Some day I will make enough from my work that I can afford to hire a real designer for my covers. Until then, I’m strictly do-it-myself. So I’m starting to think about a cover for the story I’m editing now.

“Vanessa is a warrior, an archer who serves in the Ranks killing demons that constantly assault the people of her land. Her mother is head of the Mages, and has never accepted that ‘Nessa wouldn’t follow their path. When a deadly Rift forms inside the Mage stronghold at Courantin, they have to learn to work together to save the city they both love.”

Here’s the base photo I’m going to work with.

This is a stock photo from Canstock Photo. I’ll make several changes for the final cover, including changes to the color and background, adding a demon coming through the window, and changing the arrows to match the adamantium ones my hero uses. I may change the hair color. But the flavor of this photo generally matches my story, and so this is where I begin.

More next week.