In June, I published another indie book.

I totally stress over creating covers. As a reader, you may not know what we think when we see a cover.  It is so exciting when I open the email. For example, with my story The Great Fruitcake Bake-off, I wanted to see a cake, some baking elements, a prize ribbon. My name and the title. And because the story is a romance, a cute couple.
For my mysteries, Temporarily Employed and Temporarily Insane, I subbed an art sheet with information about the cover. I did request the Squirrely Shirley font and the first one to be red background, the second one to be in blue.  
I’m lucky in that the friend who designed the cover for Just Desserts…and Other Stories knows me and my work. My voice. When I told her about my latest project’s title, she knew exactly what to do. This:

Name: The font is Squirrely Shirley, one used with most of my work. It conveys fun. I was concerned about my name in dripping chocolate and if people would think “mud”; however, after querying author friends, it got a “thumbs up.”
Background: Actually came in blue or pink. I went with the pink. I do love the color; however, blue did not seem as much fun as pink, nor as romantic.
Foreground couple: Recently, I put the cover in a Facebook reader’s group for promotion. The group owner asked me if the book is romance. I don’t know about you, but I see a couple with arms around each other. That spells romance. In a way, the pink surrounds them like a cameo. The cover is cartoon-style.
Title: Is in a strong blue. It contrasts from the pink and is in the forefront. The same Squirrely Shirley font. Underneath is not a subtitle. “And Other Stories” is part of the published title but making the font large like Just Desserts would swamp the whole cover. Plus, it is in black and indicates these are “stories.” Very important note because some people won’t ever read stories.
The bottom: is a huge row of chocolate cupcakes with blue, purple, red fruits and green icing. A tiny red and white flag embellishment. This element balances my name at the top and indicates sweetness which the eleven stories are: sweet, cute meets.

What part of the cover causes you to purchase a book? Is there a color that turns you off? Do you prefer real people over cartoon ones?

Find Just Desserts…and Other Stories at: Amazon      Print      Nook   

Other e-retailers