One of the reasons I fell in love with Fear Street and Point Horror was the covers. As a movie-obsessed kid/reluctant reader, seeing these covers with terrified teens pulled me in because they looked like film posters.
My favorite covers were for R.L. Stine’s The Baby-Sitter series. The suggested dark, suspenseful stories that played on the fear of being the sole protector of a human life in the face of unknown horror.
The young woman on the cover peered out of the house’s front window, looking at us as if we were the lurking danger hiding just out of sight. The second showed the same character opening the front door, showcasing her courgae despite her vulnerable situation. These images brought us into the story before we even made it to the first page.
Book three changed perspectives, with the determined sitter holding back the door from the monsterous individual trying to grab her. The fourth wasn’t quite as compelling with its young lead character merely talking on the phone with a frightened expression, but it still dared you to give the book a chance.
When Raven Tale Publishing asked me to give them a rundown for the potential cover of my book Nostalgiamares: Phantom Delivery, I knew it had to do the same. I wanted to evoke those classic teen thrillers.
At the same time, I needed it to call back to classic slashers, with the main antagonist of the novel brandishing his murder weapon for the world to see. The blood on the blade was their interpretation, and I support it 100%.
The image and the title should signal to the reader that this is a self-aware book that plays on your familiarity with the genre, setting the tone for all of the unexpected twists and turns to come.
We’re approaching the release. Get ready! Your Phantom Delivery is on the way!
Mark Guyer Writes When He Can 
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