Good morning lovely readers and friends. I’m happy to introduce the Lee Hyat I know to everyone! She’s been part of Tule before Tule knew it was going to be Tule, and long before Tule, she was a close friend and assistant, helping me with my career since 2001 when my very first book was published after 14 years of nonstop rejection.
We met because Lee was a romance reviewer and one of the few reviewers to actually like my first book, my debut with Harlequin Presents, The Italian Groom. The Italian Groom had been rather fiercely panned online as well as in Romantic Times Magazine, and I was surprised by the negative response to this story that finally made me a published author after over a decade of trying.
But Lee liked my voice. She liked my characters and story. She got what I was trying to do, and when I discovered she lived in the Pacific Northwest, I immediately began dragging her to workshops and writing events and forced my friendship on her. I confess that I sometimes gave Lee more than friendship, she got a lot of tough love from me, too. The world isn’t always a gentle place or a just place, and Lee deserved better than what fate dished out, and so our friendship was sometimes forged in fire, but if I walk through fire with you, you know you’ve got me on your team for life. And today, I think of Lee and her children as family. Her kids are incredible (smart, smart, smart and so very kind). I was even able to attend her daughter Jeanan’s wedding in December and I felt like such
a proud auntie! I’ve known the beautiful Jeanan for years, as Jeanan and Jake were in the same grade and more than once Jeanan was on Jake’s speed dial to check on due dates for tests or homework clarification.
Now enough from me, here’s my lovely Lee!
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Hello! My name is Lee Hyat and I’m the Director of Design at Tule. I’ve been working with Tule since the very beginning. I’ve been working with Jane for well over 20 years now and until we got the awesome Meghan Farrell to help keep us organized and on-point on everything related to Tule, I was helping Jane with all the things that needed to be done – logo design, website design, reading manuscripts, during the Spring and Summer of 2013. If baby Tule needed it, I did it.
Today my role at Tule is that of a designer and I also oversee all things design-related whether it’s designing covers or working with other designers and meeting the authors’ graphic needs.
Questions:
1. What is your favorite part of working with Tule?
The people. The wonderful, supportive, absolutely amazing team of women I work with on a daily basis. And the hugely talented authors I get to interact with. It’s a remote job so I can work from home and work late into the night if I want to. And that’s perfect since I don’t sleep much.
2. What are some of the challenges/difficulties in working with Tule?
As I mentioned, this is a remote job, and I work from home, so it gets very quiet. I miss that face-to-face interaction with people.
3. What do you specifically like to read, if you have time to pleasure read?
I read everything fiction mostly – except horror. I’ve had a very rough few years recently on a personal level and 2024 was exceptionally painfully difficult so I’d more or less stopped reading for a long while. But I hope I’m finding my way back slowly now. Right now my favorite genre seems to be Romantasy/Fantasy (maybe because it offers a lot of escapism that I need right now) but I normally love to read all kinds of romance, women’s fiction, mysteries, and thrillers too.
Currently, I’m reading/listening my way through Brad Thor’s Scott Harvath thriller series and Rebecca Yarros’ Onyx Storm. And there’s a new Robert Crais book in his Elvis Cole and Joe Pike series that I need to get to soon. Have you read Robert Crais? If you enjoy private eye stories with a touch of humor, you must give it a try. I love it.
I love Witch stories too (Deborah Harkness’ All Souls series was AHMAZING!) and I’m always on the hunt for more stories like that. I have three books in Hazel Beck’s Witchlore series waiting on my tbr.
I recently finished Carissa Broadbent’s first two books in the Crowns of Nyaxia
series. (I know there’s a book 3, which starts a new duet, out already but I refuse to read it until book 4 is available just because I hate cliffhangers. And I’m a binge-reader!) It’s got vampires, wizards and demi-gods, and all kinds of magic… so much good stuff! I’ve also just gotten my hands on Story of My Life by Lucy Score, which I hear is hilariously funny.
4. What is an accomplishment you’re particularly proud of? (could be work-related or not!)
On a personal level – Of being a Mom. I’m incredibly proud of my kids and the fact that they’ve worked hard their whole life to be successful and they’re thriving. (Touch wood.) They’re happy and that’s everything to me.
On a work level – I’m proud of the covers I design. I’m self-taught and don’t have any official training in graphic design. I look back at some of the first covers I made and it’s easy to see how far I’ve come by learning and practicing all the time. So when someone tells me they love my work or a cover I just made, it makes my soul happy.
5. You are busy, and Tule isn’t your whole life. How do you juggle it all?
With the help of friends and family. Friends who ARE family. That’s something I always appreciated, but I really came to value my friends and a good support system, personally and professionally, in the last few years. Work is easy when it’s fun. Life is easy when I do things for the people I love and those who love me back. People who understand me and support me. Most importantly, it’s easy because I love what I do. It doesn’t feel like work. Yes, there are times when it’s hard, or maybe sometimes it can get a little uncomfortable, but that’s life. There are ups and downs. But the ups are stronger, longer, and tremendously uplifting. And that makes the juggling worth it. 100% anytime, all the time.
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It’s Jane again and I hope you’ve gotten to know Lee a bit better and you can see why I adore her. Tule is so lucky to have her. She’s a truly special human being and her confidence, leadership, and design work for Tule just gets better with every cover.
To celebrate Lee being featured on my blog, I have a big box of books featuring stories with covers all designed by Lee, along with a Bellevue, Washington t-shirt, a Seattle mug, and lots more fun things. For a chance to win this special giveaway, talk to me about covers on novels, and if they influence you to buy, or not buy, a book. I’d love to know how important you think a book cover is! The Lee Hyat Cover Giveaway ends Friday, March 28th with the winner announced here. Do check back to see if you won.
I think covers are important enough for me to pick up a book. I like real photos as opposed to cartoon like covers. For some reason the cartoon covers make me feel the book will be silly. Tule has had some beautiful covers.
I hate to say it but I do judge a book by its cover especially if it is a new author to me. I don’t like cartoon covers either.
I totally agree.
Covers are the first thing to make me give a book a second look. I don’t select a book where the characters don’t have a face drawn in – I find it a bit strange.
Covers will draw me to a book, then I read about the book and look at the cover again and it’s a yes !
Lee does beautiful covers and together with Jane do magic .
Yes I do buy a book based on the cover. Not the only thing but definitely am drawn to a great cover.
Congratulations Rosemary! You won this giveaway. Please send Jane an email to [email protected] letting her know you won her “The Lee Hyat Cover Giveaway” and let her know where to mail your prize.
Rosemary, I don’t know if you got in touch with Jane yet or not, but she’s having issues with her email. Try this one instead, if you haven’t gotten in touch with her yet.
[email protected]
For me the book cover is very important. It is what draws me to the book. The colour, especially if it is purple or green. I’m a person that like a photograph on the cover to me it’s much more natural looking. Some covers that are modern are good to but I still prefer the “old style ” coverd
The cover will be the thing that gets my attention to stop and take a closer look at the blurb. The blurb is the thing that will get me to consider buying the book
Lee is a dream of a human! I’m so glad to be in contact with her through you and your page(s). Book covers are very important to me and must be visually appealing or I will quickly scroll by. Since I mostly read on my Kindle, I prefer covers that aren’t too “juicy” or show a lot of skin. The whole family shares my account; it’s always something I consider.
I really am attracted to covers. When I used to have a book store in my town, I would just go browsing and the covers would be what caught my attention first, if I wasn’t familiar with an author. Then, I would flip it over and read the back to see if it was for me or not. That’s how I discovered Flirting with Forty and fell in love with your writing. I soon binge read everything that you wrote. Now I can’t get enough.
I enjoyed learning more about Lee. I knew she made these fabulous covers, but had no idea she wasn’t trained in graphic design. They are amazing and real eye catchers.
A cover definitely reels me in.
A cover may initially grab my attention, but it’s the blurb and sometimes the sample that will determine if I purchase the book. I have read books with some less than stellar covers, but they ended up being wonderful.
I check book covers first, then blurbs. With a physical copy, I go to the middle and check to see if it holds my interest in wanting to keep turning the pages. Also if the color in the title is reflected somewhere else on the cover, I think a lot of care was taken.
