Finally, I have a beautiful cover for my first book! StazAloneDesign made the covers for both of my books, and I couldn’t be happier.
I’d created my own cover after severing ties with the small press I’d been working with since last summer. After educating myself about self-publishing (note: educate yourself before you self-publish), I decided that I’d paid them enough money. I wanted to keep what I earned, not give it back to them. And even though I believed I had ownership rights to my original cover (after all, I’d paid for it as part of their “e-book package”), I really didn’t want that cover anymore. I wanted to start fresh. So I took a photograph of a still life I created on my dining room table – a beautiful little cup and saucer from Italy (thanks, Kevin) filled with dark coffee, a croissant, and a bar of Toblerone. Chocolate for Breakfast! I learned how to create my own cover, and, honestly, I liked it better than the one I’d had originally.
But when I decided to create print versions of my book, I found that the photo was unacceptable. Not enough dpi, whatever that means. All I knew was that I couldn’t use it, and in an effort to get the print books done, I used a CreateSpace template that was pretty horrible. Anyone who purchased one of those, I’m really sorry, and all I can ask is that you don’t judge this book by that cover.
Anyway, I went back to my pal Lyn Stanzione, who create my luscious cover for Chocolate Fondue. She made this delicious cover, and I couldn’t be happier with the two! Thanks, Lyn!
Martha Reynolds Writes 
What a yummy cover! And thanks much for the lesson in graphics-talk, Matthew!
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Thank you, Anne – and Matthew, too!
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Drooling. The sort of cover you want to eat!
I wouldn’t know what a DPI was even if it came and punched me on the nose so I’m glad that Matthew explained!
I loved the other cover too but this one is even more delicious xxx
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You the photographer! Lottie, I almost asked you about it LOL
Thanks – I’m really happy with this one
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Martha, thank goodness you didn’t, I would have been about as useful to you as a bucket with a hole in it. Anything like that freaks me out. I really struggle in photoshop with the sizing. As soon as I start to have to do the math, I break out in a muck sweat. I think the time has come for me to face my demons and do some sort of photoshop course 😀
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Cool cover! The DPI (dots-per-inch) issue is arcane but essential in print. Most physical print requires 300 dpi images, however most cameras take images at much lower resolution, and on-screen images are typically 96 or 120 dpi. The practical issue boils down to the number of pixels in the image, which you can discover via a right-click on the file==> properties ==>details tab in Windows. I think Mac is similar. If the image runs to around 1500 pixels across, then it’ll print up to 6 inches wide (1500/300 = 6). Hope that’s handy – and congrats on the book and cover! Good stuff.
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It does make sense, Matthew – thanks. And I understand why my photo worked for the e-book cover but wouldn’t go for the printed version. Anyway, it all worked out! Thanks again. 🙂
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Awesome new cover, Martha! Love the branding. And it makes me hungry!
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Thanks, Brea – it really works with the other one.
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