James Blackwell

I approach cover design by taking the subject matter within the book and looking at the photos that I have done which would best fit. This photo is then tweaked to fit the style and feel of the book, as well as the artistic idea within my mind. At times it may seem the cover doesn't seem what most people would think would actually fit, that is until they read the book and see the connection between the work and the cover.

My all time favorite book is Imajica by Clive Barker. It was the first book which actually made me rethink some of the ways I look at books. This was due to the fact that I read the first 60 pages and was a bit bored with it. It wasn't until I sat down (over a year and half later) and began rereading it that I realized that it was very indepth and amazing. By the time I got to the end, I was hooked. But it got me thinking about how if I had not made myself read more, I would have lost out on a great story because I wasn't hooked quickly. Now my fiction books hook you quickly and make you want to read further.
The other books that I like are Running Man by Stephen King, which is so much better than the movie ever could be. The Planescape Series of books, which were and are some of my favorite books on D&D fantasy, as well as the description of the fantasy world.
There is also my love of the Uncle John Bathroom Reader series, of which I have almost every one. These books are amazing in the way they give not only obscure facts and history, but they also are enjoyable reads in both short and long periods.
Lastly, my favorite book is the series I am creating, with two books of six written, called Closing Stages. There is a deeper meaning than the actual story to me, as they are parts of my personal life transformed into fiction with a mix of fantasy and magic thrown in. And the outcome, while not exactly like the book, is a way for me to deal with the way things happened in reality.