Illustrated & Non-Illustrated Covers Designed to Sell Stories
Hawthorn & Aster offers professional, print-ready book cover design for indie and self-published authors across romance, fantasy, horror, contemporary fiction, speculative fiction, and beyond. Whether you're looking for a lush illustrated romantasy cover, a moody dark romance design, or a clean contemporary title that feels publisher-ready, our team of seven artists brings distinct styles, ethical artistry, and market-aware design to every project.
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100% Human-Made Artwork
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No Generative AI Used
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Ebook & Print
Ready
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Indie Publishing Specialists
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Collaborative, Communicative Designers
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Designed for Marketability & Reader Appeal
WHY H&A COVERS
Book Covers Matter — Especially in Indie Publishing
Your cover is often the first impression readers have of your story.
In crowded digital storefronts like Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and indie marketplaces, a strong cover can dramatically impact click-through rates, perceived professionalism, and reader trust.
At Hawthorn & Aster, we specialize in market-aware cover design for indie authors. We understand the balance between artistic expression and commercial readability. Our goal isn't simply to create something beautiful — it's to create a cover that feels aligned with your genre, attracts the right readers, and reflects the emotional tone of your story.
Unlike many budget design services, our artists work collaboratively with authors throughout the design process. Every cover is professionally prepared for publication and built with real publishing standards in mind.
What You Can Expect
Custom illustrated and non-illustrated cover design
Genre-aware marketing and visual positioning
Professional typography and composition
Print-ready formatting for ebook, paperback, hardcover, and special editions
Human-created artwork only — never generated with AI
Collaborative communication and revision processes
Cover artists with distinct specialties and aesthetics
Affordable pricing for indie and self-published authors
CHOOSE YOUR COVER STYLE
Illustrated Covers
Illustrated covers are ideal for authors who want a highly personalized, visually distinctive look for their book. These covers often perform especially well in romantasy, fantasy romance, cozy romance, monster romance, speculative fiction, manga/anime-inspired titles, and stylized contemporary romance.
Our illustrators range from whimsical watercolor artists to emotionally intense fantasy painters and hyper-realistic dark romance specialists.
Non-Illustrated Covers
Non-illustrated covers use typography, stock manipulation, textures, compositing, color theory, and strategic branding to create polished, market-aware designs without custom illustration.
These covers are often faster to produce, highly competitive within modern publishing trends, and ideal for authors looking for strong visual branding at a more accessible price point.
Meet Our Cover Designers
Every Hawthorn & Aster artist brings a different visual voice to the table. Rather than forcing every author into the same aesthetic, we intentionally built a diverse creative team so authors can find the right visual fit for their story.
Cindy
(She/Her)
Illustrated Covers
Whimsical • Watercolor • Gouache-Inspired • Soft • Colorful • Romantic • Anime-Inspired
Cindy creates dreamy, painterly illustrated covers inspired by watercolor and gouache textures. Her work captures softness, warmth, intimacy, and whimsy while still maintaining strong visual readability.
Her covers are especially well-suited for cozy stories, romantic contemporary fiction, floral-forward branding, and light speculative fiction.
Ideal Genres:
Contemporary Romance
Cozy Romance
Holiday Romance
Speculative Fiction
Illustrated Cookbooks
Floral & Cottagecore Titles
Manga/Anime-Adjacent Fiction
Perfect For Authors Looking For:
Soft romantic visuals
Colorful illustrated branding
Cozy aesthetics
Emotional warmth and charm
Even
(They/Them)
Illustrated Covers
Hyper-Realistic • Dark • Emotive • Cinematic • Intense • Atmospheric
Even specializes in deeply emotional, hyper-realistic cover artwork with strong cinematic tension and dramatic atmosphere.
Their work excels in emotionally heavy genres where readers expect intensity, danger, longing, horror, or emotional devastation.
Ideal Genres:
Horror
Dark Romance
Monster Romance
Paranormal Romance
Dystopian Fiction
Mystery & Suspense
Perfect For Authors Looking For:
Dark, emotional intensity
Cinematic realism
High-drama visual storytelling
Ivy
(She/Her)
Non-Illustrated Covers
Witchy • Atmospheric • Luxe • Textural • Romantic • Publishing-House Inspired
Ivy specializes in non-illustrated covers that blend typography, stock manipulation, texture work, lighting, and layered design into cohesive, market-aware covers.
Her work ranges from dark and moody to soft and romantic depending on genre needs, while maintaining strong branding and visual cohesion.
Ideal Genres:
Paranormal Romance
Dark Romance
Romantasy
Fantasy
Mystery & Thriller
Contemporary Romance
Memoir
Perfect For Authors Looking For:
Publisher-inspired aesthetics
Strong typography
Market-conscious branding
Elegant dark fantasy visuals
Lumaris
(They/Them)
Illustrated Covers
Epic Fantasy • Emotional • Ornate • Mythic • Cinematic • Romantic Fantasy
Lumaris specializes in fantasy illustration featuring dramatic emotional poses, elaborate armor, dragons, horses, castles, and immersive fantasy worlds.
Their work feels expansive, cinematic, and emotionally charged — ideal for authors wanting truly immersive fantasy branding.
Ideal Genres:
High Fantasy
YA Fantasy
Mid-Fantasy
Epic Fantasy
Dystopian Fantasy
Horror Fantasy
Perfect For Authors Looking For:
Traditional fantasy illustration
Expansive worldbuilding visuals
Dramatic emotional storytelling
Fantasy collector aesthetics
Molly
(She/Her)
Illustrated Covers
Playful • Bold • Romantic • Colorful • Expressive • Character-Driven
Molly creates vibrant illustrated covers full of warmth, romance, personality, and visual charm.
Her work is especially effective for romance-forward branding where emotional connection and character chemistry are central to the reader experience.
Ideal Genres:
Contemporary Romance
Historical Romance
Paranormal Romance
Romantic Fantasy
Romcom
Perfect For Authors Looking For:
Character-focused illustration
Bright romantic branding
Bold visual storytelling
Reader-friendly romance aesthetics
My Lan
(She/Her)
Illustrated Covers
Clean • Contemporary • Commercial • Elegant • Professional • Publisher-Grade
My Lan specializes in polished illustrated covers with strong commercial appeal and modern publishing sensibilities.
Her work balances artistic beauty with clean readability, making her especially well-suited for contemporary fiction and commercially positioned fantasy titles.
Ideal Genres:
Contemporary Romance
Romcom
YA Fantasy
Commercial Fantasy
Select Romantic Fantasy Titles
Perfect For Authors Looking For:
Publisher-style aesthetics
Clean modern branding
Commercial readability
Contemporary illustrated design
Our Commitment to
Ethical Artistry
Hawthorn & Aster does not use generative AI in our cover design process.
Every cover is created by real artists and designers using human skill, professional design software, illustration techniques, typography, and intentional visual storytelling.
We believe authors deserve artwork created with care, communication, and artistic integrity.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. Hawthorn & Aster is committed to human-created artwork and ethical creative practices.
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Yes. Covers are professionally prepared for ebook and print distribution.
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Absolutely. Authors may request a preferred artist based on style and genre fit.
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Yes — indie publishing is our specialty!
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We work primarily within romance and adjacent genres, including romantasy, fantasy, paranormal romance, horror, mystery, dark romance, contemporary romance, speculative fiction, and select nonfiction categories.
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Collaborative, honest, and straightforward. We're here to guide the process, bring ideas to the table, and keep things moving.