Is a book cover a secret weapon to get books sold? Many people think so. What does research say? I know what I’ve done recently!
Research on the Importance of a Book Cover
“A high-quality book cover not only looks great, but also communicates its genre and attracts the “right” readers with relevant trends, color schemes, and more.”
For my first three books, I designed the cover, not knowing any better, but since then I have had 100Covers.com do my covers. Why? Because I believed the research stated above.
I love what 100Covers.com have produced, and they are so easy to work with. We collaborate with resources I find and shared with them. Then they did the magic and created eye-appealing covers.
My First Book Covers
Somewhere I found a review I ignored about my first book, This Tumbleweed Land’s cover. On the original cover, I had a text box covering the tumbleweed in the picture. That’s the theme of this book, so what a revelation. I loved the photo I used with Mesa de Maya in the background (noted on some of the first maps every made of the southeastern part of Colorado). But that mesa wasn’t mentioned in my book, so I had 100Covers.com redo it and I released it last week.
Here’s the comparison:
What do you think?
My Newest Book CoverIs In a Contest
Time Measured Out!: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry is in a nonfiction book cover right now on AllAuthor.com. It has entered the final round and the winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd) will be announced March 31.
Right now my book cover is in 2nd place with 120 votes, but with another book, The Amazing Dinosaur Dictionary for Kids, hovers right behind me with 119 votes.
What do you think?
The book cover in first place, Phoenix Rising, has 186 votes.
Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir received 1st place in the nonfiction book cover contest at AllAuthor.com in May, 2024. It was so exciting to communicate with my different social media sites and my email lists to encourage people to vote, and I received comments back that encouraged me. They came through repeatedly, and this award added prestigious to my book.
Finally,
I have heard repeatedly from my many mentors the importance of my book covers. I truly believe a book cover can be a secret weapon to get people to buy and read my books.
If you missed the importance of your vote, it could make the difference for my book’s winning stance or not. Put down your cup of coffee, your beer, your book or your knitting. It will only take a couple minutes. Grab your phone, iPad or computer and go to https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/20500/
Vote like my book’s life depends on it because it does!
My life in southeastern Colorado overflows with activity this week. It was out with the old furniture and in with the new in my living room in my house there. In the midst of this major change, I have been finishing up the last read-through of my new book and selecting the book cover.
My Old Furniture
The sofa sleeper in the living room at my house in southeastern Colorado sinks down when you sit down. Older people need aid to get up. I have no idea how old it is. In reality, it could be 30-40 years old! So, I had been laboring over how to replace it for several years.
Then last year, my brother bought a new beautiful leather sofa at Woody’s Furniture in Trinidad, Colorado where we shop. So, when I was here in August, I went by the store and got their online store information.
Thinking ahead in Panamá, I looked at their sofa sleepers online and saw their prices. So, I had an idea what I was facing.
Life in a small town, there’s no place to buy something here, so it was back to Trinidad to shop on Tuesday.
Woody’s Furniture Store
We made Woody’s our first stop of the day. When my brother and I walked in the door, we spied to our left a light-colored loveseat. Immediately I said no because of the light color—it would be ruined immediately in the country! I had measured another space in the living room where I had a wicker loveseat that sagged and crackled when two people sat on it, so I was looking.
So, slowly that loveseat became a possibility but I couldn’t imagine a light colored any piece of furniture out in the dusty country. But the size won me over, and I thought, “I can put some throws over it. I can use Scotch guard on it. I like it!” And the selling feature: it was a sleeper!
Then I found a beautiful sofa (not a sleeper) made out of the same material as our rocker/recliners are in Panamá. It appears to be leather, but not. Also, it has recliners on both sides—what a treat!
So, it all worked. And on top of everything, both pieces were on sale, so I ended up paying the same price I would have paid for a sofa sleeper for these two pieces of furniture.
Furniture Delivery on Friday
Woody’s delivered the two pieces and took the two old pieces back—what an advantage. The two young men who delivered them helped place them and explained the features of the sofa. I didn’t realize the sofa has computer charging stations on both ends! What a surprise that was! I always bring all kinds of chargers with me with the electrical plug! No more!
Now Where To Put Them?
I mis-measured the loveseat. It is four inches bigger than I thought, so it won’t go back in the space where the wicker loveseat was. My brother and I have it at an angle now, but I have other possibilities: flat against the dividing wall to the dining room or next to the desk facing the TV.
When the delivery guys set the sofa up, they left it away from the wall so I could fully recline. Also, I need to get a power strip for the sofa’s electrical cable because of lightning storms here, so we left it out, but it takes up more of the space of the living room, especially with the loveseat out more.
When we get the power cord, we will probably move it back some and move it out when I have company.
What a beautiful experience this transition has been.
My brother looked into the dining room and said, “Your cover for the loveseat matches the cow skull Cheryl painted for you.” I looked and he was right!
The cover I found for my new loveseatThe cow skull my niece, Cheryl, painted for me!
