Making The Right First Impression

© McCorkle Creations

Covers are a book's first impression. They can mean the difference between browsers picking a book up (or clicking on it online) or passing it by. We all like to think readers don't judge a book by its cover, but they often do when it comes to choosing it. I'm guilty of it myself, especially when it comes to reading indie authors. I love indie books and I make it a point to read a lot of them. However, if an indie book has a bad cover I will pass it up because it is a reflection of how much time, effort, and/or money the author was willing to put into it. And, if they weren't willing to put in enough time/effort/money on their cover, my fear is that they haven't put it into their actual book either.

The amount of books out there is increasing daily, meaning an author's competition for simply getting that click or pick up, is terribly high. Making a good first impression is as vital to a book as it is to a person going to an interview or making a public appearance. To convince consumers to spend their money, indie authors and publishers must be willing to do the distance when it comes to a great book cover. Don't worry, that doesn't always mean spending a lot of money if you aren't artistically inclined. It means doing your research, finding the right cover designer for you and your book, and collaborating well to come up with a design that is both marketable (knowing what's hot in the genre, what works and doesn't work), and will stand out.  Go the distance for your cover and it will go the distance for you.

For more, check out my website: McCorkle Creations

Cover Reveal For Dawn Malone

I'm thrilled to be part of the cover reveal for my latest client (and friend!) Dawn Malone's middle grade novel, Bingo Summer. 

     It was a blast working with Dawn on this cover. Her vision was fantastic and we worked together splendidly to create the perfect cover
     Here is a bit about the book:
     On her thirteenth birthday, Summer Haas scratches the lottery ticket her mom tucked into her birthday card and the down-on-their-luck family become instant millionaires. Then the attention gets crazy in their small Illinois town, and the family moves north to ‘disappear’ in the Chicago suburbs. Summer’s new home might as well be on the Moon, it’s so different from where she used to live.

     Suddenly, Summer is a candidate for student council, trades her t-shirt and jeans for mall-brand clothes, and throws a party for her entire grade even though she didn't invite a single guest. Everyone wants Summer to be someone other than herself, including the super-popular Suri who Summer hopes will be her new best friend. There’s Mara who wants Summer to forget about competing with her for third base when softball season comes. And Summer just wants to avoid Dink and Anna even though she has more in common with them than she wants to admit.

     But when Mara discovers how Summer’s family made their millions, and threatens to tell the whole school, Summer needs a friend more than ever. Can Summer fit in AND stay true to herself?

   Look for Bingo Summer this May and keep up with Dawn at this link for more news. 

Happy New Year To All

Wishing you all a fun and safe new year's eve celebration, and a prosperous and happy 2014. I'm looking forward to the fantastic authors I have lined up to work with in the new year designing both covers and interiors. A big thank you to all of you whom I designed for this year, it was a pleasure and an honor.

Readymade Covers: Romance & Scifi

A few of my latest readymade cover designs that are for sale:

These two highly customized images start at $40 (couple) and $75 (Time Traveler) and include your name and title in the font of your choice, as well as minor changes. For more info, see my website.

Readymade Covers: Romance & More

A few of my latest readymade cover designs that are for sale:

These two highly customized images start at $50 (Nymph) and $40 (Couple) and include your name and title in the font of your choice. For more info, see my website.

Readymade Cover: Leatherbound & Romance

A few of my latest readymade cover designs that are for sale:

These two highly customized images start at $50 (Leatherbound) and $75 (couple) and include your name and title in the font of your choice, as well as minor changes. For more info, see my website.

Readymade Covers: Romance & Futuristic

A few of my latest readymade cover designs that are for sale:

This highly customized image start at $75 and include your name and title in the font of your choice, as well as minor changes. For more info, see my website.