This month, Michelle Argyle at Melissa Williams Design reimagines the cover of Loose Ends by indie author Caroline Taylor.

Design Note #1: I avoid the original cover’s cluttered feel by using bright yellow on the title to help draw the eye right where I want it.

Design Note #2: The original photo of the house did not look like it was on fire, but I enhanced the feel of a fire by increasing the brightness in the windows and adjusting the colors of the clouds and sky.

Design Note #3: Using a clever angle in the title and playing it off the angle of the house above gives the cover a dramatic, three-dimensional feel.

Design Note #4: The fire is a very strong component of the first cover, so I stuck with the same element in the redesign but made it part of the title.

To submit a book for a free cover redesign, email us at booklifeeditor@booklife.com.