They say not to judge a book by its cover, but everyone always does! Your book deserves the most beautiful cover possible and one that fully expresses the essence of the stories and wisdom inside. Our cover designer, illustrator, and photographer, Jennifer, is responsible for creating the visual magic that will draw more like-minded readers toward your book so they can feel your essence before they even read a single word.

Get to know Jennifer and find out how she became passionate about this work as well as her tips for creating a beautiful book cover design that inspires…

What inspired you to become an artist and designer?

Creativity has always been a natural part of my life, deeply connected to my intuition and soul’s blueprint. But it was design where I truly felt I thrived.

As a kid, I was constantly drawing and coloring, with creativity running through my family’s veins. It feels like it’s in my DNA. My astrology and soul contracts point to creativity as my true path, and I always felt most alive when immersed in it. In high school, I took so many art classes that by my senior year, I was the only student in AP art—they even had to create a class just for me! I’d spend hours at Barnes & Noble, poring over beautifully designed books and magazines, which sparked my passion for graphic and digital design.

What has drawn you towards being interested in designing books?

What drew me toward designing books is rooted in where my creative spark first ignited—bookstores. After working as an art director for a magazine and designing coastal magazine covers, I realized cover design was what I loved most. When my business shifted away from branding and web design, I felt a change was needed but wasn’t sure what direction to take. After finally letting go, I started creating premade book covers during a 4-month break to rediscover myself, and they flowed effortlessly. That’s when it all clicked—I wanted to focus on book cover design and see my designs on shelves. Now, it feels like a full-circle moment, landing here and working for a publishing company, doing exactly that!

What are some of the biggest mistakes you see authors making with their book covers and what do you feel makes a good book cover?

A common mistake authors make with book covers is using fonts that are difficult to read, either because they’re too decorative or too small. Legibility is crucial—if readers can’t easily make out the title or author’s name, they’ll likely move on. Using clear, readable fonts at the proper size helps ensure the book stands out, both on a physical shelf and as a thumbnail online.

Another frequent issue is choosing colors that don’t align with the book’s theme or clash with each other. Colors evoke emotions and can set the tone for the book, so selecting a palette that compliments the content is essential.

In addition, many covers suffer from poor balance between text and design elements. If the layout feels too crowded or has excessive negative space, it can confuse or overwhelm the reader.

“A well-balanced composition gives the cover a polished and professional look, guiding the reader’s eye naturally across the design while still maintaining personality and avoiding a boring, uninspired appearance.”

Since the cover is the first impression of what the book is about, it needs to captivate and entice. Ultimately, a good book cover communicates the genre and tone clearly, attracts the target audience, and harmonizes typography, color, and design elements into a cohesive, eye-catching design.

What are some of your favorite spiritual books and why?

One of my all-time favorite spiritual books is Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life. It was the first spiritual book I ever read, and it completely transformed my life, marking the beginning of my spiritual awakening. It’s a book I revisit often, and each time, I discover deeper layers of insight as my consciousness expands. I revisit it often and find new layers of insight each time as my consciousness expands.

Another favorite is The Four Agreements. It’s a timeless guide to personal freedom, offering profound insights that seem obvious once pointed out but are often overlooked. It’s one of the most insightful books I’ve ever read.

A few more favorites include Astrology for the Soul, which is mind-blowingly accurate and has given me so much clarity about my own path.

Bringers of the Dawn feels revolutionary, almost like reading a more accurate interpretation of Revelations from the Bible.

And A Practical Guide to Vibrational Medicine has been incredibly helpful, especially when I was learning energy work and actively doing sessions for clients. It gave me such a deep understanding of how energy affects the body and spirit.

What are some of your biggest dreams for the future?

One of my biggest dreams is to have a homestead in the country, where I can live more simply and in tune with nature—much like my life now, but on my own land. For my career, I see myself becoming a full-time book designer, creating covers exclusively and selling my own journals and coloring books online. It would be incredible to one day see them in stores too! Beyond that, I’m open to wherever the universe leads me, trusting that it will guide me to my highest purpose and the path I’m meant to follow. 

Find out more about how you can have Jennifer design, illustrate, and photograph your book as part of our publishing pathway here!