Kelly Guthauser

Kelly Guthauser – Designer

Fantasy Book Cover Designer. Clients include: TOR, Pan Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster

Overview

I'm Kelly, a book cover designer and illustrator. My goal is to create highly marketable illustrations and designs that also reflect the uniqueness of your story. I strive to design a beautiful piece of art every time I work on a cover!


Please note, no AI is used within any of my work.


My work includes everything below for your publishing needs:

-Ebook

- ARC / Teaser Cover

-Blank Artwork

-Paperback, Hardback, and Dust Jacket (KDP or Ingram)

-Separate Title (Black and White Interior Title)


Areas of Expertise

- Romantasy

- Mythology Fantasy

- Cozy Fantasy


What I've Done

I have worked on 200+ illustrations, including multiple award-winning and bestselling designs.


Published By:

TOR

Penguin Random House

Pan Macmillan

Simon & Schuster AU

Arcane Book Box

Probably Smut Book Box


A Cover's Purpose

Creating a cover that appeals to new readers is the primary goal of a cover. With that comes my creativity and your general overview of needed elements!


My Process

After my offer is accepted, I will send over a series of questions tailored to figuring out an ideal direction for attracting readers to your cover.


If I have any questions, I will reach out and then begin to work on sketches for you to review. The sketches will have the primary elements, but not be a polished piece of work, Instead at this stage you may let me know of anything major needing revision. Once we are done, the final payment is sent and files are delivered.


If you have any additional add-ons, I am happy to talk through them and give you a quote.


Next Steps

I look forward to your request, even if you aren’t sure, feel free to send it and I will see if I am a good fit for you. I hope to work with you soon!


Testimonials

"I love working with Kelly! They are such a wonderful collaborator, and to date I have worked with them for seven covers (surely with more to come!). They have a keen eye for balancing the commercial and artistic elements of a cover. Their work speaks for itself!"

- Carissa Broadbent, Author of The Serpent and the Wings of Night


“Kelly does incredible work, and she's amazing to work with. I can't recommend her enough!”

- Laura Thalassa, Author of the Bargainer Series


“Terrific to work with-so positive and talented, and I LOVE how she meets her deadlines. I'm definitely booking with her again.”

— Teddy Harrison, NYT Bestselling Author

Services
Fiction
Cozy Mysteries Dark Romance Epic Fantasy New Adult Paranormal Romance Romantic Fantasy Urban Fantasy Young Adult Fantasy
Languages
English

Work experience

Self-employed

May, 2018 — Present

Kelly has 28 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Sue F.

Sue F.

Jun, 2024

Pinned
Working with Kelly far exceeded my expectations. As a newbie author, I had many questions and uncertainties. Kelly helped guide me through the entire process, and the end result was a book cover more amazing than I could have envisioned. I had a concept in the back of my mind but couldn't quite a...
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Loganne N.

Loganne N.

Oct, 2023

Pinned
I cannot say enough great things about my experience working with Kelly!! She was able to expertly and creatively capture the essence of my novel in ways I hadn't even considered. She was super kind and patient throughout the whole process, especially since this is my first novel. It's very clear...
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Lena V.

Lena V.

Jul, 2023

Pinned
Kelly was nothing but professional and accommodating throughout the entire process. She seemed to know exactly what I wanted despite my (admittedly) unclear vision. I am beyond happy with the results and more than recommend working with her for all of your bookish needs!
RJ K.

RJ K.

Apr, 2025

Kelly did an absolutely outstanding job on my Romantasy cover, creating something that would look right at home in a bookshop. I was blown away by the care and detail she put into the design. I'd definitely hire her again.
Colleen M.

Colleen M.

Dec, 2024

Kelly was amazing to work with. I started the process with only a vague idea of the style of cover that resonates with me. After completing her professional and thoughtful questionnaire about my novel, she was able to translate those details into a phenomenal book cover that exceeded my expectati...
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