Yes—insert big sigh here for the many hours it took me to do it—I did it myself and my graphic artist daughter—special shout out of thanks to Erin—helped me with some of the technical aspects.

What I learned in this process is that cover designers are worth every penny they are paid. Not only for their technical graphic design skills, but also for their vision in creating a cover that reflects the feel of the book.

For example: Nipped in the Bud and Read Between the Tines are cozy mysteries. This genre usually has a lighthearted feel with illustrations not actual photos on the cover.

Yet, romantic suspense books like my June release Double Exposure have an eerie, suspenseful look. The designers did an amazing job on this cover, didn’t they?

So what do readers ask me about book covers?

• Do I have input on my covers?
• Do I design them myself?
• Do I have veto power if I don’t like the cover?
• Do I always like my covers?

The answer to all of these questions is. . . it depends on the publisher.

I know, right, not a very good answer, but how a book cover is created does depend on the publisher of the book. Still, I can share some things most publishers have in common.

1. Authors do not generally design their own covers. In general, we’re given an opportunity to suggest a scene for the cover. Often we’re given a short questionnaire, or in the case of Love Inspired a long questionnaire, where we describe a scene or several scenes that we think fits with the book. Not an actual scene in the book, but something that will convey the feel of the book and the genre in general.
2. The author is asked to submit pictures that reflect that scene and that reflect the physical appearance of the characters. I’m often asked to name a celebrity that my characters look like. In fact, I keep a file of pictures for characters so as I watch a TV show or movie and see someone I think would be perfect for a character I find their pic and put it in my file. Sounds like a board I should add to Pinterest.
3. After mockups are created, the author is given the chance to look at them and to choose the one he or she likes. Of all my answers, this is likely the one that not all publishers employ as it costs money to do mockups of multiple covers. But you know what? If I do my job well with the questionnaire and providing pictures then the cover should look similar to my visions.
4. If the cover is all wrong the author in most cases has to live with it. Again, lots of money went into creating the cover and publishers are professionals who understand the marketing aspect of a cover. So they definitely have their reasons for creating it.

The one question I didn’t address is, do I like all of my covers? My answer is there is one cover I was not fond of. I didn’t like the color choices, nor did I think it conveyed the style of the book. And no, I won’t share which one it is, but in general the art departments I’ve worked with do an AMAZING job, I’m so thankful for them, and I hope I never have to design a cover myself again.

Megan and I are excited to see Impostors at Blue Heron Lake published as an electronic book. This final book of our Mainely Mysteries series was not released in an individual paperback, although it was included in our anthology and the large print editions. Now, through the Spyglass line of eBooks, we bring you another mystery and more romance.

This story of two young women with the same name was a lot of fun to write, and the readers who have followed Nate and Emily’s adventures will be pleased to be invited to the wedding! The sun shines brightly on the placid waters of Blue Heron Lake for the big day.

One of the biggest challenges in writing this story was figuring out exactly what Emily would be able to learn in her research. Two young women claim to be heirs of the murder victim’s estate. As Emily tries to uncover the girls’ background, she runs into red tape and bureaucratic stone walls. But persistence and a little help from people who work for the State of Maine eventually pays off.

Nate, in the meantime, is frustrated once more by having a murder case taken away from him. Every state is different, and in Maine the county sheriffs’ offices are not allowed to investigate homicides. Those cases go to the Maine State Police, except in the cities of Portland and Bangor, which are large enough to have their own homicide detective divisions. We tried to be as accurate as we could on the police work. Small towns like Baxter, with limited budgets, have to depend on the county sheriff’s office and the state police for all their law enforcement needs. Nate is proud to wear the uniform, and he’s a major player in solving this intriguing case.

Summer in Maine can be wonderful, especially if you don’t find a murder victim, as Emily seems prone to do. We hope you enjoy your vacation on the shores of Blue Heron Lake.

Impostors at Blue Heron Lake releases this week on Smashwords and Amazon.

Other books by Susan and Megan:

Homicide at Blue Heron Lake

Treasure at Blue Heron Lake

Since I write mysteries and romantic suspense, I always have to think of a crime, usually a murder so I start there. I may get a germ of an idea from watching the news or seeing something on the internet. For example, I read on the internet a while back how it wasn’t unusual for a grieving spouse to keep their lost loved one’s cell phone active so they could call and hear that loved one’s voice on their voice mail message.

While most people might read an article like this and not start to question it, my mind often asks the question, what if? In this case, I asked what if the spouse called and someone answered. This is the initial seed for the plot for Dead Wrong my November romantic suspense release. A sister calls her deceased brother’s phone and someone does answer. She begins to suspect his death wasn’t an accident as it had been ruled by the police and an investigation begins.

