Behind the Scenes of Book Cover Design: An Old Soul, by Kevin Hayden

The challenge of mixing a retro feel with cyberpunk elements.

Before we start, let’s see what the book is about.

“In 1996 Chicago, twenty-five-year-old Isaac André feels like a stranger in his own life—until the world starts whispering back. The coincidences are too uncanny to ignore, but for now, they’re all happening in his favor.

When he buys his first computer with the money from his VHS rental store job, Isaac enters his first internet chatroom, The Grassy Knoll, dedicated to conspiracy theorists. He wonders: Is anyone else experiencing his shared unease, his constant sense of being watched, a nagging feeling of displacement?

That’s when Isaac (ElectricSheep7) meets the magnetic Noa Gayle (BirdGurl9), a mysterious stranger that shares his love for Terminator movies, Philip K. Dick, and all things sci-fi.

Isaac and Noa’s soul connection feels fated, but as it deepens, so do the secrets between them. Where did she come from? And more importantly, where does she disappear to for weeks on end?

Is he chasing the answers, or are they chasing him?”

Kevin’s book and brief were certainly very interesting, but also quite challenging. He came to me full of ideas and reference images — a bit overwhelmed by the process and his overall vision. That can happen!

Passion and love for a project can sometimes create a whirlwind of creativity — full of exciting possibilities but lacking clear direction. Part of my job is to take that raw energy and help shape it into a focused vision, define concrete goals, and guide authors toward strong, meaningful creative choices.

At this point, I’d like to share some of the thoughts Kevin and I discussed — points that I believe can help any author refine their vision. And refining that vision isn’t just important for the cover design; it’s equally important for the writing itself.

So, if you’re an author, can you describe the core of your book? The heart of your story? The central feeling you want your readers to experience? Could you summarize your story in a single sentence?

Sometimes, authors find this really challenging — and other times, they might not even be fully aware of their own writing. This can definitely affect the briefing stage — and, as a result, the cover design.

As a designer, my goal is to get to that core and translate it visually — which brings us to our second point: what makes a book cover truly successful?

Covers are not meant to tell the entire story — they are meant to create a meaning, to give a hint, an attitude, a feeling. The full story is inside, waiting for the reader. But in the end, even a story itself leaves us with a feeling.

So, this is what we aim to do with the cover — to capture and convey that feeling in a way that resonates with the essence of the book.

Whether it’s a bus, a meadow, or a portrait — these are simply visual elements we may choose to use (or not), but what really matters is focusing on the emotional core of the story.

But enough with the theories — let’s show you some images!

Unfortunately, I can’t reveal the core of Kevin’s story — no spoilers! But let’s take a look at what he requested and how I translated it into sketches.

His initial ideas and imagery centered on retro elements: old CTA public transportation, Chicago’s skyline in the ’90s, an orange padded Walkman, and a meadow. These images evoke a sense of nostalgia, but for the cover, we also needed to hint at the cyberpunk elements that appear later in the story.

Above, you can see the concepts I developed, and below, you’ll find some thoughts on each one.

Concept 1:

My main idea — and the strongest one — features the image of a meadow. This reference connects to the hero and his mural of a meadow, and also nods to the iconic Windows wallpaper, giving us that retro feel while hinting at the story’s cyberpunk elements. I picture the hero walking through the meadow, with the Chicago skyline in the background.

Concept 2:

The second concept features the image of an old bus, which carries important symbolism for the author and plays a role in the story. It also brings back the city of Chicago, adding the retro–urban vibe we’re aiming for.

In both concepts, the character is subtly pixelated and glitched — a small hint at the story’s development (no spoilers!) and a way to blend in the cyberpunk elements subtly but effectively.

I loved both concepts — especially the first one. But sometimes, even great covers don’t make it to print.

Kevin felt that neither of these designs fully captured the feeling he was after, so we decided to explore a third concept. After a long discussion and a second briefing, we agreed to focus on the hero’s portrait — but definitely not in a conventional way.

Above, you can see several versions of my third concept, along with some notes on each one.

And after this long creative journey, we found our winner.

Some journeys take a little longer, but in the end, what really matters is that the author loves their cover.

Here’s what Kevin had to say about our collaboration.

“Baris is a visionary designer. His concepts express the soul of your story by becoming the face of what’s inside. I came into this a complete neophyte—and learned so much from him along the way. I am thankful for this collaboration. With heart -MKH”

I hope you enjoyed the journey.