these places to seek out a particular book, they go there to buy toilet paper, aspirin, and to catch a plane. So, we need to grab someone’s attention away from their primary task…being toilet paper, aspirin, and death defying air travel. Anything with a bit more glitz has a better chance at this.”

Related posts:

  1. Gallery of 2005 Book Covers
  2. Gallery of 2006 Book Covers
  3. Paperback Swap
  4. Book Store Splurge
  5. New Mass Market Book Format?

Filed under: Books

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