Though this is often how it happens, my Garden Gate cozy mystery series didn’t start this way at all. I am an avid gardener. I mean avid. Obsessive even. So as I was contemplating an occupation for my character in this cozy mystery series, I thought about myself and how compulsive I can get when I’m in search of the perfect bloom. It didn’t take long before I figured out I could take this obsession to the next level. I added a gardening radio show and a landscape business and Paige Turner was born.

Paige and I have a lot in common and many things not at all in common. In my next post, I’ll fill you in on the traits Paige and I share and those things we don’t see eye to eye on. Some of them may surprise you.

Spyglass Lane Mysteries is a collection of Christian cozy mysteries—modern-day whodunnits with colorful characters and plenty of wholesome romance. The mysteries are authored by some of Christian publishing’s favorite and best selling authors.

New mysteries release every Thursday and there are 21 mysteries now available in this line for just .99. So what are you waiting for? Check out the books below and click the link for your ereader to purchase.

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A Suspicion of Strawberries (The Scents of Murder Series) By Lynette Sowell A facial gone wrong, or murder? Andromeda Clark must uncover the truth to save her handmade soap business. The heartbreaker diva of Greenburg, Tennessee is dead. Andromeda Clark knows that her cherry facial scrub didn’t accidentally kill Charla Rae Thacker from anaphylactic shock. But Andi’s soap business is in trouble and tongues are a-waggin’. To save her business, she searches for the one who tampered with her product. And now Andi’s long-time, long-haul trucker boyfriend Ben decides it’s time to settle down and stay in Greenburg for good. How can a woman breathe?

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Another Grave Matter (The Volstead Manor Series) By Anita Higman Volstead Manor has caught on fire, and the last of its murderous secrets flare hot enough to drive Bailey back to her sleuthing. A villain, who remains shrouded in darkness until the end, threatens to destroy Bailey, and once again, the mansion ignites with malevolent mischief. Whileshe unearths a family secret from Prohibition that’s hidden deep within the cellar, she becomes entangled in a ticking-clock race to save her own life. Will the foul surprises never end at Volstead Manor, and will Bailey’s burning desire to marry Max go up in smoke?

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Another Hour to Kill (The Volstead Manor Series) By Anita Higman Where Bailey Walker lives, being neighborly takes on a whole new meaning. Bailey has survived the mysteries of Volstead Manor, but her latest threats are more ominous than ever. Did her neighbor B.J. die of natural causes? Or was he murdered? And why does the new neighbor, Vlad Tepes, always seem to be watching her? While searching for a lost treasure and planning a wedding the size of an amusement park, Bailey must discover what monster is still lurking in the neighborhood. Will she unravel the puzzle in time, or will Bailey merely provide the villain with Another Hour to Kill?

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Another Stab at Life (The Volstead Manor Series) By Anita Higman Bailey Walker has just lost everything—her family, her job, and her home. She has nowhere to go except the dilapidated mansion she’s just inherited from her granny Minna. Unfortunately, Bailey discovers that the house has a history as shadowy as its hidden passages and finds the neighborhood overflowing with some rather quirky folks—as well as one particularly appealing bachelor. Bailey feels like she’s trapped inside the pages of a gothic novel but with a comedic twist. In order to honor her grandmother’s wishes and stay at Volstead Manor, Bailey must unravel a string of mysteries and secrets, which all seem determined to stay happily ever buried.

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Band Room Bash (The Mayhem in Maryland Series) By Candice Speare Prentice This murderer is playing for keeps. When Trish Cunningham and her oldest stepson, Tommy, find Georgia Winters, the English teacher at Four Oaks High School, dead in the band room, the suspect list is lengthy. The teacher had a number of enemies—including Tommy Cunningham.Once again Trish pulls out her notebook to collect clues. Detective Eric Scott, suffering from unrequited love for Trish’s best friend, Abbie, pointedly asks Trish to butt out. But despite the detective’s warnings, she jumps in as usual and finds herself embroiled in a mystery that has its roots in thwarted love and revenge. The finale could be Trish’s swan song.

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Candy-Coated Secrets (A Summer Meadows Mystery) (Kindle Edition) By Cynthia Hickey When a carnival train crashes in front of Summer Meadows’s house, she does what comes naturally – she acts without thinking and volunteers to lead an elephant to the fairground. The animal’s trainer follows close behind but disappears when they reach their destination. When Summer goes looking for the trainer, she finds something altogether different – a woman hanging dead in the shower of one of the trailers. A carnival slew of mishap and misadventure ensue when Summer and her fiance, Ethan, set out to solve the murder.

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Chocolate-Covered Crime (Summer Meadows Mystery Series) By Cynthia Hickey Summer Meadows’ chocolate candy business is booming. She’s overwhelmed with her April Fool’s Day wedding plans, and against her family’s advice, hires her cousin to be her wedding planner. But then her cousin is found murdered and more mysteries keep occurring at family parties. Can Summer resist the urge to investigate when she and her dysfunctional relatives are dipped into a plot of unrequited love, internet scam, and jilted hearts? Could the murderer be related to her and have Summer targeted next? Will her fiance’ support her sleuthing antics, or is he another suspect with something to hide?

