Today, I’m excited to take you behind the scenes of one of the most visually exciting parts of the book production process—cover design. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but let’s be honest, we all do it. And that’s why I’ve always been obsessed with making sure the cover of each book I write perfectly captures the essence of the story. Merchant of Vision is no exception.
Years ago....When I set out to design the cover for Merchant of Vision, I knew it had to convey the character of Kars Vandor, the desert of Obarwinko, and the excitement of a space opera while also hinting at the deeper personal conflict within the story. After all, this isn't just a tale of starships and space battles—it's about the characters, their ambitions, and the consequences of their choices.
Step 1: Conceptualizing the Design
The process begins with concept art. I usually start by brainstorming key elements of the story that I want to be visually represented on the cover. For Merchant of Vision, I knew I wanted the starship SS Vagabond—the heart of Kar's Vandor's dream of being a Swagerring Merchant Captain—featured front and center. The ship represents his guts, technical skill at repairs, and willingness to get the job done.
Next came the color scheme. Space opera covers tend to feature rich, bold colors that evoke the grand scale of the universe. I envisioned a more personal story of his homeworld and muted desert colors of yellows and browns.
Finally, I thought about the character. I wanted to subtly hint at the badass that Kars Vandor wants to be and will eventually become. The sense that this isn’t just about epic battles, but about personal ambition and risk. A rough character, a rough ship, flying away from the desert.
Step 2: Working with an Artist
Once I had the general concept, which was not even a sketch just an idea, I searched for a talented artist who would bring it all to life. I use many cover sites, and sometimes commission an artist, but in this case, I found an artist with a suitable cover that mostly matched my vision for this story at https://selfpubbookcovers.com/
For this cover, I bought the base image as a template from https://selfpubbookcovers.com/thrillerauthor
That site uses a template where you can design the title a few different fonts and then it executes a final front cover. Very simple, but as it turns out I have purchased TEN Covers from that artist, on that site, more than double of any other artist I have purchased a cover or custom art from.
Step 3: Fine-Tuning the Details
I haired a graphic designer to do the Spine. I purchased an image from a site for the back cover that walled city. Something that said Science Fiction. I hired a writer, Jessie Cunniffe, for help with the back cover blurb. https://www.fiverr.com/jessiecunniffe?up_rollout=true The goal was to make sure the cover would grab someone’s attention while also staying true to the story inside.
Step 4: The Final Product
And then, finally, I had the final cover! I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. The rough, bulky, scratch-built lines of the SS Vagabond, set against the desert of Obarwinko, perfectly captures the spirit of Merchant of Vision. It’s mysterious, and exactly what I hoped it would be.
Here’s a sneak peek of the final cover (image included below), and I can’t wait to hear what you all think!
The Importance of Cover Design
It’s often said that a book’s cover is its first chance to make an impression—and I believe that’s true. A well-designed cover doesn’t just grab attention; it gives potential readers a taste of what to expect inside. For Merchant of Vision, I wanted readers to feel the personal scale of the story. This hero, and his ship.
Creating a cover that does all of that isn’t easy, but it’s one of my favorite parts of the publishing process. Each book cover tells a story of its own, and I’m so excited for this one to finally be out in the world.
What Do You Think?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the cover design for Merchant of Vision! What elements do you think are most important for a space opera cover? Do you like covers that focus on characters or on the world itself?
Also, for aspiring writers out there—what’s your experience with cover design? Have you ever struggled to bring your vision to life? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments or on social media.
Stay Tuned for More!
Later this week, I’ll be sharing some exciting updates on the final stages of production, as well as some sneak peeks at the next project in the Digital Moon Books pipeline. Thanks for joining me on this journey, and as always, your support means the world to me!
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