May is nearing its end while Springtime is in full swing (on one half of the globe, anyway.)
Flowers are ubiquitous to Spring as they are to romance novel covers. Whether it’s just a few petals scattered in the wind or a huge array of colorful blossoms, a floral touch always enchants the eye.
The Covers
For the week of Monday, May 23, 2022, to Sunday, May 29, 2022, let’s enjoy the beauty of the merry month of May with a floral tribute. These romance covers are blooming with beauty and love!
(Note: there’s a missing author’s name on one of the covers! Some copy editor goofed!)
(From left to right, top to bottom) Wild Roses, Julia Grice, Avon, 1980, H. Tom Hall cover art Moonflower, Virginia Brown, Zebra, 1987, Ray Kursar cover art Dare I Love?, Gillian Wyeth, Popular Library, 1987, Morgan Kane cover art Scarlet Lady, Marlene Suson, Avon, 1997, Max Ginsburg cover art
H. Tom Hall’s artwork on romance book coversis legendary. His style is instantly recognizable, refined, yet sensual.
Hall was born in 1932 and grew up in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania. He studied at the Tyler School of Fine Art and received his BFA from Philadelphia College of Art.
While in the U.S. Army, Hall wrote and illustrated a children’s book published by Knopf.
His Non-Romance Covers
After illustrating children’s books and magazines for many years Hall moved on to illustrate book covers. His sweeping style was a natural fit for historical and romantic epics.
The Kingdom, L.W. Henderson, Avon, 1974
His work has graced some of the biggest bestsellers of all time, like Anne Rice’s 1976 Interview with a Vampire.
Interview With the Vampire, Anne Rice, Ballantine, 1976
He also created covers for some Colleen McCullough works, including The First Man in Rome and The Thorn Birds.
A Romance Cover Innovator
His big blast in the romance industry came in 1977 illustrated Kathleen E. Woodiwiss’s blockbuster bodice ripper, Shanna. This portrayed one of the first full cover embraces for a romance. The book sold millions of copies, and the passionate clinch cover was a huge part of the novel’s allure.
Shanna, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Avon, 1977, Tom Hall cover art
A Tom Hall cover was a symbol of elite status as he only worked with the top publishing houses. No Tom Hall would be gracing a schlocky Zebra, Pinnacle, or Playboy Press.
He worked for the big names: Avon, Warner Books, Ballantine, Bantam, Fawcett (after they’d been bought out by CBS Publications & Ballantine), or Reader’s Digest.
From Love’s Ashes, Frances Patton Statham, Fawcett Crest, 1984
Hall was among the most innovative cover artistsof the 1970s. He was called the “leading paperback artist in the country” and “a giant in the industry” by New York art directors.
It was surprising to me that there was no Wikipedia page dedicated to this particular artist. Hopefully, some Wiki editor will remedy that soon.
Hall passed away in 2010. He left behind a wife of over 50 years, a loving family, and a legion of paperback book fans who loved his artwork.
More Tom Hall
To read more about H. Tom Hall and his artwork you can access this page:
