Information for Cover Artists

Phaze Books is currently not hiring artists, however you may still follow the guidelines below and submit your query and if we feel you are a good match for us we will keep your name and contact information on file for future reference.

Artist Submission Guidelines

Let's start with a few suggestions.

If you're going to send me your portfolio in the hopes of getting a job as cover artist DO NOT:

1. Rewrite your entire resume into 18 glowing paragraphs of your entire artistic history beginning with the first box of crayons you ate at the age of 3.
2. Misspell the name of the company you are applying to all four times you use it in your query letter. Do some research.
3. Tell me about your previous job as the receptionist at the dentist's office and that you are currently employed as a clerk in the shipping department of your local grocery store. Does this somehow relate to your artistic talent? Unless you covered the wall of your office in a precise recreation of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel then I don't care and you are wasting my time.
4. Tell me you are an author who designs book covers. With all due respect to the wonderful authors scattered throughout my listing of friends, most authors, while they know what they want, never really understand what a cover needs to be in order to sell the book AND be visually appealing. (I said "most" there are always exceptions to the rule!)
5. Send me a query letter translated from your native language to English by Babelfish. If you are querying someone who speaks English (for instance, me) then please have the courtesy to make sure your letter makes sense in English.
6. Send me a one line query letter consisting of nothing but your name and a link to your portfolio. Even if your portfolio is the most visually stunning thing I've seen since the movie Hero, you will wind up in my trash because you will come across as cocky and difficult to work with.
7. Attach all 91 of your last commission pieces as a zip file to your email. It will crash my email client and I won't ever get around to opening it.
8. Send your query letter and portfolio to every available email address listed on the contact form of the publisher's website. Most of these people have nothing to do with the art department.

Now that I've told you what NOT to do, how about we move on to the 'do's? These are the ones you really need to pay attention to.

1. DO put "Artist Submission" in the subject line of your email. I get hundreds of emails a day and using the correct subject line means it will go into the correct folder and I will actually SEE it.
2. Do send me a link to an online portfolio. They make my life much simpler and are easier to show the other people who need to see it as well. If you do not have an online portfolio (and if you don't, you should) send UP TO 6 samples (not full sized please) of what you consider your best work, most suited to the position you are querying.
3. Do take the time to write a polite, well thought out query letter giving me, in brief, your artistic background and experience as relates to the job you are inquiring about.
4. Do research the company you are inquiring about to see if the styles they use and the books they sell are a good match to your own style. Phaze Books publishes erotica and romance titles. We use both traditional and photo manipulation on our covers. 3D or "Poser" artwork will be considered only if it is exceptional.
5. Do check for specific contact information for the Art Director or the Art Department. Contact information for Phaze is:

   Niki Browning
   Art Director
   Phaze Books
   skye@mundania.com

6. Do have either an online PDF or electronic copy of your resume available upon request.

It's really not that hard folks...really it's not. Below you can find information specific to the job.

Rough turn around times for covers is generally a month or more. Occasionally I will ask if you can take on a priority rush cover. I do expect you to be upfront with me and tell me if you don't think you can make a specific deadline as agreeing to one you know you cannot make causes more problems in the long run. I assign covers generally two a month give or take. I will never overload your schedule even if you are requested by a specific author. I work hard to make sure the covers you are assigned are suited to your individual strengths. I am not interested in covers that consist simply of four photos thrown together with varying opacity. There is a certain artistry you will need to exhibit with photo manipulations in order to catch my attention. Compensation and pay rates will be discussed privately.

Niki Browning
Art Director
Mundania Press
Phaze Books
Awe-Struck Publishing
Hard Shell Word Factory