For example, if the book is blurbed by Margaret Atwood, it is likely to contain feminist ideologies; if it is blurbed by Stephen King, then it is likely to contain horror.

These days, I design book covers for Giramondo Publishing. A cover designer’s role is to interpret a book visually, reflecting what the author and publisher have achieved in the text.

When a book grabs her attention at a bookstore, Komal Seth immediately flips it open. “If it doesn’t move in the first 20-30 pages, I just leave it,” she says adding that she never judges ...