When I decided to go the illustrated route for the A Villainous Affair covers, I knew that as a non-artist, any ideas I had about them could only go so far. I did extensive development work regarding the basic concepts, but I needed an artist to evaluate their worth and take them across the finish line.

Thank goodness I discovered Elizabeth Peiró! The “Vin” fanart she painted (a character from fantasy author Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn epic fantasy trilogy) sold me on her talent. There are numerous, skilled book cover illustrators, but at the same time, finding one who’s a good fit for one’s project involves a certain amount of luck. For the AVA series, a whole bunch of luck dropped right into my lap. Not only did Ms. Peiró have the art style I was seeking, but she also does book covers and she was available!

Ms. Peiró is a brilliant artist and was a dream to collaborate with on the covers. The illustrations are gorgeous and turned out better than I ever could have imagined. Ms. Peiró went the extra mile to learn about the story and her effort shows in all the glorious visuals.

Bringing Fashion Glow-Ups to Life

Each cover represents a fashion glow-up for the characters, an aspect that plays a role in the story. Ms. Peiró created authentic Victorian designs based on her expert knowledge of period clothing.

In A Tale of Two Thieves, Ruby and Nathan are at their lowest point and the clothing on the cover reflects their status. Furthermore, Ms. Peiró had the excellent idea to depict Ruby in a long frock coat that flows behind her while she’s in action. This artistic choice gives the character extra flair and helps set the stage for a thrilling adventure.

For the cover for The Wizard of Aether, Nathan wears a dapper suit and tinted glasses. Otherworldly energy and gears swirl around him as he creates his next invention. Ms. Peiró created a magical illustration that perfectly captures Nathan’s personality and scientific prowess.

With Dark Queen Rising, Ms. Peiró’s striking dress design is a blend of masculine and feminine and I fell in love with the idea as soon as she proposed it. That more than anything demonstrated the effort she made to learn about the characters and their distinguishing traits. In Ms. Peiró’s talented hands, Ruby became a sensual, sinister underworld queen whose captivating gaze lures you into the point of no return (not that you’d want to go back, eh?).

Covers That Tell A Story

The Battle Royale illustration is a deliberately subversive take on historical romance covers that feature aristocratic characters. For one thing, Ruby and Nathan can be interpreted as a villainous mirror image of a famous British royal couple—namely, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. For another, Ruby holds an aether pistol, a detail that hints at the final phase of her and Nathan’s mission. Ms. Peiró’s original, elegant design perfectly depicts the nature of aether weaponry in the story.

Ms. Peiró used her design prowess to create Ruby’s fancy gown and Nathan’s dreamy suit. Such luxurious clothes and pastel colors are typical for many historical romance covers, but in this case, the soft, bright clinch cover scene depicts two Victorian supervillains who are absolutely smitten with each other. Note also how Ms. Peiró expertly pulled off the height difference between the characters!

The color coordination of the Darlings’ outfits actually means something in the story. Also, check out the British flag on Buckingham Palace—and where Ms. Peiró placed it!

I could keep gushing about the AVA covers, but at this point, it’s best to let Elizabeth Peiró’s spectacular art speak for itself. Enjoy!