Why Endpapers?

I was asked recently why I chose the name Endpapers for my blog. After giving it some thought, I really think it is the perfect fit. But first, what are endpapers? Endpapers are the structural element that connect the pages to the cover, quite literally holding the book together. They are also a design element and can be used to bridge the cover art to the text. Frequently they will have information useful to the reader, like a map, or a thematic pattern, like leaves. Endpapers were more common in older books, but they are currently thriving well in children’s books.

Endpapers, like aspects of Gothic literature, can give you clues to the story if you know where to look. Choosing Endpapers as my blog name is just a way to nod to both the physical aspect of a book and to the more abstract aspect of hidden clues. If I’m ever lucky enough to publish a book, I would love to make sure it has beautiful endpapers with some hidden clues or thematic nods to what the reader will find inside. Next time you are at a library or bookstore, or even our own bookshelf, take an extra second to look at the endpapers. You might be surprised but what you find!