Now My Book Life & New Book!
I have such a rich full life! I’m finishing up the last read-through on the layout of my new book, Time Measured Out!, which requires me to look at a .pdf of the print version to see how it appears. I will do that for the e-book version also later, but right now I’m focusing on the print version.
Taking a poll on the book cover of my new book, I received about 40 responses, so first of all—thank you to all that took the time to respond! I really appreciate it.
Most of the people put the number of the book cover they liked and no comment. That’s what I normally do on a poll like this, but some people added their reason for their selection, and a couple people and my husband commented on “the mystery” they felt with cover #1, so I went with it, and the cover designer has already sent the e-book cover back to me.
Next, I received an email from the designer requiring four things:
KDP Paperback cover template (PDF)
Back cover blurb/description (ideally 50-200 words)
(optional) Short author bio (ideally 50-75 words)
(optional) Author image/portrait (must be high-resolution
First
I wondered why he wanted the KDP Paperback cover template because I was having them design the cover, but I realized it gives specific data KDP needs for the cover. I’ve used this company for the last 4 or 5 books, so I trus them.
So, I generated it and it looks like this:
Second
About a month ago, I had the description for the back cover created Bryan Cohen’s Best Page Forwardcompany – See what you think:
Sharing raw moments of love, loss, and joy, this memoir-in-verse invites readers to discover their own quiet strengths.
The pen knew what Larada Horner-Miller’s heart couldn’t say aloud. Collecting her thoughts on everything from the harrowing dawn of 9/11 to light-filled RV treks across desert highways, she used poetry to capture ordinary breaths suddenly split open with grief, wonder, and grace. And as her forties brought amazing triumphs and shattering sorrows, she translated days spent teaching and coyote-haunted dawns into soul-soothing stanzas.
An award-winning poet with more than seven decades of life and three-dozen sober years behind her, Horner-Miller invites you to her kitchen-table memories—where resilience is brewed as strong as morning coffee and saguaros raise silent hymns beneath an Arizona sky. And as she lays out insightful observations of the world in pensive verse, her deeply felt truths offer up a healing warmth.
Time Measured Out! is a candid and inspiring book of poetry, and the second volume in the Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry series. If you cherish reflective verses, vivid travel vignettes, and bold celebrations of self-reinvention, you’ll adore Larada Horner-Miller’s heartfelt collection.
Buy Time Measured Out! to count the beauty of every second today
Third
I sent him a copy of a short biography of mine. So what do you think?
Award-winning author Larada Horner-Miller weaves rich stories across multiple genres, from heartfelt memoirs to insightful poetry. With numerous literary accolades to her name, including Book Excellence Awards recognition, she seamlessly moves between historical biographies, personal reflections, and lyrical verse. Her diverse catalog reflects both scholarly precision and emotional authenticity, drawing from her background in education and deep connections to her southwestern roots.
Last
The designer requested a photo I use for most of my books. Here’s the professional headshot I took years ago and like:
Finally,
My life had a mixture of activities this week: saying goodbye to old furniture, enjoying new furniture and creating a new paperback book. I love it and the variety!
Now you need to buy my book! Soon, I will let you know how you can get your copy, either in paperback or e-book version!
Delays have hampered the release of my new poetry book, Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry. The reasons vary: publishing issues and the effects of the dog attack.
Dog Attack Causes Delays
Today is three months since that vicious dog attack that has altered my life and caused the delay of the release of this book. First, I hurt too much to work at all on this book. Then my life filled up with doctor’s appointments and just trying to get everything figured out with the wound. During the early weeks of this trauma, my thoughts and concentration suffered with the pain and the horror!
Recently, the nerve damage pain in my foot and ankle and now my leg has overtaken my life. So, the orthopedic doctor prescribed gabapentin for the nerve pain, causing me to feel fuzzy and have trouble thinking clearly. All of this affected the way I handled the specifics of self-publishing which now has caused further delays.
Publishing Issues
I originally planned to release this book in August. At first, I received the book cover on June 26 and gave them a page count for the book but didn’t get back to them until September 5. Then I changed the page count and needed them to adjust it. I also had neglected to get them the book description and my biography. So more delays!
I received the book description on July 16, timely enough. Because of a planned family get-together in Colorado, I neglected to look closely at the book description and forgot I hadn’t. Then on July 21, my life changed with the dog attack.
The cover company, 100covers.com, has been a dream to work with. Patiently, they have let me alter the requirements so far.
As I waited for the paperback cover, I wondered about the delay. On October 12, 2024, I emailed them because I had been waiting to release the paperback but hadn’t received the final cover. Today I got an email from them saying they sent me the covers on October 2, 2024—see the effect of the gabapentin. I couldn’t believe it I missed it, delaying another two weeks.
So, this afternoon, I checked the paperback cover and found two mistakes in the book description and my biography. I just emailed them to see if we can correct the mistakes that are my fault! Yikes!
