Not only does Mason's book have a title, but it has a cover too!

I know. I know. It's been forever since I first promised a series for Liam Blake's brothers. They're all Tribunal Enforcers. They're all unique and full of personality. They all deserve the chance to find their mates. Lucky for Mason--he's first.

You may be wondering what the story is with the title. Misdelivered applies to Lyn, a self-reliant, tough as nails, ocelot shifter that's just made a fatal mistake. Miscalculating the habits of her mark, she attempts a heist that could not only pay for a year of necessities, but could provide the level of luxury she prefers. One moment everything is going perfectly, the next she wakes to find herself unable to move, trapped in a wooden crate. Worse, she's been dressed as a bride.

Mason Blake has just completed a difficult mission for the Tribunal. When he returns to his cabin in the middle of Nowhere, Alaska, the last thing he wants is company. When a crate is delivered to his doorstep, he may not have much of a choice.

Misdelivered will hit the Amazon ebook shelves shortly. While you wait, go ahead. Take a peek.

In a fraction of a second potential readers scroll past dozens of covers before finding that one that succeeds in its task of capturing attention. For every cover that intrigues those book-loving shoppers, there is one that makes them cringe. Your novel could be pure gold behind that one image, and the reader may never know. When it comes to books, people do really judge quality by the cover.
Today, I'd like to share with you a few major cover design mistakes that may be costing you those sweet pennies from every sale. If you are opposed to using a pre-made cover (an affordable option), here's some free advice in basic design. These tips are just as relevant to graphics used for blog posts and advertising.

1. The Stretched Image
I'm sure you've seen at least one cover where the author has taken an attractive image and just stretched it out a little bit to make it fit the cover requirements. Please do not ever do this. Even if it doesn't seem like it's that bad, it's bad. This counts for fonts too. Increase the font size, change the spacing, or choose a different font. Don't stretch it. Instead, choose a larger image and crop.

2. MS Paint
Don't use it. Unless you are a professional artist, your drawing is not going to attract readers. Trust me. Instead, find a nice stock photo and roll with it. Use Adobe's tools, or go with the freeware versions. If you're looking for easy and free, check out Canva. Personally, I use GIMP and Inkscape. 

3. Font Choice
One of the most frequent mistakes I see with self-made covers is poor choice in font. I get it. Before jumping into graphic design, I didn't realize how much fonts mattered. Many times it's the one thing that pops out and screams 'amateur' at potential customers with a single glance. They may not know why, but they'll know something's wrong. For this, I suggest research and trial and error. Get a boatload of fonts and see what you like. If the font is too different in style to the other covers in your field, that may be because it suggests a feeling that you aren't going for. What do I mean? Check out these great posts for more:

• DIY Book Covers has a great list of fonts, what they look like, and what genre they work for.
  
• This post by Knockin' Books has some great examples of what to look for in the text, and what feeling those styles give the reader.
  
• Find something you like, but have no idea where to get it? Check out WhatTheFont! and take the guesswork out. The website can scan an image for you and tell you what font the artist has used. Neat stuff!

Love this post? Leave me a comment and tell me so. Want to know more about how I design my covers? Check out this post: Author Toolbox--Free Must-Haves for Cover Design