I have a new book coming out October 7 – A Very English Christmas! With each book I release, I like to share the cover design journey with you . . . so here’s the inside scoop.

I come from a family of artists and have a degree in fine art, so my book covers are especially important to me. I’ve been blessed to work with some wonderful artists and designers on my past novels. Most of them have given me the opportunity to offer input and suggest changes to the initial designs. Sometimes I was shown several options and asked to choose my favorite, but with traditional publishers the publishing team has the final say. I’ve loved my covers and readers often tell me how they have drawn them to the story.

Becoming an independent author means I am responsible to create the cover design or hire an artist to take on that part of the project for me. When it was time to design the cover for A Very English Christmas, I decided to learn some new skills and tackle the design myself. My coauthors gave me the go-ahead, and I jumped in.

I took an online class to learn the basics of how to use Midjourney and Canva. It took many hours to get the design right for the different editions. I also used some new tools designed by Thomas Umstattd at Author Media in his Author Toolbox for help with the back cover copy and also for a help with the initial idea for the cover.

Here’s where we started with the title and concept. We wanted a Victorian heroine with a Christmas tree in the background.

I worked at Midjourney and came up with this image for my Victorian heroine.

But I wasn’t happy with her expression and there is quite a learning curve with Midjourney. I discovered how to add an image of a woman I liked an inspiration and got this new image beow. She was just what I was looking for!

Next I created a templet for the eBook cover size and took the image to Canva to add the title, subtitle, and authors’ names.

But the corner scroll elements were too close to the edge and were partially cut off when the printed proof copy arrived. Thank goodness for proof copies! The colors are also darker and duller when they were printed, so I lightened the image and brought the corner scrolls in more toward the center.

That’s our final front cover! We hope it draws you to our story. Here’s a bit more about A Very English Christmas:

Step into a world of snowy English landscapes, heartfelt romance, and literary charm in this trio of holiday novellas. A Very English Christmas features three stories set in Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian England—each with a beloved British author as a secondary character. Jane Austen helps a young woman find courage. Charles Dickens inspires a forbidden romance at the London Foundling Hospital. And Beatrix Potter offers quiet wisdom to a runaway heiress in the Lake District. Uplifting, romantic, and perfect for the season, this collection is a cozy treat for fans of classic literature, Christian fiction, and heartwarming holiday tales.

If you love Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Beatrix Potter, you’ll adore this holiday collection of three literary-inspired novellas. A Very English Christmas blends faith, romance, and timeless themes with the charm of old England. The perfect cozy read for the season!

You can preorder the ebook at this link, and the paperback and audio will be available October 7th. We can’t wait to share these stories with you!

Until Next Time ~ Happy Reading,

Carrie