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Died in the Wool (The Massachusetts Mayhem Mystery Series) By Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery Hone you investigative skills with Died in the Wool, a mystery filled with humor, suspense, and romance. Monah Trenary is battling for city funds for her beloved library. When a rival for the much-needed monies winds up dead, Monah is considered one of the prime suspects. When a second corpse weighs in, police detective Mike Brockman discovers that, according to the evidence, Monah and monkshood are a lethal combination. Can Monah and proven sleuth Casey Alexander find the real killer before this librarian is booked for murder?

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Everybody Loved Roger Harden (Everybody’s Suspect in Georgia) (Kindle Edition) By Cecil Murphey Psychologist Julie West and Reverend James Burton arrive late for dinner on Palm Island – but just in time to discover their host, millionaire Roger Harden, murdered. Ten possible suspects share closed quarters on the secluded island, all of them with deep secrets and sufficient motive to have wanted the wealthy benefactor dead. Can Julie and Burton ignore the mysterious attraction developing between them long enough to discover who among them didn’t love Roger Harden enough to let him live?

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Fudge-Laced Felonies (A Summer Meadows Mystery) By Cynthia Hickey While transplanting the rosebush her church’s handsome greeter, Ethan Banning, inadvertently killed, Summer and Ethan discover a hidden stash of diamonds, a rusty can full of cash, and a bloody-gardening glove. This discovery sets Summer and her candy-making aunt on a searach for a killer. As Summer gets closer to the truth-not only of the theft but of her true feelings for Ethan-the diamond thief hatches a plan to hush the feisty sleuth.

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George Washington Stepped Here (The Karen Maxwell Mystery Series) By K. D. Hays For years after her divorce, Karen Maxwell handled administrative paperwork for her brother’s private investigation agency while he ran around town doing the “fun” part—the investigation. When his partner retires, he finally offers her a chance to take a case of her own. She soon finds out why. The assignment involves the theft of the local historical society’s most treasured artifact, and her brother figures everyone involved is a little crazy. While Karen poses as a volunteer at the site to catch the thief, she meets a host of dedicated historical re-enactors, one of whom happens to be tall, handsome and unmarried.

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Gone with the Groom (The Bridal Mayhem Mystery Series) By Janice Hanna The best laid plans of brides and men go awry when Annie Peterson’s future son-in-law Scott disappears. Have pre-wedding jitters caused Brandi’s fiance to take flight, or are more sinister forces at work? Surely Annie can solve the riddle. But who could be behind this apparent kidnapping caper? Maybe the drug company Scott works for has hidden motives. Perhaps it’s the handiwork of Otis, Scott’s deceitful dad. But then again it could be the shady wedding photographer, or the “political enemies” of Scott’s mother. Will Annie solve the mystery and recover the missing groom, or will she suffer “regrets only”?!

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Homicide at Blue Heron Lake (The Mainely Mysteries Series) By Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis Emily Gray returns to the lakeside community of Baxter, Maine, expecting a peaceful week in her family’s island cottage. Instead, she and her high school crush, Nate Holman, discover the body of Henry Derbin, an elderly island resident. Amid rekindling her old friendship with Nate and trying to make sense of the murder, Emily shares her faith with an old schoolmate. When a second body turns up, the cottagers on Grand Cat Island are frightened and baffled. Is this why Mr. Derbin forbade everyone from going on his land? Can Emily and Nate overcome past hindrances to their romance long enough to dig up clues that will help solve both murders?

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Inn Plain Sight (The Massachusetts Mayhem Mystery Series) By Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery Come along as bride-to-be Casey Alexander works to solve the murder that hijacked her shower. She’ll find that the victim’s propensity for blackmail, gossip, and downright meanness has created a long list of suspects. Unfortunately, Casey’s fiancé is at the top of the list. Armed with her ever present Post-It Notes and the help of her best friend, Casey follows the clues to a killer hiding in plain sight.

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Kitty Litter Killer (The Mayhem in Maryland Series) By Candice Speare Prentice Trish Cunningham is pussyfooting with a murderer. Amateur sleuth Trish has retired from her short-lived crime-solving foray. No more walking deliberately into danger. Now her short-term goal is to see her best friend, Abbie, marry fiancé, Eric Scott, in three weeks.But the brutal murder of Abbie’s ex-husband could ruin the nuptials, especially since Abbie was the last one seen with him—when they had a hostile argument at the local convenience store.With evidence pointing at Abbie and the possibility of jail looming in her best friend’s future, Trish comes out of her self-imposed sleuth retirement. And as the clock ticks down to the wedding date, Trish once again puts herself in reach of a murderer’s claws—this time to protect her best friend.

