
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, 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!