Ten years ago, I got my start in the advertising and design industries when I started working for a local printer, Amarillo’s biggest. They had a boutique little design/marketing studio for their customers, and I was hired to work in that department as a copywriter and art director.

I’ve spent a lot of time around presses and press rooms, and have inspected a lot of press sheets in my day. Press sheets are the large, uncut sheets of printed materials, like brochures, flyers, newsletters and — yep — book covers. I think press sheets are pretty cool, as they always contain weird little registration marks and file names and color bars and stuff.

So with the publication of Pocket Guide to the Bible (the first time), I decided to ask the printer for an uncut press sheet of the covers. Relevant Books was kind enough to provide one for me. I made the same request for the latest books — I think it makes for a unique collection — and the team at Jossey-Bass made it happen.

I got my Pocket Guide press sheets in the mail yesterday, and the covers look great. Thought I’d share them with you.

Here are the cover press sheets for Pocket Guide to Sainthood and the updated Pocket Guide to the Bible, on the same sheet:

…and here’s Pocket Guide to the Afterlife:

I love these covers. Nice bright colors on the back, elegant black spines, clean typography, and the back cover copy! So witty! So informative!

(Yes…I wrote it.)

Anyway, great job, Jossey-Bassers. Can’t wait to see the finished product.