Ariana Overton
Author and Cover Artist

Interview by C. T. Atherton

CT: You write mysteries, thrillers, and action/adventure novels as well as being a Senior Artist for Novel Books, Inc.. You design contracted cover art for the e-publishers Atlantic Bridge and HardShell Word Factory, and also contract one-on-one with writers. Which came first for you: graphic design or writing? Which role takes the highest priority in your life?

AO: The truth is that designing covers came about as an accident. I wrote two novels, Trapdoor and Tapestry, and one of my friends did the covers for them. She was soon too busy with her books to do more so I tried my hand at it. I eventually redesigned Tapestry and did my other covers, as well as the cover for Max's book, The Lion of Scythia. When friends saw my covers they asked me if I'd do one for them and it snowballed from there. But, I'm a writer, first and foremost.

CT: Some writers complain about not having enough hours in the day to write, lead a "regular" life, let alone market their work. You juggle two artistic careers. You are also married and travel extensively. How do you manage your time, and where do you get all
that creative energy?

AO: It's not easy! Managing time is the hard part but it can be done. Basically, Max and I share things, including housework and cooking and that helps a lot. So, you see, my 'secret' is having a husband who is a real partner in everything. That way, we both make time to do what makes us happy: writing.

CT: Your husband, Max Overton, aside from being a professor, writes historical novels. Do you find two writers living together is a blessing or a challenge?

AO: Definitely a blessing! Max is my best friend, confidant, research expert and critic and I fill those roles for him too. In this case, two heads and imaginations are better than one.

CT: The saying is, "never judge a book by its cover", but in fact, I have known people to do just that. Since you are both an author and a cover artist, how much importance do you feel a cover has in making a sale?  Do you feel one reason many writers today are turning to e-publishing and self-publishing is so they will retain more creative control over their final product than they would through a major publishing house?

AO: In my opinion, the cover is the first line of sales. It does you no good to be a top author, with a great story to tell, if the reader never picks up the book. A good cover will draw that reader to your book like a beacon in the night. Too many books look like every other one on the shelves these days and having a unique, dynamic cover makes yours stand out. This is just one small reason why authors are turning to e-publishing, as opposed to traditional publishing. Having any creative control over your work is a plus. However, I'd also like to interject a comment and a bit of a warning here about this. Not all authors, in fact few, can really visualize a cover that will attract and sell and often they are unreasonable about what they want so this control can hurt you, too, if you don't listen to the pros doing the cover for you.

CT: What type of skills do you feel someone in your profession must possess?

AO: Oh, boy! Well, the most important skill is imagination. Without that you can't go anywhere in writing or graphic arts. Secondly, you need to know your craft, as in anything else, before you can even hope to be good at it. Last, you need very good software and a huge graphics library.

CT: Is your design emphasis on computers and the Web or do you also design paperback and/or hardback book covers?

AO: I also design for traditional hardback but those jobs are few and far between and a whole different ballgame. Primarily, I design for POD [print on demand] and the Web.

CT: Which is more difficult for you: designing a cover for a client, or designing a cover for one of your own novels?

AO: Definitely designing for other authors is harder for me. I know my story inside and out. Therefore, I know what I want my cover to say. With another author's book it's much harder to get to the heart of the book, even when I read it. I mostly depend on the author to tell me where that heart is, although, as I stated above, it's not always possible to find the right look to display it.

CT: How closely do you work with authors on their book covers? Describe the process.  Who has final say in a project: the e-publisher, the author, or you?

AO: I work very closely with the authors, with an almost constant stream of e-mails between us until the cover is all they want and I want. First, the author gives me a brief, concise summary of the story. By doing this they get to the heart of the story very quickly. Second, they give me suggestions, usually two, of what they want the cover to look like. Then I take those and start doing a base image. Think of this as the setting for the story--background, sky, mood, color scheme. Then I find the elements for the cover that define the storyline. I work with the author to get a look that is pleasing to us both. The e-publisher has the final say, not the author, since the publisher is paying for the work and has a better idea of what will look good. And, of course, the publisher relies heavily on the artist's opinion. I've heard of cover artists who did a cover to an author's specs then refused to have their name put on it as artist. Not all authors can be artists.

CT: Who generally pays for the artwork, the publisher or the author?

AO: The publisher pays, except in special circumstances. I've had authors insist on paying so they own the copyright and can take their cover with them if they leave a publisher but it doesn't happen often.

CT: What is the most challenging aspect of designing cover art?

AO: Coming up with something new! I've heard it said that every book written today is nothing but a new version of one that's already been written. The same may be said of covers, although each has unique elements to that book.

CT: You work with Kripgans Books which translates your novels into German. Tell us something about that experience. Have you been happy with the results? Are you considering any other translations in the near future?

AO: Having Kripgans invite Max and I to publish in German with them was a great honor and a great thing for our books. So far, I have no complaints. Like any other process it takes time, although too many authors expect things to happen yesterday on the Internet.

As for other translations, we've already been approached by a reputable publisher to have our books translated into Spanish. We're very excited about that.

CT: Any advice to self-published authors or e-book authors who want to collaborate with a cover artist? How do you suggest they go about finding an artist? Can you offer any tips on how to inspire and support one another during the process?

AO: First and foremost, choose a cover artist whose style is what you want. Too many times I've been asked to do a cover that isn't my style and I have to decline. I know the author won't be happy with the result, no matter how happy I am with it. Secondly, shop around. True, there aren't that many cover artists out there yet but the ones who are experienced at doing e-books and POD are the ones who you should go to, not your sister or brother or friend. What most authors don't understand is that creating the cover involves far more than just having good images. It involves specific formatting, resolutions and more. Finally, be particular but don't be stubbornly immoveable when it comes to a cover. Too many times authors expect or demand what an artist cannot supply. The bottom line is that the cover does its job--help to sell your book--not as an ego booster for the author.

CT: I read you and your husband will donate 100% of your royalties through the end of the year to the Red Cross in order to support the September 11th tragedies in the United States.  Since the new war against terrorism began, many have had difficulty concentrating or are battling depression--which can hinder creativity. Any advice on how artists might respect such intense emotions while continuing to be productive?

AO: Everyone deals with stress and emotional upset in a different way. My advice is to be sympathetic and understanding, as in all things in life. One person may be belligerent and offensive because they aren't coping well, another may be depressed and listless, which makes it hard to get excited about a cover. However, the artist, if he/she has an ounce of caring in their heart, will patiently work with the author, no matter how they are doing. This is what I've tried to do and it seems to help. Most authors are very good to work with and all of them understand what kind of environment we're trying to work within so that helps. We are all united in our feelings over current events--we share them, we share the same desire to see something good come from all this, and we all share a real camaraderie with each other in this business. So, it's bound to work out, if we work toward making it so.

Copyright © by C. T. Atherton, 2001. Cathy Atherton founded One Woman's Writing Retreat in 1996 in order to create a network for writers at all stages in their careers. Read more about her here.

Related Links:

Ariana's Book Covers
Ariana's Web site
Atlantic Bridge
Hardshell Word Factory
Novel Books, Inc.
EPPIE Awards
Frankfurt Awards

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