Tag Archives: book covers

Design Showcase

2025 Book Cover Favourites!

2025 has been a remarkable year for book design, and the covers that graced our shelves didn’t just catch the eye, they told a story before the first page was even turned.

At Tellwell, our talented design team has poured creativity, passion, and careful attention to every detail, crafting covers that are as striking as the stories inside. From bold concepts to subtle nuances, these covers have captured imagination, sparked curiosity, and reminded us of the power of thoughtful design.

We’re excited to showcase our favorite book covers of the year. Each one a testament to creativity, artistry, and the magic of a perfectly designed cover.

 The Chasm Between Us by Campbell Anderson
Book Cover Design by Ralph Cavero
Sam Cardiff has faced loss before—his grandfather, his ex-girlfriend—but life seems to be settling back on track as he pursues med school. That balance shatters when his cat becomes the victim of a hit-and-run, sending him into a numbing spiral of grief and alcohol.
Enter Gracie Goldstone, a down-to-earth surfer whose optimism sparks a connection with Sam. But as their bond deepens, Sam uncovers that Gracie’s past is far from perfect—and confronts truths about himself that push him to the edge of faith. To heal, he must learn what it truly means to love and be loved.
Set in Melbourne, Campbell Anderson’s debut novel explores grief, mental health, faith, family, relationships, and the subtle touch of the supernatural.
Echoes of Light: Essays and Reflections by Edwin O. Paña
Book Cover Design by Ralph Cavero

A compelling collection of essays that illuminates the pathways of wisdom, brotherhood, and purpose. Guided by the author’s profound experiences as a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi and his personal journey of growth, this book offers thoughtful reflections on life, leadership, and the pursuit of meaning.
 ENSŌ, A Tree Still Grows by Anette Lan
Book Cover Design by: Ralph Cavero

In Enso, Canadian-Japanese author Anette Lan explores the quiet truths we often overlook in the rush of achievement. Inspired by the image of her grandfather painting the enso circle, she reflects on the tension between constant output and the need for stillness. Lan invites readers to reconnect with the human side of themselves—the part that moves with flow, senses the rhythms of life, and nurtures creativity.
Through her “Enso Moments,” she guides us across the four natural seasons of inner growth: rooting, rising, releasing, and renewal. This grounded and spacious guide helps you reclaim presence, lead with calm, and trust the quieter, truer parts of yourself. Enso is not about doing more—it’s about pausing, listening, and finding the courage to embrace who you are beneath the titles and expectations.
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Meet the Team

Tellwell designer Gerardo Basilio adds colour and life to Christmas tales!

‘Tis the season to be jolly indeed! Meet Tellwell design-team member Gerardo Basilio. Read on to hear about his approach to book-cover and interior designs and how he adds whimsical or colourful touches to them!

Tell us about yourself.

I am Gerardo Basilio “GB” Faelnar. I have lived in Zamboanga City for almost 20 years and decided to become independent by going to Cebu after working in a startup in Zamboanga for a year. I graduated from Ateneo de Zamboanga University, where I was given a basic introduction to InDesign. The IT courses were more about web design and computer animation, so I put my feet in deep water when I applied and got hired by Tellwell.

I am really thankful to the design team for giving useful tips on solving certain obstacles I encountered since day one. Also, just throwing this out here, I have a twin!

What did you do before joining the Tellwell team?

I was an in-house web designer for a US-based company before joining Tellwell. Every design my employer needed was done by me, but no books. My first book-designing experience was with Tellwell, and I still find it fascinating to read the unique ideas that authors want to incorporate into their designs. I look forward to reading more creative briefs with out-of-this-world ideas.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I enjoy creating cover designs and hitting the right expectations as requested by the author. I also enjoy creating creatures or characters for illustrations that are not common (putting life into something that is not yet discovered, imaginatively speaking).

I enjoy the times when an author asks me to if they can put my name on the book cover or interior. But most importantly, I enjoy making authors happy.

Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

When I go out on errands or buy groceries, I try to find time to go to bookstores and look at the trending books. I browse through the internet to look for inspirations, too. I visit Pinterest, Dribbble, and Canva, and search for the top cover designs of a specific year/style. Also, re-reading the book description and author biography gives me outside-of-the-box ideas.

What type of book covers do you absolutely love doing?

I am still looking for a genre to focus on, but I keep in mind that using only one specific hat will hinder me from growing. By adapting to other genres I am able to create a variety of covers, which is a must-have skill for any designer. This skill can be applied to other mediums as well.

So, to answer the question specifically, I like doing photo-manipulated covers, as it helps sharpen my Photoshop skills.

Why is it important for an author to take their time to consider and review the interior of their book?

Even though the interior may look perfect now, there will always be a tiny error (it may be an extra period or space, or a missing comma) that the designer or editor might have missed. Taking your time at every step of the process will definitely be worthwhile, as you learn new things about book publishing and in return help Tellwell staff better understand the story behind your book.

What advice do you have for authors working with a book designer?

  1. Keep instructions/description short and concise
  2. Expect colours to be different from your original file submission
  3. If you have a detailed costume for a character on your cover with a specific pose, a creature that no one has seen yet and so on, then its an illustrated cover
  4. Properly plot corrections/instructions on revision PDFs

How does interior design help elevate a book?

A well laid out interior can help readers understand the content of a book better. Even small details when added on plain text, like an image or icon, will greatly help readers visualize an object or character better. Using different font sizes and styles will give hierarchy and help with flow for the readers. The striking effect that the author wants to exhibit will still be there even if there are no pictures.

What are some of the favourite projects you have worked on?

  1. Premium covers: I can create my own designs while honouring the author’s requests, so hopefully they’ll like my idea better than the original concept.
  2. Illustrations projects, especially my first illustrated book, entitled Cheeky Dog Duke.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

  1. Travel
  2. Collecting Funko Pops collectibles
  3. Playing Pokemon games (and hunting shinies)
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Design Showcase

10 Book Cover Design Trends for 2022

Book covers are extremely important in capturing readers’ attention and evoking a feeling, mood, and overall sense of the book’s content. A great book cover will entice a reader to pick up your book and read it. The cover is the first impression of your book, a visual depiction of the contents inside.

Here are some of the biggest trends in book cover designs for 2022.

All of the book covers shown here were created by Tellwell.

1. Surrealism: One of the biggest cover design trends in 2022 is surrealism. 2020 and 2021 did feel like a dream after all, so it’s not surprising many books, and their covers, are creating a sense of an unreal, altered, and strange reality.

2. Partially hidden titles: Book titles that are partially blurred, blocked, cracked, and hidden to create a sense of mystique and suspense.

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