Custom Stock‑Based Book Cover Design

Designing a book cover should feel exciting, not stressful. My goal is to make the process simple, collaborative, and enjoyable while giving you a cover that fits your genre and speaks directly to your readers. I create custom covers using licensed stock images, professional typography, and clean composition—built specifically for your book and your publishing platform. This includes eBook, paperback, and hardcover formats.

Whether this is your first book or your fiftieth, I’m here to help bring your story to life with a polished, market‑ready design.

Genres I Design For

These genres work beautifully with custom stock‑based design. If your project falls outside this list, feel free to ask. If your project falls outside this list, feel free to ask. I’m happy to look at anything that fits within my stock‑based style.

• Romantic Suspense / Mafia

• Thriller / Crime / Mystery

• Cozy Mystery • Fantasy

• YA Fantasy • Paranormal / Urban Fantasy

• Horror

• Sci‑Fi

• Christian Romance

• Nonfiction

(Fantasy and YA Fantasy are absolutely included—the limitation is style, not genre.)

What I Don’t Offer

I don’t offer painted, illustrated, or fully photorealistic character work. This includes:

• digitally painted character portraits

• highly detailed model‑based covers requiring advanced compositing

• multi‑character photorealistic scenes

• character composites that require digital painting or anatomical reconstruction

• rendered or AI‑generated characters meant to look like illustration or studio photography

My work is custom stock‑based design—clean, professional, and built from licensed photographic resources.

Important Note

Any genre is welcome, including fantasy, YA fantasy, romance, and Christian. The only limitation is style. If a concept requires photorealistic character work, I’ll let you know before we begin so we can adjust direction or explore alternatives.

Pricing

• $175 — eBook + paperback (front, spine, back) + three revisions

• $75 — hardcover (case laminate or dust jacket). This can be added to any new cover project (ebook + paperback) or used as a standalone hardcover conversion if your original cover artist is unavailable.

For dust jackets, you must provide the official hardcover template from your publishing platform, along with the required inside flap text.

• $25 — additional revisions beyond the included three

• $45 — new concept (some elements may be reused when appropriate)

• $35 — blurb help (150–200 words recommended, dependent upon trim size)

Blurb + Inside Flap Word Counts (trim‑size examples)

These ranges reflect what typically fits cleanly on standard paperback and dust‑jacket layouts once margins, typography, and readability are accounted for. Trim sizes vary, but the following are the most common and provide reliable guidance.

Blurb Length (Back Cover)

5 x 8 — 150 to 170 words

5.5 x 8.5 — 170 to 190 words

6 x 9 — 190 to 220 words

Inside Flap Length (Dust Jacket)

Left flap (author bio): 120 to 160 words

Right flap (extended blurb):

• 5 x 8 — 180 to 220 words

• 5.5 x 8.5 — 200 to 240 words

• 6 x 9 — 220 to 260 words

Hardcover Services

I design both case laminate and dust‑jacket hardcovers using your platform’s official template. If your previous cover artist disappeared, quit the business, or is no longer available—and you’ve always wanted your book in hardcover—I may be able to assist.

If you already have a paperback cover and simply want to expand into hardcover, I can convert your existing design into a clean, professional hardcover layout.

To build a hardcover from your existing paperback, I’ll need:

• Your final paperback PDF

• Your trim size and page count

• Your IngramSpark or KDP hardcover template

• Inside flap text (for dust jackets)

• Any series branding or design elements you want carried over

Flaps will be designed using solid or gradient color fields based on your existing cover, ensuring a cohesive, professional look.

How the Process Works

• Complete the intake sheet after booking

• Provide genre, tone, and overall direction

• I create an initial concept based on your project brief

• You request revisions as needed

• Final files are delivered in industry‑standard formats

• For IngramSpark or KDP hardcovers, the official template must be supplied

How I Work

Editable Files:

Editable source files aren’t provided. Working files contain licensed assets that can’t be redistributed, so all adjustments are handled on my end to keep everything compliant.

Spine Adjustments:

If the page count changes, I’ll adjust the spine. Small changes usually don’t require a new template.

Stock Images:

I use properly licensed stock images. These licenses allow commercial use of the final design but can’t be transferred or redistributed.