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Murder in the Milk Case (The Mayhem in Maryland Series) By Candice Speare Prentice Will Trish Cunningham’s discovery sour her on milk forever?When mommy and wife Trish Cunningham finds the body of pharmacist Jim Bob Jenkins behind the two-percent milk, she know she’s having a bad day. Worse, she’s a suspect in the murder. Sleuthing to exonerate herself from criminal charges, she shakes up a murderer who has nothing to lose by killing anyone in the way—including Trish.

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Nipped in the Bud (Garden Gate Mysteries) By Susan Sleeman WHEN YOU FIND YOUR BOSS PUSHING UP DAISIES. . . Life in full bloom, landscape designer, Paige Turner, scores her first landscaping contract to spruce up the park, her radio talk show shoots to number one, and her retail shop is simply blossoming. Yes, her life is a bed of roses. Until she finds City Manager, Bud Picklemann served up on the blade of her favorite shovel mere hours after she’s threatened to have his head on a platter, then the thorns come out. And there is none thornier than the local police chief declaring Paige the one and only suspect and threatening to plow her under. YOU’VE GOT TO FORMULATE A PLANT OF ATTACK . . . Paige teams up with dashing attorney, Adam Hayes to weed through the list of suspects, and clear her soiled reputation. A bigmouthed Parrot who often spouts Mr. T-isms, and a giant pickle mascot join in quirky Paige’s quest to once again cultivate control of her life.

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The Wedding Caper (The Bridal Mayhem Mystery Series) By Janice Hanna When a $25,000 night deposit mysteriously disappears from the Clark County Savings and Loan, Annie Peterson, has reason to be concerned and to assume the role of amateur sleuth. Her husband’s job at the bank makes him a potential suspect, but knowing him to be a godly man, she can’t imagine it. Then again, there is that matter of the weddings to factor in. Twin daughters Brandi and Candy have just received proposals and two weddings are pending. Sure, Warren occasionally jokes about robbing the bank to pay for the ceremonies, but Annie knows him better than that…doesn’t she?

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Treasure at Blue Heron Lake (The Mainley Mysteries Series) By Susan Page Davis and Megan Elaine Davis Emily Gray has accepted a job working for the Baxter Journal and plans a feature story on Lakeview Lodge. Owner Jeff Lewis tells her and Nate Holman a mysterious legend about a hidden treasure and murder. Now the hunting lodge is plagued by an intruder who thumps around in the night. Nate and Emily try to help their friend discover who is invading the resort. Things turn more sinister over the Christmas holidays, when one of Jeff’s employees is murdered, with Jeff as a suspect. Is the legend of an old lumber baron’s lost treasure behind the crimes? Jeff’s faith is shaky, and his family rejects him. Nate and Emily try to help him through the crisis. In the midst of the turmoil, Nate graduates from the Police Academy and proposes to Emily. Their life together begins with unmasking the murderer at Lakeview Lodge.

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Where the Truth Lies (The Massachusetts Mayhem Mystery Series) By Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery Casey Alexander refuses to believe her aunt committed suicide. Convinced a murderer is hiding out in her aunt’s sleepy hometown, she’ll do anything to uncover the truth. But as her personal investigation produces mounting evidence, the danger to Casey grows. Now she’ll be forced to trust certain residents of Pine Mills for help, including local nursery owner, Luke Kerrigain…the man with whom she’s falling in love with…and who may be stalking her. Prompted by strange clues and a mysterious stranger, Casey does a little more digging. The secrets she unearths will turn lives upside down and threaten the peace in Pine Mills’ small community—especially when she discovers that the truth can sometimes be hidden in a lie.

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Worth Its Weight in Old (Karen Maxwell Mystery Series) By K.D. Hays Paintings slashed… Furniture broken… Someone is wreaking havoc at the Blue Moon Art & Antiques Gallery. Fledgling private investigator Karen Maxwell goes undercover as a salesclerk to find out who’s behind the vandalism, and why. She learns little from friendly clerk Vicki and Eric, the shop’s surly, tight- lipped porter, would run over her with a hand truck before he’d answer any questions. The guilt may even lay with the shop owners themselves, despite the fact that they’re the ones who hired her. Karen’s investigation seems to be going nowhere—just like her once-promising relationship with Brian, the handsome blacksmith who could sweep her off her feet in a minute… if he’d ever take a break from working with the church youth group. Frustration mounts as her dreams of romantic evenings turn into endless rehearsals for the church Christmas play. If Karen can’t crack the case soon, she may find herself busted back to plain, old office manager, her dreams of a career as a private investigator—and a life with Brian—as old and busted as the Blue Moon’s vandalized antiques.