I’ll let you know. What’s so frustrating for me about this—early in April when this four-book poetry book series became a reality, in my over-performing mindset, I thought about publishing maybe two or three of these books this year. Yes, I realized quickly that was far-fetched, but taking all this time to just publish one goes against my work ethics!
As I lamented to Lin, my husband, today about the delays, he reassured and said, “So, if you don’t release it until November, what difference is it?” His relaxed attitude helps me as I labor over these delays.
Update on Chapbook and Title
Last week, I shared about my chapbook I’m creating and offered some possible titles. Well, after my book coaching session this last week, I threw those titles out because they had nothing to do with the topics of the poems I write about in this chapbook. My book coach reminded me of four ways to title a nonfiction book. One of them was using the title of a poem from the book. I did that with Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir and my new poetry book I’m getting ready to release, Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry.
So, here’s the new title and the cover I created. I need your opinion on the difference choice of fonts.
#1
#2
Please help me out! Make a comment in the Comments section on which number you like or email me at larada@icloud.com but respond!
Finally,
Self-publishing a book has so many moving parts. Add the insanity that the dog attack had on me and my abilities and it equals delays, delays, delays!
Podcasts & My Interviews
Listen to an interview released Wednesday, August 7, 2024 on Hump Days Calls podcast
The progress of my new poetry book has been slow it seems. The dog attack set me back tremendously, but I’m pushing forward! I see daylight today!
E-book Cover Progress
The e-book cover is finalized and I love it! In reality, it has been done since June 26, 2024, but needless to say, my writing life has been diverted for the last ten weeks. I worked with a cover company, 100Covers.com, who created my last two book covers. From the information they requested, they created an inspiring cover. I’ll give you a hint! I collect feathers and have for years, and I didn’t mention that to them. Right now, I have a huge stack of turkey feathers on my buffet in my house in Branson, Colorado my brother saved for me! I just need to clean them up!
Paperback Cover Progress
The paperback cover requires more information because it needs the page count, the color of interior paper, and the book description, a short author bio and an author picture for the back. When I originally worked with 100 Covers in June, I had one page count, but after thinking about it for the last couple months, I changed my mind, and 100 Covers has patiently worked with me and accepted my change. What an amazing company to work with!
Interior Design
I use the Mac app, Vellum, to lay out the interior of the book. I’ve used it for years and love it. In my confusion over the last month or so, I had labeled a page “Table of Contents,” but I had not selected the correct content page. When I finished my book a couple weeks ago, I generated the .pdf copy and it produced no Table of Contents. The program automatically creates the Table of Contents.
So, I contacted the tech support from Vellum and had several emails back and forth about the problem. I even sent the Vellum file to the tech support. They couldn’t figure it out!
One day this last week, I looked at my Hair on Fire file and saw the difference in the item name and realized what I had done! So, I solved it and let the tech support know! Now it produces the Table of Contents perfectly!
KDP Keywords
Last night, I used another amazing app I have in my repertoire of writer’s tools—Publisher Rocket—to research the keywords and categories I will use when listing my new poetry book with KDP.
When an author lists a book on KDP (Amazon’s self-publishing site), you have to provide seven keywords or phrases. Each keyword can have as many as 50 words in it though, so you have to be wise how you list your keywords. I respect David Chesson at kindlepreneur.com and his findings because he has made my life so much easier with Publisher Rocket.
Here’s an article on his site about keywords I found helpful!
Amazon has thousands of categories and sub-categories, so the author’s job of find the ones that match your book is daunting. Amazon allows the author to place a book into three categories; however, you can have different categories for your paperback and your e-book.
Again, Publisher Rocket helped me identify which categories match my book the best and which have more possibilities for success for my book.
During the research for the keywords and categories, I created a spreadsheet to capture the information gathered. I’m excited about the results from my research for both the keywords and categories for my paperback. I have to finish the research for my e-book categories.
Finally,
I’ve tried to work on this book project this whole year but I got sidetracked with my wound. I see progress today! I look forward to a successful book launch in the next couple weeks, and as we speak, I’m organizing my poetry for book #2, #3 and #4 in this series!
DOG ATTACK UPDATE:
Last week, I had three appointments. On Monday, I continued my work with a therapist to deal with the trauma of the dog attack. I’m facing EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). I will keep you updated on the outcome of this type of therapy.
On Wednesday, I returned to the Wound Clinic for my weekly appointment. The wound is healing and shrinking. I don’t have to wear a compression sock all the time now—only when I’m up on my feet a lot. Also, I don’t have to return to the Wound Clinic for two weeks; however, Lin has to change the dressing twice a week. He changed it this afternoon and does such a conscientious job!
Also on Wednesday, I had two MRI tests: one of my foot and the other of my ankle. I will get the result of the tests this Thursday at my orthopedic doctor appointment. I hope the tests have some explanation for the severe pain I have in my foot and ankle.
