Updating Covers for a Series

I had never intended my first Maryanne novella, Mischief at Mulberry Manor, to become part of a series. A sweet Victorian ghost story for Twelfth Night, it was my original way into self-publishing a novella, after my first full-length novel, Dangerous Deceit, was published by a small Canadian company.

Fast forward several years of writing novels and being with three more small publishers and I decided to write a second novella featuring Maryanne set it at a mid-Victorian Christmas, Christmas Charade. It was one of my very kind readers (thank you Edyth), who referred to it as another Maryanne Mystery which changed my mindset!

Then when a dear friend and fellow author, Myra Duffy, said how much she enjoyed the character of Maryanne, I eventually wrote a third novella, Dark Delusion, set in Victorian London. And thus, the series started growing. As it neared Halloween last year, of course I had to write a new Maryanne mystery set at that spookiest time of year which became The Veil Between.

However, because the novellas had not started out as a planned series (I’m not that kind of writer), the covers had been a bit disorganised. So, it was time to try and give them all some connection so that readers might recognise them as a series.

Since covers and illustrations in general can elicit various opinions, I asked only three people for their opinion on a couple of ideas and all three liked my final design. Whether or not everyone agrees, at least they look like they belong together!

Will I write another Maryanne novella? I have the seed of an idea so watch this space.

All four novellas are available in e-book and print. My grateful thanks if you have already read and enjoyed the books.

Rosemary