
Hi, I'm Emily!
I'm a freelance book cover designer and avid reader based in New York City. Most recently I was the Senior Designer at Henry Holt & Company. I’ve also worked at Berkley, Viking, and Penguin Books.
In 2020, I graduated from RISD with a BFA in Graphic Design.
I've been a guest lecturer for various graphic design courses at the University of Connecticut, Boston University, and Northeastern University.
When I'm not reading or designing, you can find me… going for a run, baking something sweet, catching insects or creating optical illusions.
Clients:
Amazon Publishing, Crooked Lane Books, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Sourcebooks
My favorite genres to work on are literary and book club fiction, thrillers, memoirs, essay collections, and YA. Bonus points if it’s a little weird, speculative, mysterious, humorous, or coming-of-age. But I love a good surprise!
Featured:
- The Casual Optimist | Book Covers of Note, April 2025
- 3 Things I’ve Learned in My First Month as a Full-Time Freelance Book Cover Designer
- I Need A Book Cover | 10 Questions for Emily Mahar
- The Casual Optimist | Book Covers of Note, February 2025
- Lit Hub | The 167 Best Book Covers of 2024
- SPINE Magazine | November 2024 Book Covers We Love
Thank you to Reinaldo Simões for building my dream website!