If I go to the store and look at books, I check covers, but I usually do not buy that book. Now days when I buy a book, it is from author I know, so covers are not important to me.
Yes. I do judge a book by its cover. An amazing cover gets my attention even if I’m unfamiliar with the book. It makes me want to know more about the book.
I particularly enjoy the covers for Jane’s Christmas themed books.
I’m probably alone in this, but I don’t like covers that show the back of someone’s head. Let’s see some faces, please. Also, colors and fonts are very important.
I’m definitely interested first in the front cover, THEN the blurb on the back.
If the blurb doesn’t grab me, then if it’s an author I usually like, I’ll get the book anyway.
I look at the cover first on the book. It is what draws me to a book or what leads me away from a book. I prefer covers with people on it as opposed to cartoon like characters. It’s what forms the connection between me and the book/author/story.
The cover may catch my eye on the shelf, but that will only make me read the book synopsis. The synopsis is what will ultimately determine whether or not I want to venture into that books world.
A book cover can really draw you in and make you want to read a book!
I love covers especially the ones in historical that show glorious gowns. I love contemporary ones that depict something significant to the story. I am not crazy about the shift to the comic style but I am sure it’s cheaper to produce and I don’t let it get in my way of enjoying a good story.. But my very favorite cover is Christina Dodd’s Castles in the Air AKA The 3 Arm cover….
Some covers just catch your eye. I just put back a book because the cover doesn’t match the other 3 in the series. Im sure the words are correct, but you know…..
Covers are important and should relate to the story. They capture my interest and then I read the blurb.
I do look at book covers to see if I want to look further into it. I go back and forth between real and cartoon characters. And then if it’s a favorite author it usually doesn’t matter. It does bother me when the front cover character doesn’t match the inside description of the character. The hair color has to match at least.
I definitely judge a book by its cover. Especially if its a new Author to me. I don’t pick a book up if scary cause I’ll assume the book is also. I like Photos of people or caricatures or nice covers. I do also read what it is about to see if I really want to read it.
Covers definitely draw my attention to a book, but the description is the main reason whether I buy a book or not.
I agree that a bad or “corny” cover can cause me to not pick up a book. The less information provided the better.
I love book covers
I definitely enjoy a beautiful cover (whether it be people or places) and have been known to buy a book based on a cover alone. however, the blurb, author and story are all much more important to me.
The cover draws me in. I would say that the brighter the cover is what grabs my attention. After I fall in love with the cover, I then read the blurb. Thank you so much for the opportunity. God bless you.
Book covers draw me to the book. I even had a kindle fire so I could enjoy the pretty covers. I now have the paperwhite, for the backlight and not as heavy. I do like when the covers fit the characters.
Normally I don’t judge a book by its cover unless it a cartoon cover. I’m not overly fond of them. But a cover usually has to grab my attention if it’s a new to me author to get me to pick up the book if it’s not already been recommended to me.
Covers are important especially when it comes to new to me authors. I love covers that embody the story and give me a glimpse of what the story is all about before I even read the back blurb. Thank you for all the beautiful covers you have created over the years, Lee. They are truly amazing.
A beautiful cover will get me to look at the book with more than a passing glance. An exceptional cover that combines beautiful imagery, a pleasing font ( with proper kerning!) and a descriptive blurb that matches the front cover, will get me to buy the book.
Covers can make me buy or not buy a book. But I read the blurb before buying anyway.
Hello Ladies
What a lovely post, it was lovely getting to know Leah better 🙂
For me a cover is what draws me to a book first and especially if it is a new to me author, I love a cover with a couple on it especially since I am a big romance reader 🙂 I do love the covers from Tule they always draw me in/
Have Fun
Helen
Yes a cover of a book is sure to grab my attention!
Covers are the first thing that catches my eye. Then I usually read the blurb on the back or inside the cover! Those two things and my favorite authors usually make me but the books!
Book covers are very important to me. Often I will buy a book based in the cover without even reading the synopsis. I’m not a fan of the new cartoonish covers. I love covers that are attractive and appealing with nice coloring and real people not AI generated composites.
Yes…book covers are important, and definitely suck me in for a closer look. Although the book blurb is always the clincher.
Covers are very important – I do judge.
