A.G.: Ooh yes I absolutely love teachers like that! I currently have an English teacher that does something similar and I love her class. So you not only were inspired to write, but you also do book designing- might I add very beautiful designing, as we can tell from Elven Cursed ;p- What got you into designing book covers and interiors?

R.R.: Twenty-ish years ago I started doing digital photo manipulation and have been a self-proclaimed artist since I was around eleven. My love of making digital art, my desire to self-publish, and the cost of hiring an excellent editor left me short on funds to also hire a book cover designer or formatter. I decided to start designing my own books’ covers and ended up doing a lot of research, study, and practice to improve my skills. The formatting was another learning curve to get through, but because I’ve invested in the craft of design, I’ve been able to turn a hard-won skill into a small business that I’m proud of.

T.C.: That’s amazing that you were able to teach yourself all of that and have it pay off! Do you have a favorite part of creating books? Either the designing or the writing?

R.R.: Oh, both sides have their positives! They’re both actually creative activities that are almost like two sides of the same coin. When my writing hits rough patches, I can switch to the other side of the creative brain and make digital art with a purpose. And vice versa. I do love writing, though, and I wish I had more hours in the day to spend doing it. Design work has taken up a lot of my time the last few years, but I’m so thankful for all of the opportunities I’ve had to work with some talented authors.

A.G.: I can definitely see the plus sides of both! Being able to create book interiors and what not seems like so much fun- I’m tempted to eventually dabble in that. Speaking of talented writers you worked with- who are some of your all-time favorite authors to read?

R.R.: Of all time? I’ve always been a Jane Austen fan. I like Charlotte Bronte the most of the three writing sisters. Contemporary authors I enjoy are Laura Van Arendonk Baugh, Ronie Kendig, Brandon Sanderson, Lori Wick. It’s a little eclectic, but most of what I read is in the science fiction and fantasy genre plus some Christian historical romance and classic romances like Jane Austen. Haha, I do read some contemporary general fiction as well, but I haven’t found any favorite writers in that area.

T.C.: Ooh, I haven’t heard of some of those contemporary authors but I will look into them! Sounds like a good variety of genres as well. You stated earlier that writing and book formatting is like two sides of the same coin, what does it take to be a book designer?

R.R.: Wow, that’s a tough question but not at the same time. I’m a self-taught designer, so in some respects, I feel like it would be easier to gain a more direct skill-set from attending a school that teaches graphic design that focuses on marketing, book design, and the like, but it’s totally possible to school oneself too.

Much of what it takes is a willingness to do your research. This includes understanding how to design for the genre, to market, and with the needs of the client in mind. A book designer needs to be clear and a good communicator. Technically, one needs to practice, to examine other book covers that are popular based on genre, to have a working knowledge of color theory and the rule of thirds. It’s important to study typesetting/font styles and understand what is appropriate based on genre, and the list goes on.

A.G.: Oh wow that sounds like a lot of work. I always find it so incredibly fascinating to know about a job, but then learn about how difficult it can actually be, and how much work is put into it. Any advice for future authors and/or designers who may be daunted by all this work but still want to pursue a career in one of these fields?

R.R.: The number one thing I think is important to make it as a book designer--or an author for that matter!--is to grow a thick skin and be able to constructively take criticism. This can, and often will, help one improve his or her skills. Also be a thorough self-editor before sending anything to your editor. It’ll save time and money in the long run! 😊

T.C.: The first piece of advice is great regardless of the writing world or even your daily life in general! Do you have any advice for authors when they are getting their book interior created? What do you think are some of the best elements for an interior?

R.R.: As a designer, I think that the outside of the book and the inside of the book should have elements that tie them together, that carry a common theme. Often this is related to typesetting/font choices and small details like chapter headers or even scene separators. I would say, based on this, it’s a good idea to try to coordinate the interior look to reflect something about your cover.

Some of my favorite interior elements are unique chapter header images. Not all genres warrant such a thing, but this is more and more common in genres like YA, science fiction, fantasy, women’s fiction, historical fiction, and so forth. Beyond custom headers, I love maps and technical-type drawings that you can find in some sff books. Important elements are things like justified text, clear separation between chapters and even scenes, a copyright page, a title page, something about the author, and where you can find his or her other books. I could go on and on, really, but I’ve probably bored you all enough!

A.G.: Oh we are far from bored! I find this very intriguing and solid advice. Sadly that was our last question for this interview. We had such a wonderful time with you and learned so much! Thank you!

R.R.: Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to talk a little about what I do. It’s been a huge pleasure.

T.C.: I’m so glad we were able to interview you, thank you so much for your time!