31 August 2015
Among the many challenges book cover designers face is trying to represent a book's premise or main character without getting so specific that readers are left with little to imagine. A few years ago, the headless woman was one of the most commonplace sights on bookstore shelves (if the lack of something can be considered a "sight"). By not showing the female character's face, a publisher assumes that readers will be able to use their imaginations to fill in what she looks like.