Thank you, Leah for describing our process:

“When designing the cover for Never Less, I was excited about illustrating the scene Geoffrey suggested, because it was dramatic, visually complex, and emotionally intriguing. He provided wonderful references of the area and architecture. I was also inspired by the way Geoffrey weaves together intense, up-to-the-moment social issues with echoes of their deep historical connections. As an artist, I strive to make visual connections between art styles of the past and present, and I especially enjoy layering subtle collage elements, mainly from my collection of antique books and ephemera, beneath the detailed imagery I create. In this cover, if you look closely, you can see portions of a star map, a map of the Long Island coastline, and a Prohibition-era newspaper. The challenge (as always) is to pull all of these elements together in a cohesive way that appeals to the eye, mind and heart.

One unusual aspect of this cover (for me) was the title calligraphy. I’ve been writing with dip pens for most of my life, and though I now create titles in many different mediums and styles, this is the very first time my main lettering tool ended up being a Sharpie! Geoffrey wanted to capture a sense of urgency, as if Mindy were writing a note for Pablo. It was a fun challenge to come up with a Sharpie style that would evoke that feeling while remaining legible in thumbnails and harmonizing with the rest of the art.

Thanks so much, Geoffrey, for all your references, wise suggestions, curious spirit, and patience!”

~Leah Palmer Preiss