Justin M. Kelly

I try to find images that provoke the feel of the book. If they also apply literally, that's just a bonus. Right now, I design my own covers, but in the future, I hope to hire someone who can help me get a more professional look.

Only five? That's a tough one. It's rare that I read a book and don't find something to love about it. There have been some, but they are few and far between. If you really want to nail me down to five, I suppose I would have to go with books that I've read several times. I'll start with the Harry Potter series. (Yes, I'm counting the series as one book.) Next would be Stephen King's The Stand. I don't know how many times I've read it, but it was my grandfather's copy and it's falling apart now. Then there's The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway. I read it for the first time when I was in college and I just fell in love with the images of Paris and Spain and the art of manliness. Say what you want about the man, but he sure can write. I can't leave out the Lord Of The RIngs Saga (again, counting the whole series as one and throwing in The Hobbit for good measure. Sue me.) Finally, I'd have to go with a fairly obscure one called Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. In it, a comet hits the earth. I partly loved it because I've always had an unhealthy obsession with end of the world scenarios. I think I get it from my grandfather because, like The Stand, my copy came from his library. The other reason is that it partially takes place in the area where I grew up. It's fascinating to read about how the apocalypse effects your old stomping grounds.