Turnaround Times:

Turnaround times vary by project, but I do my best to keep things moving smoothly.

File Delivery

Final files are delivered as print‑ready PDFs and high-resolution images.

What You Receive

• Print‑ready PDF for paperback

• Print‑ready PDF for hardcover (case laminate or dust jacket) if ordered

• High‑resolution PNG/JPG for your eBook

If your trim size or page count changes at any point, please let me know immediately. A new, updated template from your publishing platform will be required, and I’ll rebuild the cover on that template to ensure proper alignment.

I strongly recommend ordering a test print before finalizing your book. This helps confirm that the spine, margins, and color output look correct on your physical copy.

Work Schedule

I work Monday–Thursday and respond to messages within 24 business hours (excluding Fridays and holidays).

Payment

PayPal or Zelle accepted.

Refund Policy

Payment covers custom design work created specifically for your project. Refunds are only available if the project is canceled before any design work begins. Once concept development or stock sourcing has started, payments are non‑refundable. Final files are non‑refundable under all circumstances.

Future Offerings

I continually refine my stock-based design skills and tools to offer cleaner composition, stronger atmosphere, and more polished character-focused covers. My work will always remain stock-based rather than illustrated or painted.

What to Expect

A collaborative process

Share your genre, tone, and direction, and I’ll build a cover that fits your market while keeping the workflow smooth and flexible.

Custom stock‑based design

I work with licensed stock images and commercially safe fonts to create a polished, professional cover without the cost of full illustration. Each project includes three revisions, with additional revisions available at $25 each.

Print‑ready files

You’ll receive a high‑resolution eBook cover and full paperback and hardcover layouts formatted for your platform.

Revision Policy

Revisions cover adjustments to the existing concept, such as layout, typography, color, and stock placement. Requests that significantly change the original direction — including new imagery, a different mood, or a complete shift in style — are considered a new concept and fall under the new‑concept fee.

Proofing Responsibility

All text provided for the cover — title, subtitle, author name, tagline, and back‑cover copy — must be proofread and confirmed by the author. Final approval indicates that all text is correct. Any changes requested after final delivery may require an additional fee.

AI Use

I do not use AI to design, generate, or edit client covers. All design work, decisions, and creative development are done by hand using licensed stock resources and professional design tools.

Before You Book

It helps to have:

• Genre, tone, and any visual direction

• Trim size and estimated page count

• Must‑have elements

• Back cover text (if applicable)

• Publishing platform (KDP, IngramSpark, etc.)

If details are still being finalized, that’s completely fine—we can begin with what you have and adjust as needed.

Submitting payment indicates acceptance of the policies on this page, including licensing, deliverables, and revision terms.

Important Note:

Please order a proof copy before finalizing your book. While I design using your exact template and specifications, printing services (KDP, IngramSpark, Lulu, etc.) can sometimes produce unexpected alignment or color variations. A proof copy ensures everything looks correct before you publish. If your proof shows a printing or template issue for this book, you may send me the updated template and I will adjust the cover at no extra cost. Future redesigns due to platform‑wide template changes may incur a fee.

FAQ:

Do you provide editable files? No. Working files contain licensed assets that cannot be redistributed.

What if my page count changes? Small changes (around 1–10 pages) usually don’t affect the spine. Larger changes may require an updated template from your publishing platform.

What stock images do you use? I work with licensed photographic resources from sites such as Pixabay, Pexels, Depositphotos, and other platforms that offer proper commercial licensing.

Do you use AI to create covers? No. All covers are created using licensed stock images and manual digital editing. AI‑generated imagery is not used in any part of the design process.

How long does a cover take? Turnaround times vary by project and workload. Most covers are completed within a few business days.

What genres do you design for? Romantic suspense, mafia, thriller, mystery, fantasy, paranormal, horror, sci‑fi, Christian romance, and nonfiction. If your genre isn’t listed, feel free to ask.

Do you design character‑heavy or photorealistic covers? Yes — as long as the design can be created using licensed stock photography. I do not create AI‑generated characters or illustrations.

What files will I receive? A print‑ready PDF for paperback, a print‑ready PDF for hardcover (if purchased), and a high‑resolution PNG/JPG for your eBook.