This debut author went from zero brand to unshakable confidence and a page full of UGC

A fiery branding package for a dark romance author B.H. Eastwood

Brand identity

Print & Packaging

Social Media Templates

Website

The author of dark romantic suspense novels that will have you on the edge of your seat and scald your heart in the best way.

The Journey of B.H. Eastwood: From Manuscript to Trademark

The Initial Challenge

When B.H. Eastwood came to us, she was in a familiar position to many first-time authors. As a “debut author”, she had no previously published books and no established brand presence. What she did have was a clear vision of what she didn't want: to enter the literary world unprepared or looking amateurish.

Our Approach

After talking to B.H. about her business goals, we developed a customized branding package that addressed all aspects of her professional presence. Our focus was to guide her through each step of the process, ensuring that every element of her brand was coherent, consistent and attractive to her desired audience.

We developed a customized branding package

Complete visual identity development

Creating a brand that faithfully represented the essence of B.H. books and the "strong, capable and powerful women" at the heart of their stories

Comprehensive digital presence

Complete website designed from scratch

Newsletter templates for consistent communication with readers

Social media templates

Complete visual identity development

Packaging design for book unboxing

Professional printed materials like bookmarks, stickers, thank you cards, etc

Special PR boxes for influencers to promote her book

When discussing B.H. Eastwood’s readers, we found out some interesting things that directed our project:

01

They want stories that stick with them long after they read the last page of the book. So we wanted to give them a brand that would help immerse them in the author's universe, and signal right away that this will be an entrancing experience.

02

They are almost always women, who are "serial readers", and very active in online book communities like Booktok. Since they're familiar with what brands in this niche look like, and we wanted to hit those familiar notes with the visuals of B.H.'s brand.

03

They know what they want and are already familiarized with the dark romance genre (and the graphic content that comes with it), so we're not shying away from that in the branding.

04

They seek content about the books and characters online to continue expanding their experience with the story they read. Very passionate readers = engaged fanbase = we need to prepare all of B.H.'s online touchpoints for them (socials, email newsletter... everything should look professional and inviting upon their arrival)

Dark

Sexy

FEMALE RAGE

Powerful

Mysterious

Flames so hot that they turn blue

Her writing burns with a dark, intense, and seductive energy—so fierce it feels like fire turned blue. Each story she crafts is a plunge into raw emotion and high-stakes tension, led by powerful, unforgettable women.

Always unapologetic

Her worlds may shift — from shipwrecks to shadowy academies to brutal government prisons—but the heart of her work never wavers. It's always bold. Always unapologetic. Always driven by the strength of her characters and the weight of the emotions they carry.

It defines her voice

This intensity doesn’t just shape her stories — it defines her voice as an author. And it’s the same force that inspired the visual identity: a blend of bold typography and deep, charged color, echoing the fire behind every page she writes.

OUR CONCEPT

Flames so hot that they turn blue

And then... we made this concept visual

Black: our anchor color

Timeless, dramatic, and obviously associated with ~the dark side~. It would set the dark tone for her stories while letting other colors punch through and shine.

Red Heat & Romance

Red has the intensity we wanted, and is a trademark color of the dark romance niche, so used it to hit those familiar notes!

Our secondary color

Inspired by blue fire: rare, mysterious, seductive. Just like her writing, it looks cool on the surface but burns dangerously hot.

The Dark Heart

We decided the icon should be a “dark heart”, a symbol that captures the duality of her narratives: love wrapped in danger. The dark side of romance.

Grain for Depth

Grainy textures to tie everything together, adding richness to backgrounds, and bringing a very welcome level of tactile discomfort to the brand.

Glow & Blur for Intrigue

Soft blue glow to make her visuals more mysterious and intriguing… like a haze of smoke. It would add depth and help pull the viewer into her world.

Fire as a Visual Motif

We wanted to incorporate the element of fire to emphasize the spiciness and intensity that live in her stories, and in every woman who leads them.

Logo Lettering

We wanted pointy serif lettering on the logo, reflecting the beautiful but dangerous vibe of her stories

Thin Serif Font

For titles to help build that elegant, mysterious atmosphere we're after.

Chunky typography

To balance that elegance and draw a parallel to the women in her books: Loud, unapologetic, impossible to ignore.

Disclaimer: The images used in this moodboard are for inspirational purposes only and do not belong to me. They are sourced from various platforms like Pinterest and Google. All credit goes to their respective creators.

We made that aesthetic cohesive throughout every client touchpoint

The dark romance niche is FULL of authors, and we didn’t want B.H. to be one more. So we gave her a brand that immediately stands out. It's seductive, emotionally charged, and SPECIFIC to her.

We built her website from absolute zero to introduce BH as a debut author and guide visitors through the full journey: from discovering her to buying her book.

We managed the whole process with the printing companies to produce her physical materials - literally down to choosing the thickness of the papers - saving her loads of stress and ensuring everything came out INCREDIBLE.

Beyond the visuals, B.H. found something even more valuable: a deep connection to her own brand

Print & Packaging

We designed everything B.H. would need to absolutely DELIGHT her readers when they bought her book: a custom box with branded tissue paper, collectible bookmarks with red and blue foil, a thank you card with space for a handwritten message, an adorable sticker set, and more!

Social Media Templates

We equipped B.H. and her assistant with everything they need to confidently manage their social presence, from ready-to-post Instagram graphics to customizable Canva templates. This way, they can stay consistently on-brand with minimal effort. Just double click the text on Canva, and start typing.

My favorite part: The Website

We designed B.H.'s website to instantly immerse visitors in her dark, seductive world. From the moment the page loads, the experience is bold, atmospheric, and emotionally charged.

visit the live website

This was her reaction to seeing the site for the first time

How we launch the website

01

We started by figuring out what pages, sections, and copy we would use to guide visitors on their journey in a way that feels natural and intuitive.

02

With the structure of the website defined, we applied the ~skin~ (aka the design), making every page special and memorable, and perfectly matching the aesthetic of her socials and physical materials.

03

Finally, we brought the website to life in Webflow, with responsive layouts and animations that make it even more magical! We took care of everything: forms, connecting the domain, her newsletter, and making the site live, so B.H. didn't have to lift a finger.

We also made sure to include animations and little easter eggs to delight her readers even more

My favorite example is the contact form, which we turned into a love letter

Whether it's a heartfelt review or a quick hello, the form becomes a love letter from reader to author, reinforcing the emotional dialogue between B.H. and her audience.

The impact of this transformation went far beyond aesthetics

I knew that trusting you with this would be the best decision I could possibly make, and it turns out that I was damn right about that!!!

B.H. gained confidence in her professional identity, feeling truly represented by every element created. The experience, which she repeatedly described as “wonderful”, gave her all the tools she needed to launch her work into the world with quality and authenticity.

Today, B.H. is not just a first-time author: she is an author with a professional brand presence who stands out in her niche, accurately communicates her unique voice and creates a genuine connection with her audience.