Book Cover Design | The Crossroad Publishing Company
I designed the cover for The Passions of Saint Francis, the final novel by acclaimed author Charles Gaines, published by The Crossroad Publishing Company in October 2026 to coincide with the feast day of Saint Francis and the 800th anniversary of his death.
Gaines was the author of 23 books, including the National Book Award finalist Stay Hungry, the international bestseller Pumping Iron, and the memoir A Family Place. His final novel received enthusiastic praise from Ethan Hawke, Maria Shriver, Thomas McGuane, and Kirkus Reviews, among others. Sadly, Gaines died shortly before the book's publication.
The challenge in designing the cover was to capture the novel's portrayal of Saint Francis not simply as a religious figure, but as a passionate, vulnerable, deeply human character.
I chose Caravaggio's Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy, cropping the painting tightly to emphasize the physical presence of the saint. Radiating lines bring energy and a contemporary visual dimension to the centuries-old artwork. The finished cover combines classical painting with contemporary book design, reflecting both the spiritual and human dimensions of Gaines's novel.
For a more detailed account of the creative process, read my blog post about the search for the right artwork for this book cover.
Praise for The Passions of Saint Francis
“This is a great novel – massive and beautiful, full of everything that matters. It takes a lifetime to write a book like this, and I will buy a copy for everyone I love.” — Ethan Hawke
“An extraordinary new novel” —Maria Shriver