Everyday inspiration: the making of a cover

I want to tell you guys a little bit about how I created the cover for my upcoming release She Lights Up the Dark (November Snow Book 2).

I knew before I started designing that I wanted something involving a bright light in the sky.  I needed it to be reminiscent of the sun, but not close off the possibility of a different source for the light.  I started glancing through stock photos on Canva, my go-to for all design needs.  I just couldn't find the right picture.

Then, a minor miracle occurred.  I was biking with my son to school early one morning, and the sun was rising through the fog.  It was bright, but partially obscured.  I whipped out my phone and took this picture:

From that starting point, I began playing with filters, cropping, rotating, brightness, transparency, etc.  Eventually, I wound up with this:

But it wasn't quite right.  It needed something more.  It needed a November.  So I started going through all the Canva stock photos of woman's faces.  I probably tried a half-dozen and rejected them before I found the perfect one.  I tried a few different versions and tested them out on my friends.  This, to me, is a crucial step.  You don't necessarily have to take their advice if you have a strong feelings about an artistic decision, but you need another set of eyes to help you gauge a reader's reaction.  After much trial and error, this was the result:

I'm pretty pleased with it.  I hope you are, too.  It's amazing how randomly inspiration can strike.  One minute, you're taking your kid to school with no idea what to do for your next book cover.  The next, you're having a blast turning a hastily snapped phone photo into something special.  Keep your eyes open, everyone.  You never know when inspiration will strike.