Colleen Sheehan

Colleen Sheehan – Designer

If marketers designed books, they'd do it like this. I design books to get entrepreneurs, crime, and history authors printed and sold.

Overview

My name is Colleen, and I’m a book designer who specializes in books by entrepeneurs, crime authors, and history specialists. I've helped 270+ publishers bring over 690 titles from word processor documents to press and sell more books. I'm ready to help you, too!


The best book designs start where I do: market and user research. Don’t settle for designers who make pretty pictures. Let’s create a design and publishing strategy so you can publish with confidence.


I've worked with a diverse group of clients, from traditional publishers like Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press, to USA Today best-selling independent authors, to publishing consultants who need a reliable, quality book designer for their clients. My business was built on referrals from other excellent professionals.


Individual authors whom I've worked with include:

• Mimi Matthews (USA Today best-selling author)

• Wayne Stinnett, (2019-2020 president of Novelists, Inc (NINC))

• Alice Archer (Top Book of 2016 in the HEA USA Today column Rainbow Trends)

• Marianne Fox (Winner of the Nautilus Gold Award in YA Fiction)


I've been working in independent publishing since 2011, and offer clients consulting and hands-on publishing assistance alongside my design work. My process is broken down into clear and concise phases before we even begin. You’ll always know where we're at with your project from beginning to end.


Right now I'm accepting projects that include full book packaging design, which is the print and ebook covers and interiors, as well as offering project management and first-month, post-publishing author support.


Ready to start? Submit a request and we'll set up a time to do a quick, 15-minute zoom chat to discuss your project and get to know each other a little. I can't wait to hear from you!

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Business & Management Education & Reference LGBTQ Non-Fiction Religion & Spirituality Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Mystery & Crime Thriller & Suspense
Languages
English

Work experience

Self-employed

Sep, 2014 — Present

Book designer. There are so many minute elements of book cover and interior design, that I decided to specialize in it. My responsibilities to books include:

• In-depth research of the author’s target readership as well as bestsellers in their genre
• Complete book packaging designed especially for their book
• Pagination design from the ground up
• A deep review of the text to inform design choices
• Three potential designs
• Line-by-line typesetting
• Guidance about distribution options and how they work
• Full copyright ownership of the book interior design transferred to the publisher at completion
• Three design and proof passes for you to review our work
• Ebook design and coding
• Optional assistance uploading the files to the distributors or printer of choice

Raventide Books

Oct, 2011 — Dec, 2018 (about 7 years)

As the publishing manager of Raventide Books, I utilized my knowledge of art, design, and technology to:  

• Organize and develop book packaging 
• Choose distributors and upload to them 
• Market the Raventide Books' catalog 

Raventide Books published fantasy, scifi, and urban fantasy between 2011 and 2018.

Portfolio

An Error of the Moon

Blackmore, Gerard

Fred: An unbecoming woman

Krabbenschmidt, Annie

Colleen has 26 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Craig M.

Craig M.

Nov, 2023

Colleen is creative and talented - simply great to work with. I look forward to our future collaborations. Craig
Tana B.

Tana B.

Sep, 2023

I have just completed my second full-service project with Colleen and am happy to report that my second experience was even better than my first, which I thought was just about perfect. She found a magical way to continue the feel of the first book cover and interior, but give it its own personality - quite a feat. When it came to the A+ Content, not only did she hit it out of the park, but we ...
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Connie H.

Connie H.

Apr, 2023

Absolutely excellent! Detailed, professional, and a delight to work with.
Linda S.

Linda S.

Apr, 2023

I can't say enough good things about Colleen S. This was my first book, and I didn't know enough about publishing to even know what I needed. Colleen explained everything to me and then handled all aspects of the process. She provided three choices of book covers, and I liked all three of them. She was both creative and meticulous - a rare combination. She was well-organized and met deadli...
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Michelle T.

Michelle T.

Jan, 2023

Colleen is an outstanding designer. She brought my True Crime Trivia book to life, making it even better than I envisioned. True Crime Trivia earned #1 Best Seller and #1 New Release in several categories thanks to Colleen's talent, skill and guidance. In addition, readers have specifically mentioned the interior layout and formatting of the book as an aspect they appreciate because it makes ...
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