I started LV Book Design so I could have opportunities to design one of my favorite forms of graphic design – book design. I focus mostly on cover design but offer interior page layout and typography as well.
I set my target audience to self-publishing authors and offer a wide price range of packages, from pre-designed covers to full packages for print, ePub, with marketing collateral.
I love this genre of design because I love books. The purpose of book cover design is to draw the attention of potential readers away from other tomes and novellas and sell them on the idea that this page-turner is the next book they need on the nightstand.
Here are my rules for effective book cover design:

1. Give the reader a sneak peek – hint at the overall theme/plot but no spoilers.
2. The genre should be clear – there is nothing worse thinking you are going to read a suspense thriller only to find out it’s a romance novel with a bad cover design.
3. Introduce the protagonist – this doesn’t have to be limited to a photo or illustration of the main character. It can be subtle and symbolic. The point is to start facilitating the relationship the reader will connect to this character so they feel compelled to read their story.
4. Set the tone – similar to #2, you should make sure the overall tone of the book is apparent from its cover design.
5. General rules apply – use legible fonts, create contrast, typographical hierarchy, etc.
6. It’s the little things – pay attention to details.