I went to one of my favorite hobby stores last week. After spending an hour there and filling my cart, I joined other shoppers in the check-out line.

I saw quite a few people purchasing seasonal wreaths. Some bore the symbols of Halloween while others were decorated with fall leaves and Thanksgiving messages.

Wreaths are a colorful and fun way to send a subtle message to friends and neighbors, in much the same way as decals and vanity plates on cars.

Since our writing has messages that are more pointed–more in-depth–within their pages, we might want to think of our covers as wreathes for our books.

The artwork and titles—even the colors and fonts that are used—all work together to form a subtle impression for the purchaser.

It is the entire “package” that entices a reader to buy. Careful thought to even the smallest detail can mean the difference between a sale or casual glance as they walk on by.