When I asked Cathi Stevenson to design a cover for our timeline book “Wonders of Old,” I didn't expect the gorgeous cover that I received. The reason that I didn’t expect it was just simply because I didn't know Cathi at the time nor the quality of her work. Since then, I now expect nothing less and she delivers EVERY time. She has designed many covers for our company. Cathi is an amazing cover artist. We get compliments all the time on this particular cover. People say that they choose our book because it has a keepsake quality to it and I know that this is largely in part to the beautiful cover. This book will be kept by the purchaser for years because of its enduring quality and beauty.”

                                                                                         — Terri Johnson, Publisher



THE DESIGN PROCESS

Once we've discussed your project and I have an idea of what you’d like to see on your cover, I'll start gathering the elements. Image searches or creation will begin, if applicable. Font choices, layout and color will all be carefully chosen and tested in order to optimize your book's presentation. Within seven to 10 business days, we’ll supply you with three proofs of your front cover. You can choose one of designs and go with it as is, or make changes until it suits you. When we’ve decided on your book’s front cover design, I start designing the back cover.

To begin, I’ll need your printer’s specs (printer’s specs include the trim size and spine width of your book, as well as the technical requirements from your printer) in order to create the template, your back cover text, author photo, if you desire and whatever else you decide you’d like to include on the back of your book.

Don’t worry that you might miss something, we are used to walking new publishers through the process and can send you in the right direction for obtaining an ISBN and BISAC headings, to ensure books produced by our clients look just as professional as any published by Random House.

This usually takes us about seven to 10 days. Again, you’ll see a proof and be able to make changes.

There is more specific information about how much text you have room for, etc. HERE ON OUR FAQ






DISCOUNTS ON FUTURE PROJECTS. We offer a basic price all books projects, and various discounts when you return to us in the future.

ACCESS TO OUR PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATES. Top notch interior designers and proofreaders are difficult to find, and we can help. We don’t work on any sort of referral system, so you’ll be working with these professionals and paying them directly. We take no "cut" from anyone for any reason.

THREE FRONT COVER DESIGNS TO CHOOSE FROM. And these aren’t carved in stone, so we can do further tweaking until you’re happy (see contract details for more specifics).

FREE BARCODE made from your ISBN.

FILES CREATED TO YOUR PRINTER’s SPECIFICATIONS (usually a PDF).

BOOK COVER IMAGES FOR ONLINE USE. Just tell us exactly what you need and we can supply you with images of your book for online use in any format you wish.

APPLICATION FILES. We have no desire to hold you hostage because we have control of your application files (the native files in the program used to create the book cover, such as InDesign, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop), so clients will receive these files simply by requesting them after the project is complete. Keep in mind that in some cases (by no means all) this might require you purchasing font and image licenses in your own name, if you plan to edit the files on your end.







BOOK COVER DESIGN PRICES

Full spread paperbacks (front, back, spine and bar code) for sizes up to 6” x 9” with no flaps US $800
Larger paperbacks with no flaps US $850
Hard Covers with no flaps (casebound) US $900
Dust jackets or books with flaps US $1000
Paperback (up to 6 x9 with no flaps) and dust jacket combo US $1200
Paperback (up to 6 x 9 with no flaps) and hard cover (casebound, no flaps) US $1100
Front cover only (up to 6 x 9) US $600
Front cover only (larger than 6 x 9)US $650
Back cover and spine, if not paid for at time front cover is purchased US $350
PLEASE NOTE: Only one bar code is included with your project. Additional bar codes areUS $25
Sell sheets:US $200 per side
Bookmarks: US $50 per side
Postcards: US $75 per side
Business cards: US $50 per side


We made a great team and created a great cover.”    — Teri Brown, author of Business Security



THE FINE PRINT

A DOWNLOAD OF OUR CONTRACT IN PDF IS AT THE END OF THIS SECTION. IF YOU HIRE US TO DO WORK, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE DOWNLOADED, READ AND AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT. The following information is just a brief synopsis of some of the contract details and is not the complete contract:

RIGHTS: Any work we do for you is considered “work-for-hire” and we make no claim on the rights of the design, once we have been paid. You are perfectly free to print the book cover in unlimited quantities and to use it in any advertising you wish. If we have used licensed stock art and fonts in the design of your cover, you are responsible for ensuring the copyright of these images and fonts is protected and that you do not infringe upon the licensing agreement. In some cases there are print run and other restrictions in these licenses (usually 500,000 or 100,000 and not an issue), so make sure you read and understand the terms of any images you license. These third party licenses are out of our control. This is explained in further detail in our contract, as is information about any artwork or licensed products you submit to us. (It’s our scary legal paragraph ;) and please blame our lawyers, not us. We frequently use our own images but when we do use licensed images, we only license from royalty-free agencies that have liberal usage agreements that would in no way hamper your book promotion activities.

Please note, that some of the companies that license images for use on book covers do require a small copyright notice be placed on the back cover or on the copyright page. This is now standard practice within the industry and even the publishing giants do so.

PAYMENT: We require a $300 deposit to begin work on your design. Payment in full is due upon your approval of the front cover design. Work on the spine and back cover will begin when we have your printer’s specs and have received payment.

PROOFS: You will receive three (3) initial proofs. You can choose any one of these and make changes, customizations, etc., until you have exactly the cover you want for your book.

EXTRA FEES: It is very, very rare that we ever have to charge beyond the flat rate, but there are times when it is necessary. Please download and read the contract carefully, as you will find details concerning extra fees explained in full. It’s very easy to avoid extra fees, simply decide on your book’s title and sub-title before hiring us, edit your back cover text before sending it (you will have ample time to do this while we work on the front), and double check your printer’s specs before sending them to us. These are all things completely within your control. We’re not unreasonable, though. If you have to change something and we haven’t gotten to that part of the design yet, we certainly won’t charge for it and we do allow a generous amount of changes that should ensure any typos are caught and corrected without exceeding the flat rate.

Out of more than 700 cover designs, approximately 6 clients have had to pay any extra fees and the highest amount was US $100.

USING YOUR COVER: Book Cover Express often uses covers for both online and print promotion purposes. If you do not want us to do so, please write a brief addendum on the contract (which is in the PDF file download), or just drop us an eMail and we will honour your wishes.



DOWNLOAD ACTUAL CONTRACT


Payment Methods: We accept credit cards, PayPal, Money Orders and Cheques.
Cheques must be made out to Cathi Stevenson (I am a freelancer for banking and tax purposes).
Please DO NOT send anything that requires my signature to receive it.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday - Thursday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time.
(We are 4 hours ahead of California, 1 hour ahead of New York,
3 hours ahead of Alberta).

You can contact Book Cover Express at: eMail




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