Yes, book covers are very important to me and definitely attract my attention if they are bright and colorful. It is generally easy to know a book’s genre by the cover. Of course, my favorite authors could have books without covers and I would still read their books!
You design such beautiful covers Lee they are just stunning.
Lee, thanks for a lovely interview, and sending enormous hugs and solidarity. The last couple years have definitely been a challenge. It sounds like you’re doing beautifully for yourself and your loved ones and especially your kids–well done, mama!
As for covers, I definitely enjoy them, but while they may influence a buying decision a bit, they aren’t make or break for me. I think the blurb and author matter far more in my view.
Keep on, Jane and Lee and team!
I love covers on books, and Lee makes some of the most beautiful covers out there!
Enjoyed learning more about Lee.
They don’t really influence my decision. Ok maybe if I read the book and liked it, and it has a nice cover, I may buy it because the nice cover is pushing me to make the decision. But mostly, I don’t think the cover affects my decision.
I look forward to reading your books.
Usually it is more the author or the synopsis pf the book that makes me read a book. But sometimes the cover can be the final decision. More to not buy it, rather than to buy it.
Hi Jane and Lee, I absolutely judge a book by the cover, and I know I shouldn’t. Many a book I didn’t like because of the cover, and a friend talked me into reading it. Guess what? Usually, I like it.
If I am on my own, I would not even pick it up if it has a cartoon type cover. (Unless I have personally met the author!) LOL.
Lee’s covers are amazing!! I do judge a book by its cover as that is the first thing that catches my eye. Then I read the blurb and decide yay or nay. Thanks for all you’ve done, Lee
some covers are so pretty and that draws me to look further into the book story; I also love animals and love when there are dogs or cats on the cover.
Once I read the excerpt I then decide so if a really good excerpt and the cover is not so-so I will still buy.
I absolutely judge a book by its cover, which makes what Lee does so important to a cover lover like me. I think they are works of art. I especially love it when the cover has the characters on it or something important about the book.
Offers Lee does are definitely gorgeous. But being visually impaired I prefer to read the excerpt about the book to find out if it’s something I would even think of reading. I like the words on the cover but they can’t be incursive because I can’t make out what they are they should for me they should be a bold letters then I can actually see the titles.
I am definitely swayed by covers. They are usually the second thing that catches my eye- the first being the author. If the cover doesn’t do it for me, I might not read the synopsis. (I know, rotten for me but that’s me).
I browse books and covers that are appealing and have dramatic artwork but I must read the synopsis and that is when I make a decision.
The cover definitely is the first thing that attracts me to a book when I’m browsing – I think I notice the picture even before reading the author, then the title and finally any other description on the front of the book. It often tells me about the genre of the story, but not always -that’s when I turn the book over and read the back, or if hardcover open to read the inside flap of the dustcover.
Of course a cover catches my eye and I probably have skipped over a book if I didn’t find the cover appealing. On that note, as a library goer, I also judge a book by its spine!! Don’t neglect the spine. I spent many times at the library with my head sideways reading titles.
I do check out the cover and the author. Then I read the blurb.I love the Tule book covers.
I love all the covers Lee designs! I don’t like the cartoon covers or the ones with no faces. Thanks Lee for all you do for Tule.
Beautiful covers help me find my next read. I read blurbs if the cover catches my eye. I really like Lee’s classic style. I don’t care for covers that cut the head off but if it’s an author l like I will buy in spite of the cover.
I think most of the time it might be the cover but I also look at the storyline to decide. I find sometimes I might stay away from certain types of books because of the cover I might not even check out what the storyline is. Don’t know why I do that.
I look at the storyline, but beautiful colorful covers always attract my attention to know more about the book
Absolutey the covers at track my attention… In fact, I remember turning away from a book I would have purchased because of the blurb, but the cover was too outre to buy.
Lee’s covers are a true delight and I’m especially fond of ” Bear’s” cover.
The cover is always the first thing I notice and makes a definite impression.
The cover is usually the first thing that draws me to a book. If I don’t like the cover I’ll pass it up even if it happens to be an author that I normally read. I love covers that have a welcoming feel to them. I especially love covers with a dog on them. Usually if a cover has a dog or a cowboy I just go ahead and buy it.
