Meet Tellwell book-cover designer Benjam Mosquera and learn his favourite cover-design trend

Oct 15,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

Tellwell book-cover designer Benjam Mosquera has been a valued member of the Tellwell team since 2018. He has ten years of book-design experience and is passionate about creating covers that draw people in at first glance. Read on to learn Benjam’s favourite book cover-design trends and hear his advice to authors working with book designers for the first time.

What inspired you to become a book-cover designer?

I began my book-design career working as an interior book designer. I was really inspired seeing beautifully created cover designs by my teammates, in bookstores and online. It led me to learn how to artfully create book covers. I have been enjoying creating book covers for a decade now.

Where do you draw creative inspiration from?

I am often inspired by film posters. I’ll search for the designer’s name and look through their work for more inspiration.

What advice do you have for authors working with a book designer?

Clear instruction is really key. If an author has a specific vision for their book, then it’s important for the author to relay detailed instructions for the cover designer. That allows the designer to more easily visually interpret the instructions.

We are also creative individuals who love taking a concept and running with it. So if authors don’t have a clear vision for their book cover, that’s OK. That’s why we are here, to put in our professional touch and create magic. Showing covers that you love and want to emulate also go a long way.

Tellwell authors celebrate major awards in the New York Book Festival, great reviews and media mentions!

Sep 22,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

Blood and Silver
by Vali Benson

Blood and Silver won its second major award this year, taking home top honors for the Young Adult category at the 2021 New York Book Festival! Vali Benson previously won first place in two categories at the San Francisco Book Festival in the same year.

I Call My Grandma Gigi
by Carole Aldred

Carole Aldred’s I Call My Grandma Gigi, a book about celebrating the special relationship between grandmothers and grandchildren, received the Canada Book Awar d .

Author of the Month Tellwell Books

How to speak with your teenager about money

Sep 16,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

Advice from Doug Allan, Tellwell’s September author of the month and author of A Fighting Chance: The High School Finance Education Everyone Deserves

Doug Allan, accountant and author of A Fighting Chance: The High School Finance Education Everyone Deserves

Vancouver-based author and accountant Doug Allan believes financial literacy is fundamental to success and should be part of our high school education system. To help parents fill that educational gap, he wrote A Fighting Chance: The High School Finance Education Everyone Deserves. Allan’s book was released in early 2021, selling hundreds of copies, and earning thousands in book royalties.

He has had some notable moments which includes appearing in The Globe and Mail, CTV News, The North Shore News and the MapleMoney podcast. He was also asked to speak at various high schools in his region on money topics he covers in his book.

The Tellwell author highlights a special moment chatting with David Chilton of The Wealthy Barber. Read more to learn the key steps Allan took to ensure his book’s success.

What inspired you to write Fighting Chance?

As a CPA, CA and a parent of two young children, financial education is near and dear to me. Over my career in finance, I have accumulated an immense amount of knowledge which I have, in turn, applied to my personal finances. Without the benefit of a financial education, most people do not have the opportunity to properly learn how to manage their money. The unfair advantage I have gained, as it relates to managing my personal finances, over those without formal financial education and experience inspired me to write down my knowledge as the book I wished I was given as a teenager.

What do you hope readers will get out of it?

I am hopeful that readers can learn one or two things within the pages of the book that gets them excited about their finances and the opportunities which are out there. I don’t expect everyone to finish the book and instantly be a financial expert, but if certain foundational lessons like the time value of money can be absorbed, readers will be much better prepared to manage their money. After reading my book, it is my hope that readers will advance to more complex financial topics and continue to learn.

In your book, you state that governments and school boards are failing our children by setting them up for financial failure once they enter the workforce. What steps would you like to see schools take to better educate youth about making and managing money?

Book Giveaways

Free business books to level up your business and your life!

Aug 25,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

Tellwell Publishing is partnering with talented entrepreneurs and non-fiction authors to bring you some motivational and insightful reads to level up your business and your life! We have 13 books available completely for FREE from August 26 – September 26!

