Book designer Gray created the vibrant cover for Zadie Smith's fourth novel, NW, published in August. "When John Hamilton, the Penguin art director, asked me, I nearly bit his hand off. I'd loved Zadie's previous books and loved her previous covers. I was given a brief extract and a synopsis to work with and from that started doodling thoughts and ideas."

Gray says he was inspired by out-of-date A-Z books and the "you are here" dots on city maps. "I wanted the cover to look very English and be particularly representative of London. Something bold, simple and eye-catching – the work of Peter Blake and the collages of Richard Hamilton were starting points."