The cover might get my attention, but the blurb is what decides it for me. Even if I’m not crazy for the cover, if the blurb is amazing, I still want it.
Covers are pretty important to me. I like all kinds: people, animals, objects, and animation. An eye catching cover gets me to pick the book up and read the blurb, then I decide to buy it or not.
Covers are the first thing I notice and helps me decide if I want to investigate it further. Half clad characters on the front whether male or female turn me off right away. Children and animals draw my attention as well as couples that are laughing and look like they are having fun.
Book covers to play a role for me. If I see a cover that catches my eye, I will check out what it is about. Lee I hate cliffhangers too!
The covers grab my attention, the plot is the decider.
Book covers are like covers on the albums I grew up listening to. They’re art. I like if they actually follow the story line. Nature scenes, clear drawings. And I have a special spot for those with a dog on the cover. Strange, I know, but ours passed away in January and I’m missing her something fierce.
see the covers first
I’m pretty author dedicated when it comes to books,but I do love a great book cover. Color,scenery,people….I enjoy full body views & none of that featureless images that’s popular now,animals are a bonus 🙂
This would be a great birthday gift,3-28 is my birthday
I do judge a book by it’s cover. If a cover isn’t real and looks cartoonish I don’t bother.
Lee, I can see why Jane loves you. You are one talented lady! I do judge a book by it’s cover…sometimes I don’t even read the blurb. Especially when it’s an author I already read.
The back blurb will influence me to purchase the book. I have to connect with the storyline. I love scenic covers with real people on them . I’m old school so I do like them in a hug or scene showing an intimate connection. I don’t like it when the cover has characters with different characteristics than what the author wrote. Very annoying! The scene should also represent some significant place or meaning to the story.
Lee’s covers are beautiful. They do tie in with the storyline. Thank you!
Best wishes for continued success at TULE!
Covers are really importnat as they are what can initially draw a reader towards a book. I will always look at a title and cover first, then read the synopsis on the back.
I do like the cover to tell a wee bit about the book, whether it is the characters or a place that are integral to the book.
The covers grab my attention, the plot makes me decide though.
I’d like to say…not really an influence on me. I mean, there are covers I like better than others but covers usually don’t turn me off. Whelp, unless there’s blood and gore but I wouldn’t be reading that book anyway. I enjoy animals on covers, with or without humans. I love just a guy, or a couple. I also enjoy “drawn” covers. To be fair, I should say that I have auto buy authors and it makes no dif what the covers look like. I guess the blurb is what counts for me, if it’s an author I don’t know. How’s THAT for squishy? 🙂
I am a sucker for the cover and the title when it comes to picking books. I have been pretty lucky so far and I’m a pretty avid reader.
Thanks for the chance. This sounds like such a fun prize
I’m almost embarrassed to say I do judge a book by it’s cover. I have had instances where I didn’t like the cover, so I didn’t read the blurb and didn’t pick it up, only for it to get a new cover and then I read and love it. But I have had the opposite happen where I love the cover but didn’t like the blurb.
But the real turn off for covers is if they look really poorly done or if the cover has people on it and they don’t match the people in the book.
A cover will definitely catch my attention and make me read the blurb. I’m a sucker for beautiful scenery and Lee’s covers are absolutely gorgeous!
I generally don’t buy a book based on the cover. But if I don’t like the cover, I’m unlikely to read the blurb to even see if the book would interest me. A cat on a cozy mystery cover pretty much guarantees that I will look at the blurb.
Lee creates some gorgeous covers! A cover can draw me in and make me pick up a book to see what it’s about. I don’t prefer a particular style, though I’m not a fan of the overly cartoonish covers with faceless characters. I’m looking for something evocative of what’s on the page. That can be shown through colors, photos, illustrations, font choices, graphics, and so much more.
I will definitely stop and look at a book based on the title art. The final decision, for me though, comes down to the blurb and reviews.
Covers are attention grabbers for sure. I like great artwork that matches the story. I’ve never been a fan of overly sexy covers but I see why they work. I am usually more persuaded by the blurb to by a book.
I buy books if I like the cover. I like real people on the covers. If they are just drawn people I’m not interested.