Christmas Covers

I don't know about you, but I'm definitely in a Christmas mood these days. Last year, our decorations were all in storage because the new house wasn't finished, and we flew to Chicago to spend the holiday with our daughter. This year I've decorated to the nines and we'll all be home for Christmas, even though home is in a new house in a different state. I'm surprised that the lack of snow hasn't dampened my spirit, but it hasn't.

If you're a romance reader or writer, the season is all around you, too. Every time you turn around (or open Facebook) there are wonderful new holiday books. Their beautiful, festive covers are enough to turn even Scrooge into a hopeless romantic.

Unlike most writers, who work on their Christmas books during the spring or summer, I decided to write one when the spirit was most upon me - right now! I'm about half-way through my current project, a collection of ten holiday short stories (4K-5K words each) that I plan to release right after Halloween, 2015. It's great fun and has definitely added to my enjoyment of the season.

This collection was inspired by the stories I've written each December for the past few years for the Roses of Prose blog, of which I'm a member. If you missed my story this year, you can check it out here. 

If you know me or follow this blog, you know I also enjoy designing covers for my own books, as well as for other writers. The visual creativity of cover design offers a welcome break from the verbal creativity of writing. I've also found that having the perfect cover inspires me to work on the project. It's a win/win all the way.

Here are four potential mock-ups for covers for my short story collection. Like the rest of my work, these stories are warm-hearted and often humorous. Each is set in a different fictional small town across the country. I'd love to hear which is your favorite and why.

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