Guest Post & Giveaway : Covers by Courtney King Walker

Please welcome the awesome Courtney King Walker to the blog today! :) Below is her guest post about covers! :)

As an author and graphic designer, the only thing I love more than a great story is a gorgeous book cover. A well-designed cover is like the meeting of two great ideas to make one ridiculously perfect product—take peanut butter and chocolate, for instance, or reality TV and dancing (So You Think You Can Dance is kind of perfect, too).
That is why e-readers will never lead us into a book apocalypse. We love physical books too much. We want to hold them, drown in their fresh-paper scent, run our fingers across the pages—and we collect them, too, sometimes even buying books purely for the piece of paper wrapped around their spines.
But, who can blame us? The covers nowadays are GOOD. The last five years has produced some of the best we’ve seen—especially in YA and Middle Grade. What a great time to be an author and a graphic designer. Now that I think about it, I really wish I knew how to snag a graphic design job over at Harper Collins.
So, on that note, please welcome my very own super-scientific list of excellent YA covers over the past few years. Keep in mind, my criteria isn’t just beauty. I take into account initial impact, concept, font choice, mood and uniqueness. Basically, I’m judging these books like a total design snob would (in no particular order), and having a lot of fun doing it. What would make your list?

                   

A few Honorable Mentions for new books out this year:

Thanks for coming to the blog, Courtney! :) 

Links to find Courtney:
courtneykingwalker.com

Twitter

Facebook

On the Fringe on Goodreads

Bio:

Courtney grew up Walnut Creek, California building rocket ships and rafts out of cardboard just so she could go to the moon and Niagara Falls. But a trip across the border to Tijuana was as exciting as it ever got. After being banned from the kitchen after a few too many catastrophes, she discovered a love for writing, music and art, and eventually earned her BFA in graphic design at BYU. She now lives in Salt Lake City, and when she's not writing or reading or judging book covers, you can find her eating peanut butter and chocolate while watching So You Think You Can Dance. 

Also, Courtney has been kind enough to let us host a giveaway, and it's a pretty awesome one too! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway