# Cozy Mystery Covers



## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

Anyone seen any designers who created or have pre-made cozy mystery covers? Willing to pay to get a few made.


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## North Star Plotting (Jul 11, 2015)

I hope someone answers Yes, because I've been looking for something like that too...


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

As a designer, cozy mysteries are some of the hardest to find stock for, particularly the ones that show a shop or a street etc. Most of the ones I've seen use custom illustration, like this - at least, I suspect that is what it is:
http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Plain-Simple-Amish-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00BDQ3B56

Unless you are looking for the type with a vectorized, cartoon-like figure illustration like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Kitchen-Mystery-Harley-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00QFR1IXK

Most stock sites have a lot of this sort of illustration.

I'm actually going to keep my eye on this thread. I'm currently working on a cozy and will need a cover for myself, plus I'd look at designing some if I had a better sense of what other people were looking for. Maybe not premades though as it would take a lot of work if it's the illustrated scene people were looking for.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> As a designer, cozy mysteries are some of the hardest to find stock for, particularly the ones that show a shop or a street etc. Most of the ones I've seen use custom illustration, like this - at least, I suspect that is what it is:
> http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Plain-Simple-Amish-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00BDQ3B56
> 
> Unless you are looking for the type with a vectorized, cartoon-like figure illustration like this?
> ...


Yes after the cartoon figure illustration


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

http://www.thecoverbazaar.com/downloads/the-mulberry-murders/

several here:
http://www.alchemybookcovers.com/#!premade-cover-gallery/c13ir


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## Lou Harpr (Nov 5, 2014)

Even cozy covers come in a variety of flavors:










































What did you have in mind?

My quick research shows that illustration type covers (and cats) are common, but imo many of these could be done well with photographs too. The trick is in the right visual treatment.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

Lou Harpr said:


> Even cozy covers come in a variety of flavors:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I wonder which style converts better

Typical house ( general )
Person on front ( cute looking with a cat )


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## Lou Harpr (Nov 5, 2014)

A cat with books should be easy enough. Ditto serene scenery with with something foreboding in the foreground. But anything with people gets tricky. And creating a scene like in Hickory Smoked Suicide is a lot of work. I've done one of this kind and it had a gajillion layers.


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## bundtbaby (Jul 22, 2014)

kalel said:


> I wonder which style converts better
> 
> Typical house ( general )
> Person on front ( cute looking with a cat )


From what I've noticed lately, cozy book covers tend to be featuring more people-less covers - houses, ice cream cones, etc.


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## cecilia_writer (Dec 28, 2010)

I usually base mine on photographs, usually of obscure places in Scotland or in some cases flowers,but I never have people in them (but there has been some debate about whether my mysteries are cozies or not, so this may not be relevant). I've sometimes thought of trying to change them to cartoon-style covers but that always makes me think of chick-lit.


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## vlmain (Aug 10, 2011)

I read a lot of cozy mysteries and love the whimsical style covers. I tend to be drawn to landscapes, like an image of a quaint little town, a la Murder, She Wrote. Animal are fine, too, but for some reason, I tend to be somewhat put off by images of people. I think it is because I enjoy creating my own mental picture of a character.

Some of the images posted above are artistically incredible, but some remind me immediately of a _find the hidden image game._ That's probably not the first thing you would want a reader to think of.


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## Lou Harpr (Nov 5, 2014)

bundtbaby said:


> From what I've noticed lately, cozy book covers tend to be featuring more people-less covers - houses, ice cream cones, etc.


Very true. Lots of cats, Victorian houses, quaint British towns, and the like. I really like that series of Agatha Christie covers from my previous example. They are simple but eye-catching.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I do my own covers now and speaking from experimentation:

Those with people on the front don't seem to sell as well as the ones without. It's not a hard rule of thumb, but I've done a lot of polling on my blog and switched covers for Executive Lunch a lot. I currently have a silhouette on the front. The original with a drawn golf course sold the best though (I changed it because readers kept writing in and asking if the book was about golf. There was only one golf scene).

The whimsy ones DEFINITELY do better with cozy readers than real photos. They poll higher EVERY time and are a "signature" of a cozy. Readers love them.

Some of the ones posted above are done by an artist. There are a few big names that do cozy covers and they usually charge upwards of 1000 dollars.

I know of one cover site that does cozies...he does Karen Cantwell's covers. And his name completely escapes me at the moment. Edited to add: Streetlight graphics!!! Glen runs it (I think that is his nme) and he does a really great job with fonts/photos/vector art and just about anything really. I've seen a number of cozy covers that he's done and they have all been good.

These two sites have the best stock art selection for the best prices:

http://tracking.depositphotos.com/aff_c?offer_id=4&aff_id=2615
https://www.vectorstock.com/

I have some pre-made covers on the blog and will do custom work if we can find the appropriate stock (I do very little illustration myself): http://www.bearmountainbooks.com/editing-formatting-and-upload-services/pre-made-covers/


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## Not Here Anymore (May 16, 2012)

A good cozy cover is hard to find! 



Lou Harpr said:


> Very true. Lots of cats, Victorian houses, quaint British towns, and the like. I really like that series of Agatha Christie covers from my previous example. They are simple but eye-catching.


I love those updated Agatha Christie covers, especially Death on the Nile: For some reason, only the audio book cover came up, but it gives you an idea.
They do such a good job of conveying the mystery element in a way that looks good in thumbnail.

I think cozy covers (and covers in general) are trending toward simpler lines and more text--Gone Girl, Louise Penny's book as examples. The really busy, detailed covers of some cozies look great in paperback but don't stand out at all in thumbnail. And don't forget to check how your cover looks in black and white. I love my e-ink kindle and browse for books on it. Some covers are very hard to distinguish in b/w.

Another plug for Keri w/ http://www.alchemybookcovers.com/#!premade-cover-gallery/c13ir. She's awesome!


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I totally agree with Sara! Those expensive ones look great large--and terrible small. Simple is far better for cozies. Go with one or two items so that the cover stands out. I did one for a short story when I was asked to do a short for a blog. Dang cover is probably one of my favorites:

http://www.bearmountainbooks.com/executive-gardening-a-sedona-short-story/

I don't know how to upload the photos here. I've done it before, but I don't remember how!


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## Lou Harpr (Nov 5, 2014)

Sara Rosett said:



> A good cozy cover is hard to find!
> 
> I love those updated Agatha Christie covers, especially Death on the Nile: For some reason, only the audio book cover came up, but it gives you an idea.
> They do such a good job of conveying the mystery element in a way that looks good in thumbnail.


That one has a vintage travel poster vibe that goes perfectly with the book. I'm a huge fan of Saul Bass' poster designs. http://www.saulbassposterarchive.com/gallery/film-posters They work on the same principle of effective minimalism.


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## Jana DeLeon (Jan 20, 2011)

All of my covers are busy, and my readers love them. I get email all the time from people saying they usually don't read my genre but they bought the book because of the cover. I think the most important thing with any cover is to capture the tone of the book.


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

Jana DeLeon said:


> All of my covers are busy, and my readers love them. I get email all the time from people saying they usually don't read my genre but they bought the book because of the cover. I think the most important thing with any cover is to capture the tone of the book.


Jana, I don't find your covers terribly 'busy' - just the right amount of busy-ness! They show up beautifully in thumbnail.

I think some of those ones that are storefronts or interiors of bookstores etc, are very busy in thumbnail, but to readers of cozies, I don't think it matters. They recognize the style immediately and know it's a book for them.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Jana DeLeon said:


> All of my covers are busy, and my readers love them. I get email all the time from people saying they usually don't read my genre but they bought the book because of the cover. I think the most important thing with any cover is to capture the tone of the book.


Your covers are not busy! You have great covers with one or two large pieces of artwork to carry the show. Sure, there's other bits of info, but they are small and subtle.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

I don't think your covers are busy either, Jana.


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## Jana DeLeon (Jan 20, 2011)

The Miss Fortune series covers get busier as the series goes on. I don't have them all in my sig line - too lazy to change it. 

But I still love them. The elements in the covers tie into the stories. My cover artist is a genius. The colors look awesome in print.


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

I have all the Miss Fortune series in paperback. It's one of my favorite series. They look great in print. I think the most important thing with covers for anything is branding. You want people to be able to identify a series. I like playing around with different stuff for covers. I have some great stuff on my desktop, if I ever get around to writing the books.


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## [email protected] (Apr 8, 2012)

For some reason, I get a ton of orders for cozy mysteries. I've even started adding a few in my premade selection. Feel free to check my site out: CoverShotCreations.com.

Good luck on your search!


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## Jana DeLeon (Jan 20, 2011)

Amanda M. Lee said:


> I have all the Miss Fortune series in paperback. It's one of my favorite series. They look great in print. I think the most important thing with covers for anything is branding. You want people to be able to identify a series. I like playing around with different stuff for covers. I have some great stuff on my desktop, if I ever get around to writing the books.


Thanks, Amanda! And I totally agree, branding is most important for the series and the author.

Do you make your own covers? They're great. I wish I could but Photoshop makes me cry a little.


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

Jana DeLeon said:


> Thanks, Amanda! And I totally agree, branding is most important for the series and the author.
> 
> Do you make your own covers? They're great. I wish I could but Photoshop makes me cry a little.


I do everything but my grim reapers. I could never find photos I liked to do those. I go through an illustrator for those covers. I can manipulate photos. I can't draw for anything, though. I have some circus ones on my desktop I love and the first book in that series hits in January, so I will finally get to use them. I love messing around with covers. It's like adult coloring. If I'm writing and need a moment to think I open one that's partially done on my desktop and fiddle with it until I've thought things through. I find it relaxing.


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## Jana DeLeon (Jan 20, 2011)

Amanda M. Lee said:


> I do everything but my grim reapers. I could never find photos I liked to do those. I go through an illustrator for those covers. I can manipulate photos. I can't draw for anything, though. I have some circus ones on my desktop I love and the first book in that series hits in January, so I will finally get to use them. I love messing around with covers. It's like adult coloring. If I'm writing and need a moment to think I open one that's partially done on my desktop and fiddle with it until I've thought things through. I find it relaxing.


Well your work is excellent. I really love the pop of color that your covers have. The Grim illustrations are gorgeous. I wish I had more time to mess with PS. I like to play with it a little - banners, FB ads, etc. - but I don't know how to use it well enough to do more interesting stuff. Ah well, one day when I have time, right? (laughs hysterically)


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

Just posting so I can follow the thread. I daydream about writing cozies and having those whimsical covers. I'm afraid that I buy them in bulk in bookshops, just something about them... But I'm pretty sure they are generally custom made at no small cost


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## Genre Hoarder (Oct 4, 2014)

[email protected] said:


> For some reason, I get a ton of orders for cozy mysteries. I've even started adding a few in my premade selection. Feel free to check my site out: CoverShotCreations.com.
> 
> Good luck on your search!


I bookmarked your website. Your covers are great!


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## Amanda M. Lee (Jun 3, 2014)

Jana DeLeon said:


> Well your work is excellent. I really love the pop of color that your covers have. The Grim illustrations are gorgeous. I wish I had more time to mess with PS. I like to play with it a little - banners, FB ads, etc. - but I don't know how to use it well enough to do more interesting stuff. Ah well, one day when I have time, right? (laughs hysterically)


Thanks. I was trained on Photoshop because I used to work at a newspaper. It comes in handy.


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## Victoria LK (Jan 31, 2014)

I found a woman on fiverr who does mine. There are 2 more coming that are not seen here. I know that she also does covers for others here in kboards.


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## R.V. Doon (Apr 1, 2013)

I've screwed up all of my covers, so I don't give advice. I couldn't find any pre-mades to fit my books, so I went with ones using vector images.


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## Jana DeLeon (Jan 20, 2011)

Amanda M. Lee said:


> Thanks. I was trained on Photoshop because I used to work at a newspaper. It comes in handy.


I was an accountant, so I do my own accoutanting. That's not nearly as exciting. sigh


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

What's the latest on cozy covers?  I know there are a bunch of other threads on the topic, but this is the one I was following?  Who are you using now (or which sites)?  Popular fonts for cozies?  

Any new trends?


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## wearywanderer64 (Jan 27, 2013)

I used this one.

https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Cats-Detective-Alex-Mahon-ebook/dp/B013T7ML34/ref=la_B00B2HH8J6_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491931088&sr=1-1


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

wearywanderer64 said:


> I used this one.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Cats-Detective-Alex-Mahon-ebook/dp/B013T7ML34/ref=la_B00B2HH8J6_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491931088&sr=1-1


Nice. I like it. Simple with a good vibe.


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## wearywanderer64 (Jan 27, 2013)

Thanks


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## Melody Simmons (Jul 8, 2012)

I still have a couple of premade Cozy Mystery covers in my gallery:

https://ebookindiecovers.com/premade-ebook-covers-mysterysuspense/

Though as others have said, stock for these are scarce - and handpainting takes really long. I know of an artist who handpaints these and she only manages to complete 2 - 3 per month, so naturally her prices are around $2000 per cover.

I have two cozy mystery authors I design custom covers for regularly (the Photomanip or should I say Vectormanip type), so I don't think I will add any more to my premade galleries - need to keep my best resources for the custom ones.


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## Anna Drake (Sep 22, 2014)

I think your caravan mystery covers are awesome. In fact all of your covers are great, but I especially love that last group.


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## acapellabookcoverdesign (Aug 25, 2014)

Finding cozy images can be hard, a lot of "mystery" images are too dark or serious. I've designed cozy covers before, and have a few premades available, too.

https://www.selfpubbookcovers.com/acapellabookcoverdesign







































and https://thebookcoverdesigner.com/designers/acapella-book-cover-design


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

GoOnWrite has some nice looking cozies. I know the creator was considered 'persona non grata' on this board for a while, but the covers are still nice. Scroll down through.

http://www.goonwrite.com/book-covers-mystery_thriller_pre-made.htm


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks for the updates, y'all!  I appreciate it.


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## Skate (Jan 23, 2011)

I've illustrated a number of cozy covers for Lynda Wilcox and also one for Andi Ali. I'd be very happy to do more! 
























www.magicowldesign.com


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## Word Fan (Apr 15, 2015)

Jena H said:


> GoOnWrite has some nice looking cozies. I know the creator was considered _persona non grata_ on this board for a while, but the covers are still nice.


O.K., now! You can't just drop a bomb like that on us who don't know. If you can't say anything, at least give us some links.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

Word Fan said:


> O.K., now! You can't just drop a bomb like that on us who don't know. If you can't say anything, at least give us some links.


A search of the board might get the result, it was from about a year ago. I believe it was something about the fake titles used in the premade covers, whether or not some of them were offensive. I think most people have moved on.


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## Goulburn (May 21, 2014)

I'll be making time to do more art this year, although I do not wish to get into the commercial eBooks cover business as I don't have the time. If you cannot find what you want, feel welcome to message me to talk about what you are after. I painted my covers. I like original covers. I don't paint commercial art style. I paint fine art, as tonal impressionist or realist, but not photo-realist style. I don't change my style for clients, but I do manipulate photos and can use enough art with them to create one-of-a-kind work. I'd be happy if you can find what you need elsewhere. I'm not looking for work, I just love helping friends where I can, if our cover ideas jell.


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## Melody Simmons (Jul 8, 2012)

Jena H said:


> A search of the board might get the result, it was from about a year ago. I believe it was something about the fake titles used in the premade covers, whether or not some of them were offensive. I think most people have moved on.


No he was banned from the Kboards a few years ago...I don't know the reason because I was on a 6-month travel hiatus from Kboards at the time when it happened. You'd have to ask the moderators. Nothing to do with book titles as far as I know.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

Melody Simmons said:


> No he was banned from the Kboards a few years ago...I don't know the reason because I was on a 6-month travel hiatus from Kboards at the time when it happened. You'd have to ask the moderators. Nothing to do with book titles as far as I know.


I'm not familiar with any specifics of a banning, but I do recall that about a year ago someone started a thread about premade book covers with supposedly questionable fake titles. I remember because I've bought covers from him-- nice work.


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## Melody Simmons (Jul 8, 2012)

Jena H said:


> I'm not familiar with any specifics of a banning, but I do recall that about a year ago someone started a thread about premade book covers with supposedly questionable fake titles. I remember because I've bought covers from hi-- nice work.


I remember because there were only about 3 or so cover designers advertising on Kboards at the time - so it must have been a few years ago. Then I left for several months and when I got back he was gone. I heard he was banned for getting into arguments here, not sure with whom...but designers beware - don't argue with authors here.


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

I heard he'd made multiple accounts, that was the reason, rather than any personality clashes.  I could be wrong.

Still has some good covers.


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

I commented on this thread last year, and as an update, I've decided not to create cozy mystery premades because each author always has something specific to their style of cozy that they need. It's just too difficult to create premades that fit the bill for the most part, and adjusting them essentially turns them into custom.

Lack of good stock is also an issue too. I do a lot of witch cozies and I'm trying to stay away from all the standard images as they've almost all been used to death. Instead I modify other girl vector stock to become witches etc. These girls originally had patterned dresses, different colored hair, etc and I've added hats, jewelry, accessories......


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## LeanneWinter CoverDesign (Aug 21, 2015)

That's interesting. I'm fairly new to cover design and am specializing in cozies as I love the colours and fun in them. So far I haven't been asked to add anything to the premades I've sold but I'm sure it will come


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

LeanneWinter CoverDesign said:


> That's interesting. I'm fairly new to cover design and am specializing in cozies as I love the colours and fun in them. So far I haven't been asked to add anything to the premades I've sold but I'm sure it will come


That's excellent you've managed to make a go of creating premades in this genre! I maybe just get too specific and it doesn't suit anyone LOL. Maybe I'll give a premade or two another go if I ever get time.....


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## LeanneWinter CoverDesign (Aug 21, 2015)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> That's excellent you've managed to make a go of creating premades in this genre! I maybe just get too specific and it doesn't suit anyone LOL. Maybe I'll give a premade or two another go if I ever get time.....


Yes, I think it helps a lot to keep them as general as possible. Btw, I think your covers are just gorgeous, Heather


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Heather, those are so awesome!  

You're right about the pre-mades.  Almost all cozies have some special element -- a cat, a dog, teapots, witches, gardening--they are themed so it makes pre-made pretty difficult.    Custom always makes more sense!

Thanks for sharing those.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

MariaESchneider said:


> Heather, those are so awesome!
> 
> You're right about the pre-mades. Almost all cozies have some special element -- a cat, a dog, teapots, witches, gardening--they are themed so it makes pre-made pretty difficult. Custom always makes more sense!
> 
> Thanks for sharing those.


Some designers, including the one I mentioned earlier, have a few (usually three) themed covers that will sell as a set. Often it's the same basic image with slight differences in background, such as color, or landscape, etc., so that all three are different, but obviously part of the same series.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I've thought about doing some premades as a set, but honestly if someone is interested in a "first" that is already shown, the set can be made at that time.  I didn't want to build a set of 3 or 4 even though it shows the concept well.  When looking at any premade pages, always ask the artist!  Some premades can be made easily into a set and some can't.  Many artist do give a discount when creating two or three covers all at once!


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

MariaESchneider said:


> I've thought about doing some premades as a set, but honestly if someone is interested in a "first" that is already shown, the set can be made at that time. I didn't want to build a set of 3 or 4 even though it shows the concept well. When looking at any premade pages, always ask the artist! Some premades can be made easily into a set and some can't. Many artist do give a discount when creating two or three covers all at once!


Makes perfect sense, and good to know. I hope cozy writers keep this in mind when looking at premades.


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