If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a book cover worth?
Book cover images are the first thing a reader sees when picking up a book; the cover needs to represent the book as well as draw in the reader. In a recent Literary Hub post, THE HOUSE OF IMPOSSIBLE BEAUTIES art director, Sara Wood, shared her journey to find the perfect cover. This included finding a great design and having to scrap it because the model would not give permission. Such interesting insights into the cover design process.
THE HOUSE OF IMPOSSIBLE BEAUTIES is a gritty and gorgeous debut that follows a cast of gay and transgender club kids navigating the Harlem ball scene of the 1980s and ’90s, inspired by the real House of Xtravaganza made famous by the seminal documentary Paris Is Burning.
Told in a voice that brims with wit, rage, tenderness, and fierce yearning, THE HOUSE OF IMPOSSIBLE BEAUTIES is a tragic story of love, family, and the dynamism of the human spirit.
Here are a few of the wonderful reviews Cassara's debut novel has received:
“Infused with glitz as well as heart, the story explores life as racial and sexual minorities—the pains and the triumphs, the grit and the thrills—in a way that feels personal, even for those who never walked the ballroom scene.” –Harper’s Bazaar
“A heartbreaking novel that burns brightly.” –Buzzfeed
“Joseph Cassara’s passionate debut delves into the queer Harlem ball scene of ’80s and ’90s New York. There are plenty of swirling elements here, true to the milieu—addiction, AIDS, violence—but Cassara’s touch is empathetic and vibrant.” –Entertainment Weekly
“Cassara has done a superb job of reimagining a world that will be foreign and even exotic to many readers, while creating fully developed characters to populate it. The tone is singularly apposite….Altogether moving and unforgettable.”–Booklist (Starred Review)
“This exceptional first novel opens in 1980 New York…The writing is erotically luscious, lyrically intense, forthrightly in your face, and pitch-perfect in the dialog, and the suspense comes from wondering what’s going to happen to these people….A grittily gorgeous work.” –Library Journal (Starred Review)
We think this really is the perfect cover image for this dazzling debut novel! Way to go, Sara, and congrats, Joseph!