Henschel Haus Publishing Lesson #1

​I have already experienced several lessons about book traditional book publishing.  When I first met Kira Henschel at the Wisconsin Writers Association we were sitting at our table selling books at the conference.  She picked up each of the books, looked them over, a quizzical look slid across her face.  “These don’t look the same,” she observed.  “I thought they were a series?”
I explained that my original intent was not to write a series, however, the books evolved into a series and the publisher of Out of Darkness added a front page that said:

Also by Rex Owens
Book I of the Murphy series
Murphy’s Troubles
 
With that introduction two books became a series.  I don’t recall that front page in the proof copy but it must have been there.
Kira asked how each cover was designed and I explained the images were ones I selected and graphic artists completed the actual design.  She didn’t say more on the topic that day.
When she offered the traditional publishing contract she asked if I would be open to changing the covers to the two books.  Of course, I responded because covers are not really in my skill set.  Then in an exchange of e-mails she asked if I would be open to having Henschel Haus re-publish the books with new covers.  I agreed without hesitation.
When Kira and I met last week to sign the contract for Dead Reckoning she explained she would draft separate contracts for Murphy’s Troubles and Out of Darkness.  Her plan is to publish Dead Reckoning by March 2018 followed by the other two books.  She then asked if the size of the books could be changed – again to be consistent.  Again I agreed. 
“You know, when I first saw your books I thought they were historical romance by the way they looked.”  Her comment deflated me like a bicycle running over a rusty nail on a country road.  I explained that I would always accept her recommendations on things like book covers, size, fonts, etc. because it is clear I have no talent for such things.
This was lesson #1.