​🎨 Behind the Design: The Journey of a Book Cover

By D.C. Salmon

Tomorrow is the big day. On the 5th of March, BespokeBookCovers.co.uk officially start work on the cover for my latest book, An American Treasure. I am incredibly eager to see what Peter comes up with. I’ve given him a brief on the story, and if it’s anything like the rebranding of An Irish Mystery, I know we are in for something special. 🖋️✨

​🛠️ The DIY Trap: Canva vs. The Pros

​People often ask me about the process of getting a cover designed and prepared for distribution. To explain it, I have to go back to the beginning.

​I originally had grand ideas of An Irish Mystery looking like a Clive Cussler novel—explosions, boats, and high-speed chases. Naturally, I thought I could do it myself on Canva. We all think we can do what the professionals do after five minutes on a website, don't we? No? Just me then! 😅

​I spent hours playing with backdrops of American roads and Ford pickups, trying to find something that looked "half-decent." Eventually, I went with a self-publishing company's design. It was mystical and secretive, and at the time, I loved it. But after a few months, I realised something was wrong. People kept asking: "Where in Ireland is it set?" or "Is it a murder mystery?" The cover was giving off the wrong vibes. The book is set mainly in America and is about the missing Irish Crown Jewels, not Ireland itself. I knew I had to rebrand.

​🔍 Finding the Right Partner

​I first tried a company called Getcovers because they were budget-friendly. While they were professional enough to refund me when the design didn't hit the mark (which I really appreciated), it taught me a valuable lesson: for the "big" look I wanted, I needed to invest more.

​I looked for authors in the same genre as me to see who designed their covers. I found a brilliant designer in Australia, but I really wanted someone closer to home. That’s when I found Bespoke Book Covers. They are based just one county over from me, and their portfolio was stunning.

​Caroline (Peter’s wife) sent over examples of Thriller and Adventure covers that weren't even on their website yet. The price was higher than I expected, but it felt like the right partnership. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut.

​📋 The Creative Brief: What a Designer Needs

​If you’re wondering what you actually have to provide a designer, here is the "shopping list" I sent over:

• ​A Synopsis: What is the heart of the story?
• ​Inspiration: Pictures of book covers you already love.
• ​The Setting: Landscape details and where the story is based.
• ​Colour Schemes & Mood: Is it dark and gritty or bright and adventurous?
• ​Professional Opinion: Most importantly, I asked for their advice. They have the experience; I just have the vision.

​📐 The Technical "Malarkey"

​Once the art is done, there is a lot of technical work to make it "print-ready."

• ​E-books: These are easy; you just get a high-resolution JPEG or PNG.
• ​Paperbacks & Hardcovers: This is where it gets tricky. The designer has to calculate the Spine Width based on your final page count and the specific thickness of the paper being used.
• ​The Full Wrap: For physical copies, you need a PDF that includes the front, the spine, and the back (with the blurb and barcode). This file must include "Bleed"—extra space around the edges so that when the printer trims the book, you don't end up with white lines at the edges.

​🚀 What's Next?

​I have sent over the blurb and my ideas for An American Treasure, and the 50% deposit is paid. Tomorrow the work begins! Hopefully, by this time next week, I will have something to share.

​However, the very first people to get a glimpse of the new look will be my newsletter subscribers. If you want to be at the front of the queue for the reveal, you can join the list here:

👉 Link to Newsletter Sign-up

​📚 What I’m Reading...

​

I’ve managed to shake off that reading slump! I am currently diving into Nautical Strike by Robert A. Adamcik, which is Book 1 of The Gargoyle Trilogy.

​"Gargoyle" is the call sign for the main character, James Robert ‘Bob’ Morgan, and the story is incredibly fast-paced. Morgan feels like an American version of James Bond—he’s got the gadgets, the guns, the fast cars, and a definite eye for pretty women!

​I’ll be honest: I sometimes struggle to get into ex-military thrillers because I don’t always understand the lingo, especially when it comes to the American military. However, this book has been fantastic so far. I am 34% of the way in, and I’ve been using every free minute this week to see how the story progresses. If you like high-stakes action that doesn't get bogged down in too much technical jargon, this one is well worth a look.

If you fancy a copy, you can find it here: Nautical Strike.

(Purchasing via this link helps fuel my next research trip at no extra cost to you!)

 

Enjoyed the ride? 📖

​I balance my writing life with a full-time day job, which means covers, research, and advertising all come out of my own pocket. If you’d like to see these books reach more readers—and help me stay caffeinated while I write them—you can support my work here. Your help keeps the "Stream" flowing and the books coming.

📬 Want to follow the journey?

I send occasional emails about writing, publishing, and the stories behind The Newman Adventures.

Newsletter subscribers also get an exclusive sneak peek of Book 2, An American Treasure.

👉 Join here: The Newman Chronicle 

📖 Enjoyed this post?

An Irish Mystery is a fast-paced historical adventure about stolen treasures, hidden histories, and the cost of obsession.

Ebook, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback & hardcover

👉 Available on Amazon: An Irish Mystery

You can also find me on Instagram / Bluesky / X / Facbook, where I share writing updates and behind-the-scenes moments.

🌍 www.dcsalmonbooks.com