When and why did you start designing book covers?
I started designing covers when I couldn’t find an affordable option for my 2007 debut novel, If It Don’t Hurt It Ain’t Love.
To you, how important is the cover to the success of a book? At least for that PURCHASE of the book?
Very important. The reason we even pick up a book we didn’t initially go to the bookstore to buy is because the cover design called out to us.
Here’s a tough question: What are three of your favorite book covers… that you have designed of course? And why?
These are my current favorite covers, they were all in my Predesigned Cover Collection until someone fell in love with the story they told. The first one (Revelations of a Drug Lord cover) I’m so very drawn to, and actually had a hard time parting with it once the client claimed it because I couldn’t help but to wonder what was so deep on his mind. The second one (Karma cover) taught me a lesson in typography and how the font can actually change the genre of the book even if the image stayed the same. For this one, I went with a font that whispered paranormal in my ear. And the last one (Destiny cover), I loved because it was bold and controversial. She has a needle in her arm, and I knew it would take a bold author to claim it as their own.
For you, what are three things that every great cover should have?
The three things that every great cover should have is a clear readable font for the author’s name, a clear crisp image that portrays some idea of what the book is about, and a layout that’s easily read as a thumbnail sized or full sized image of the cover.
Are you currently having any specials on your book cover designs?
I am currently holding a sale for $250 for custom designed paperback covers and $10 off any predesigned cover. Both sales run until the end of this month.
Anything else you’d like to tell the CLG audience?
Not only do I design covers, but I also design and print coordinating bookmarks, postcards and business cards for an author’s arsenal of promotional material.