The dean of the Castalia House authors, Mr. John C. Wright, explains one reason he enjoys working with us. The cover of his forthcoming themed collection is displayed below. For a larger, albeit preliminary version, please visit Mr. Wright’s journal.

One reason (of several) why I am grateful to have Castalia House publishing me is that the chief editor, Vox Day, does me the courtesy of discussing the book covers with me. Tor books not only has not done that, but to the contrary, Irene Gallo, who is a very accomplished and successful art director, grew irate with me for discussing my book cover with an artist in a private conversation, because I suggested having an open door in the cover art behind the main character for my third book of my Chaos Chronicles — an idea which she ended up using anyway.

Let me be clear, I do not blame her. As I said, I hold Mrs Gallo to be the best art director in the publishing business. But the size of Tor Books requires they have a policy rather than a personal touch, and the fear that authors will pester artists is a legitimate fear when the company is so large, and one cannot take the time to distinguish between calm professional conservatives like me and highly-strung and self-centered progressives who whine, and so all authors are excluded from the book cover process.

But size does matter. I appreciate the courtesy from Castalia House.