The way you present your book to the world speaks volumes to readers. Your book cover is the first handshake, the visual promise of the story within, but effective book presentation goes beyond that initial impression.
In the competitive world of cozy mysteries, where readers know exactly what they want, crafting the perfect package is everything when it comes to standing out and building a loyal readership. Recently, we caught up with cozy mystery author Denise Jaden to help us understand how she uses strategic branding and packaging to connect with readers and elevate their work in a crowded market.
“Book packaging is a silent yet persuasive storyteller. With just one image, you have the opportunity to resonate deeply with your audience, while attracting the right readers to your book.”
And lucky for us, Denise shared a lot more. Let’s get into it!
How to Expand Into New Genres the Right Way
For many authors, the thought of venturing into a new genre can be daunting. Shifting from the familiar to the unknown involves more than just mastering a new style of storytelling—it also means learning the expectations of a whole new audience. Writing in a different genre means adopting new tropes, themes, and pacing, while also ensuring that your voice resonates with readers who may have very different preferences than your current fan base. It can feel like starting over, because the author also needs to rebuild their brand in a new space, navigating new market trends and adjusting to the expectations of seasoned readers in that genre.
As Denise Jaden discovered, the leap from young adult fiction to cozy mysteries wasn’t easy, but she saw it as an opportunity to embrace a new creative challenge. “The idea of mystery writing was intimidating,” she shares, “but I came to love the puzzles involved in plotting this genre.”
Building a Consistent Author Brand in Cozy Mysteries
When we asked Denise how important it was to maintain a consistent author brand when she was starting out in cozies, she said, “Author brand is super important with cozy mysteries, as I’ve learned that readers know exactly what they want in this genre.” Denise Jaden’s brand is firmly rooted in some of the charming and familiar themes that cozy mystery lovers adore like cats, food, and a dash of intrigue.
“For me, I have essentially written in three genres: historical cozy mysteries, cozy culinary mysteries, and paranormal cozy mysteries, but all of my mysteries involve sleuthing companion cats and delicious food. I love writing about cats and food and lean into this area heavily with covers and blurbs.”
Denise has effectively carved out a distinct niche for herself that resonates with her target audience. The real marketing magic happens when those beloved elements, like cats, food, and a dash of intrigue, are brought to the forefront of her book packaging.
She also ensures that the themes are not only central to her stories but are prominently featured in her book covers and marketing materials. This strategic branding effort helps her stand out in a crowded market and attract the right readers.
Denise shared that, “I always want to have a cat on my covers, and I keep the cat the same throughout each series. Once I find a cat that I think suits the series, it really sets the tone for the rest of the background of the cover and the fonts. I also like to give an idea of the setting. With my first series, the Mallory Beck Cozy Culinary Capers, I gave a small glimpse into the setting within a magnifying glass in the center of each cover. In my upcoming cruise ship mysteries, each cover involves some aspect of cruise-ship life.”
The Art of Packaging: Designing for Readers
For Denise, “the package” is a critical component of her book marketing strategy. She meticulously designs her covers to align with the preferences of cozy mystery readers, often consulting Amazon’s top 100 lists.
But she takes her research one step further. “While there are several current styles that are popular within cozy mysteries, I often survey my newsletter readers and they tend to prefer the vector-based style.”
When we asked her what advice she would give to new authors about the importance of having the right book and author brand packaging, she said,
“Figure out what you love reading about most in cozy mysteries and then work that into your own fiction. Notice how other authors tie in your favorite elements with their covers and blurbs, and while you never want to copy other authors, you can certainly use this for inspiration.”
A signature element in all her covers is the presence of a cat—a consistent and beloved feature that sets the tone for her series. This focus on a uniform and recognizable design not only strengthens her brand identity but also ensures that her books are instantly recognizable to her readers.
Leveraging Booksprout for Enhanced Reader Engagement
Denise makes full use of Booksprout’s platform to engage with readers before her books even hit the shelves.
She says, “I love getting early reviews up on the retailers to provide social proof when my books go on sale. Booksprout has been really helpful in finding readers who are willing to read my books a couple of weeks before they launch and provide their thoughts to help other readers decide on a new book. I also really love to see which tropes early reviewers call out, and then I will play into those tropes in my marketing and ads.”
By offering ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) through Booksprout, she gathers early reviews that provide valuable social proof. This early feedback is not only useful for building anticipation but also for fine-tuning her marketing strategies. The consistent visual branding of her books, combined with the strategic use of early reviews, helps attract the right reviewers and, in turn, the right readers.
Engaging with Readers and Maintaining Momentum
Booksprout readers play a significant role in shaping an author’s perspective of their work, and for Denise, their feedback has been invaluable in refining her book packaging and branding.
“Many of my readers say my characters feel like family and that they want to return to my fictional towns again and again because they feel like they belong there and have friends they can see again and again. I now use many of these phrases in my ads and marketing, and I think it really helps to pull in the right readers who are most going to love my books,” she shares.
The visual aspects of a book—its cover and promotional materials—are deeply connected to the types of reviews an author will receive. Readers approach books with certain expectations, especially when the cover promises a specific tone or theme. If the story doesn’t align with what they anticipated, they may be disappointed, leading to negative reviews or, worse, no feedback at all. Denise is always mindful of this connection.
“I think reviewers know pretty clearly what to expect from my books because of their on-brand covers. There’s always a mystery element of some kind on the cover (not to mention the word ‘MURDER’ in large block letters on many of them). The cute cat indicates there is a lighthearted side to my books as well,” she explains.
By ensuring that her covers consistently reflect the key elements her readers love—mystery, warmth, and a bit of fun—Denise is more likely to meet their expectations, increasing the chances of receiving positive reviews. Packaging that aligns with the story ultimately builds trust with readers, creating a stronger connection between the book and its audience.
The Power of Early Reviews
Denise cannot emphasize enough the importance of early reviews in a book’s success. They not only provide essential social proof that can be used in marketing efforts, but also help expose her work to new readers. For Denise, early reviews are a cornerstone of her marketing strategy, and she is deeply grateful for the readers who take the time to share their thoughts.
This glimpse into Denise Jaden’s journey offers valuable insights for both aspiring and established authors in the cozy mystery genre. Her strategic approach to branding, packaging, and reader engagement serves as a model for building a successful author career.
Looking ahead, Denise is excited about her upcoming series set on a cruise ship, with the first book scheduled for release on September 26th. She invites readers to stay connected through her newsletter and to follow her on Booksprout for the latest updates and review opportunities.
About Denise Jaden
Denise Jaden is an accomplished author known for her versatile writing across young adult fiction, nonfiction for writers, and cozy mysteries. She gained attention with her debut novel Losing Faith, written during NaNoWriMo, and has since published Never Enough, Foreign Exchange, and her nonfiction guides like Fast Fiction and Story Sparks. Denise’s latest work ventures into the cozy mystery genre with the Mallory Beck Cozy Culinary Capers series. Beyond writing, she is also an actress and Polynesian dancer, living in British Columbia with her family and a spoiled cat. Discover more at www.denisejaden.com.
And these are her socials:
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