I’ve been spending some time back at Mr. Z’s Toy Store. I’ve really missed it! So, I’m excited to show you what’s changed. The stories are the same, but the digital Kindle covers have a whole new look!
Don’t Wait For Me first came out in December 2013. Its cover got an update when the sequel, Better Not Love Me, arrived, but there was something I never quite got right. I always wanted the first book to have more of a holiday feel. Christmas is such an important part of the story, and I wanted readers to feel that before they opened the book.
I tried. I just couldn’t get the cover where I wanted it.
I think I have it right this time.
The new Don’t Wait For Me cover puts Mr. Z’s front and center, with green woodwork, cranberry red bows, snow, and warm light spilling from the toy-filled windows. It looks like a place you’d want to step inside on a cold December night in Spokane. That warmth matters. Edwin and Amelia’s story has some difficult moments, but there’s also love, generosity, and the possibility of finding something good when you least expect it.
For Better Not Love Me, we traded snow for sunshine. The lake, dock, beach umbrella, and bright chairs capture the summer Amelia hopes will bring her family closer together. I wanted it to feel inviting and cozy. I wanted to imagine myself sitting by the water. The matching font treatment connects it to the first book, even though we’ve moved into a very different season.
An Easel for Avery brings us back to Christmas in Spokane, this time during the day. The smaller shop window gives us a peek at an easel, paints, and a gift waiting for someone special. It feels hopeful, which fits this prequel short story about a brother determined to give his sister a nice Christmas present.
I included a gallery here so you can see the covers each story has worn over the years. Looking back has been fun. But seeing these three together is my favorite part.
They finally look like they belong to the same family.
I used image-building AI tools to create the covers, which is an inexpensive option for a writing hobby like mine. I’ve used Canva, InDesign and Illustrator for previous covers. I don’t hire this work out. Cover designers are awesome, but as a hobby, it doesn’t pencil out to pay for their keen artistry. There are strong feelings about using AI for creative pursuits, but for my needs, it works just fine. I gave the tool the full text of all three novels to work from and then provided detailed, genre specific prompts to create varied designs and styles. This was a very iterative process. I worked to ensure it told the story I wanted visually. I’ve always been good with words, but terrible at art. It felt great not to be limited by my poor Canva abilities. I can describe what I want and fine tune it with words, not my understanding of RGB and color pallets.
So, I hope the updated covers breathe new life into these three stories, especially Don’t Wait for Me as we head into the holiday season. Send me an email and let me know what you think!
