I'm an Art Director at Penguin Random House and I've spent the last five+ years obsessing over book covers inside some of the biggest publishing houses in Spain. I have an MA in editorial design and a bachelor's degree in marketing, which means I know what makes a cover work before it's even pretty, and how to make it feel instantly familiar to the reader it's meant for.
I read a book a week, mostly about sad women — or anything by R.F. Kuang — and I'm currently learning how to paint with oils (it's a journey, much like Ulysses'). I have the cutest cat on earth and he'll let you cuddle him if you hire me to design your cover!