“Designs have to stand out.”
“Paul is great. For me, three things about his work on my covers really stood out:
1.) He understood my book. The cover has to convey the genre in a split second, but it also has to communicate the book’s feel and style. That last bit is the hardest to get right, but Paul did it.
2.) He understands Amazon. Designs have to stand out as tiny thumbnails on a crowded page, as well as working on the product page, and full size in paperback. It’s really hard to get that right, but Paul does.
3.) He is unflappable. Paul remained friendly and level-headed no matter how annoying I was. This was quite some achievement, because I was hugely annoying: I dithered and putzed around like a massive imbecile. Paul responded as though all this was fine.
There are other things I could say, like the way he balances the tricky task of fitting in with genre conventions and yet standing out, but I’ll leave it at that, lest this should get embarrassing. Oh, wait, one last thing – my books are now selling much better. In fact, I’m earning a living from them.”
Christopher Shevlin, bestselling author of the hugely popular Jonathon Fairfax series
“More than a cover designer.”
“Paul first suggestion for a new title was dramatically different from my original idea ('The AI Hype')... and it was perfect. It is now the title of the book. Everyone loved the change (friends, family, book publicist). It was a big upgrade, and then he rewrote the subtitle, which beat my original idea hands down. If I hadn't worked with Paul, I'd be publishing a book with a bland, lukewarm title. And I don't think it would have worked well to attract readers.
And then there's the cover: the challenge of designing a cover is to find a way to convey the topic of the book in an image. But my book's topic is really abstract, so good luck with finding a design concept that tells the story. Paul nailed it. He found the perfect concept. It was a work of art, but he also made the cover a great sales letter, which is what covers are mainly for.
I appreciate that he didn't just "do the task" without questioning the foundations when they weren't quite right (like the title). We then collaborated further, so he'd help me write the book's description, and he made it ten times better. I like to work with professionals who love their jobs and make you feel that they're are on your side (they don't just want to do the job; they want to make YOUR product the best). And Paul ticked that box for sure.”
Emmanuel Maggiori Ph.D., Smart Until It's Dumb: Why artificial intelligence keeps making epic mistakes (and why the AI bubble will burst)
“Seconds to grab attention.”
“Choosing the right cover for a manuscript you've poured years of effort into is both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. A book cover has mere seconds to grab attention, convey the value, and inspire action.
Working with Paul was the best decision I made for my book. He effortlessly captured the essence of my manuscript, creating a cover that not only resonated with me but also excited my readers.
His design didn’t just stand out—it elevated the entire project. 5/5.”
Sam Evans, Past Pain: Recognizing, Resolving and Reversing Neuroplastic Pain