Book covers

I’ve updated my book covers. The word from the wise (Mark Coker of Smashwords) is that a book cover can make a lot of difference to sales. He gave a couple of examples in his marketing guide and I was convinced. The main reason for this is that readers skim through book catalogues on screens nowadays and the eye will flit past any that don’t have a bit of Ooomph.

Previously I made my own using FreeImages.com and Canva.com. They were okay but I checked artist Laura Givens website and found some good pictures. I e-mailed her a query and the prices were very reasonable so I bought a couple. Laura does many covers for Alban Lake Publishing so I was aware of her work. Here are the new covers.

The pictures I chose are generic, not purpose made, but the JCB spaceship seemed especially appropriate for Consarn Christmas which is about an Irish starship. The one I used for Five Little Horrors is a standard evil skeleton pic but striking. I should mention that I’m half-Irish and my dad was a builder – as was I – before the PC crowd leap on me for ‘totally unacceptable’ stereotyping.