Featuring two Tellwell business authors and entrepreneurs – Paul Sacco and Jack Lumsden!

Get Your FREE Business Books Now

Tellwell Author Success Stories

Aug 24,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

Tellwell authors receiving awards, rave reviews, making bestsellers lists and appearing in the news. Congratulations!

If My Oak Tree Could Speak by Rachel Greening

Tellwell children’s author Rachel Greening’s book If My Oak Tree Could Speak tied for second place for Best Picture Book (5 and under), and received an honourable mention in the poetry category for the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards!

Where did Luna go? & Luna Loves Biscuits by Stephanie Hewitt

Stephanie Hewitt’s books Where did Luna go? and Luna Loves Biscuits – received honorable mentions from the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards in the new author – fiction category. Congratulations!

Sushi & Samosas : A Trip of Tasty Transformations by Rishma Govani

Author Rishma Govani is getting lots of positive hype for her book Sushi & Samosas. Check out some of her interviews here: katethismomloves &
twosouls.onejourney

Meet the Team

Tellwell designer Jamie Jamandre on what makes for an awesome illustration

Aug 24,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

Tellwell illustrator and cover design consultant Jamie Jamandre spends her days illustrating beautiful images for Tellwell’s children’s authors and consulting with authors about their cover design. Get to know Jamie, learn what illustration styles she’s most drawn to, and what she believes makes for a really good illustration.

I think the key to a good working relationship is communication and understanding.
Jamie Jamandre, Tellwell Publishing Illustrator

What inspired you to become an illustrator?

Like many illustrators, I’m largely inspired by cartoons, comic books, animated films and Japanese anime. Sci-fi and fantasy genres inspire me the most.

What do you love about illustrating children’s books?

I like being able to peer into the lives of the authors, and hear their stories. Stories from people of all walks of life, their families, their values, or the places they are from – I like getting a glimpse into their world through the power of their words.

What design/illustration styles are you most drawn to?

Although I appreciate all sorts of design styles, I find myself most drawn to soft watercolors and painterly styles, as well as pen and ink drawings. I like playing around with gradients and textures and experimenting when I can with my artwork.

What do you think makes for a really good book illustration?

Tellwell author success stories – awards, media, and reviews!

Jul 21,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

Our authors have been making headlines all month long! From winning awards to securing interviews, to generating reviews – our authors are getting their names out there! Great work, everyone!

Awards

Blood and Silver

by Vali Benson

Vali Benson’s Blood and Silver was also named a winner in the 2021 San Francisco Book Festival, for two categories; History and Young Adult.

Nine Ways to Empower Tweens #Lifeskills

by Kathleen Boucher

Kathleen Boucher’s Nine Ways to Empower Tweens #Lifeskills does it again! She is a finalist in the Young Adult Non-Fiction Category of the 2021 International Book Awards sponsored by the American Book Fest!

Meet the Team

Tellwell project manager Gezel answers a common misconception about the self-publishing industry

Jul 21,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

Tellwell project manager Gezel Zorobrado has been working at Tellwell for about three years. In her role, she helps navigate authors throughout the various stages of their book project, from manuscript to distribution. She is a ray of sunshine, with big smiles and lots of laughs to share. Gezel is about to welcome her first child this fall:)

Never be afraid to share your stories with the world. You may inspire others to do the same.
Gezel Zorobrado, Tellwell Publishing Project Manager

What do you enjoy most about working with authors?

It is very fulfilling to play a small role in helping authors achieve their dreams and complete their goals. It brings me much joy! I like forming friendly and strong relationships with authors so they know they can rely on me to be their ally.

How would you describe your personality? What motivates you?

I am an introvert. I prefer having a quiet environment to think, reflect, and focus. I’m motivated to achieve my full potential and continue growing individually and professionally. I appreciate it when people recognize my efforts.

What is the most common misconception when it comes to the self-publishing industry?

Authors, at times, confuse the self-publishing model with the traditional publishing model. There is a common misconception that once the author submits their manuscript, we will do all the legwork to bring their book to market.

While Tellwell certainly takes many of the pain points away during this process by creating the cover, laying out the interior, editing and distribution (depending on the author’s package), it still requires the author to submit input, approve changes and be involved in the process.

The authors who are most engaged during the production process tend to carry the same enthusiasm in marketing their book, which is crucial to success.

Tellwell Books Tellwell News

Celebrating Canadian Indigenous Authors

Jun 29,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

We are celebrating and recognizing the tremendous history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. We also acknowledge the inequalities and injustices Indigenous people face every day.

Our hearts ache for the thousands of lives lost and stolen across the country.

We encourage our family, friends, staff, and fellow Canadians to educate ourselves about the land we live on, the history of the Indigenous Peoples who cared for it, and the issues facing Indigenous Peoples in our communities. Let’s become a country worth celebrating.

Here is a selection of moving stories by Indigenous indie authors.

Calling My Spirit Back

by Elaine Alec

Indigenous Peoples have always carried the knowledge necessary to heal. When our people heal, our families heal, our communities heal and our land will heal. You cannot have one without the other.

These stories are teachings, prophecy, and protocols shared throughout the years by elders, language speakers, medicine people, and helpers. They have been the foundation to individual healing and learning self-love. They teach us how to make good decisions for ourselves and for all other aspects in our lives.

When our people were young, they were sent on the land to gather as much experience and knowledge as they could, and when they returned, they would contribute what they learned.

I am Syilx and Secwepemc and although many of my teachings come from this place, they also intertwine with indigenous knowledge shared through ceremony from many other nations.

People from all backgrounds have embraced concepts from other parts of the world that promote self-love, healing, and well-being through practices of discipline and meditation.

Very little has been shared about indigenous systems and how it promotes self-love and approach to healing.

Buy on Amazon

Meet the Team

Tellwell designer Von on what makes a great book cover

Jun 24,2021 / By Monica Martinez / No Comment

Tellwell Book Cover Designer Von Langoyan

A really great book cover is one that captures the book inside it in some fundamental and, perhaps, unforeseen way.
Von Langoyan, Tellwell book cover designer

What do you enjoy most about designing book covers?

I enjoy the creative process of capturing and evoking the essence of a story through visuals. The cover needs to both intrigue a reader and give them a sense of the book’s genre and content. I enjoy staying up to date on design trends and using them in my process so our covers look fresh and contemporary.

Our authors sometimes have a vision for how they would like their covers to look, and I work with their input to create something they would love, and that is also captivating and current.

Where do you get your design inspiration?

Social media and the Internet, in general, are great for inspiration. I follow artists and designers who I admire to see what they are working on.

What have been some of your favourite covers that you’ve created for Tellwell? Tell us why.

I’ve had the pleasure of working on several book covers for the talented fiction author Monique Gliozzi, who lives in Australia. Monique’s books Foresight, Vestige and Diversity are paranormal thriller/mysteries and we wanted the covers to evoke a sense of supernatural spookiness.

Monique had a clear idea of what type of cover she wanted and provided us with really great, detailed instructions. I used a number of design elements to create a sense of haunting and mystique, such as the illusion of depth, partially hidden titles and objects, and surrealism.

Author Archives: Monica Martinez

Blood and Silverby Vali Benson

I Call My Grandma Gigiby Carole Aldred

Advice from Doug Allan, Tellwell’s September author of the month and author of A Fighting Chance: The High School Finance Education Everyone Deserves

Tellwell authors receiving awards, rave reviews, making bestsellers lists and appearing in the news. Congratulations!

If My Oak Tree Could Speak by Rachel Greening

Where did Luna go? & Luna Loves Biscuits by Stephanie Hewitt

Sushi & Samosas : A Trip of Tasty Transformations by Rishma Govani

Awards

Blood and Silver
by Vali Benson

I Call My Grandma Gigi
by Carole Aldred