Let's make your book shine!

I help authors publish wholesome children's books that kids will love and adults will cherish.

Smiling, bald, white man standing with arms crossed while wearing a brown and navy checked flannel shirt. Travis D. Peterson is a children's book author and owner of Launch Mission Creative. He's a self-publishing coach and book designer.

What I can do for you

You have a manuscript ready, but you’re feeling overwhelmed by the next steps. You don’t want to waste time, money, or energy on trial and error. You want to publish your book with confidence and ease.

As your publishing coach, I want to clear the way for you and coach you through the process from perplexed to published! I'll guide you through the entire journey and be your mentor, advisor, and cheerleader along the way.

My first love, however, is designing and formatting books that impress from the inside out—because let's face it, we all judge books by their cover!

What I've done for others

I’ve helped scores of authors like you achieve their publishing dreams. From finding and hiring editors and illustrators, to creating captivating designs, to guiding them through the printing process, I’ve been there every step of the way.

Many of my authors have gone on to win multiple awards, receive best-seller status on Amazon, and even have their books picked up by a traditional publisher post-launch!

Why you should work with me

As a children's book author myself, I understand the perils of self-publishing. It's not an easy journey to navigate! But as an experienced book designer, publishing coach, and even a former bookseller, I have a unique perspective on the publishing industry.

My mission is to help first-time and seasoned authors produce exceptional, wholesome children's books they can be proud of.


About

My name is Travis D. Peterson, and I'm a graphic designer with a degree from Purdue University and over a decade of experience both in-house and as a freelancer. A great deal of my work has been in designing magazines and marketing materials for faith-based organizations.

However after writing my first book Ada and the Helpers in 2019, I began focusing my efforts on helping my fellow authors self-publish wholesome, family-friendly books—many of them have gone on to be award-winning books and best-sellers in their categories!

The truth is, books are judged by their cover. But it doesn't stop there. To really produce an exceptional children's book, it requires a plan from start to finish. In my years of designing children's books, I found myself teaching as much as designing. That's why I'm now coaching my fellow children's book authors. I want to help you publish beautiful, wholesome books you can be proud of.

Services

I want to help you launch your book with excellence. There's no reason why a self-published book should not look like a traditionally-published one! No matter what stage of the publishing journey you are in, let's see what we can do to produce a book you can be proud of. Request your customized quote and we'll discuss how we can launch your book into the atmosphere!

Author Coaching

Navigating the world of self-publishing can be overwhelming! I know you might feel lost, not knowing what steps to take or what order to take them.

As an author, seasoned designer, and former bookseller, I have a unique perspective on the self-publishing industry.

My ultimate goal is to help you publish a wholesome, family-friendly book that you can be proud of.

I'll coach you through the entire publishing journey one step at a time. Let's make your book shine!

Book Design & Art Direction

Designing a book from cover to cover is more than an artform—it's a science. After spending so much time on your book, why not make sure it looks and feels professional?

While many illustrators can design, it doesn't mean they should. It's best to add a designer like myself to your team at the same time as the artist to get the best results.

Let's work together t0 design your book at the same time you hire your illustrator if possible. Cover design and formatting for the first format is included.

Print Brokering

Finding and managing the printing process is not for the faint of heart. Printers tend to use terminology that is specific to the industry.

As a print designer for over a decade, I'm familiar with the lingo. I also have relationships with trusted printers in multiple continents!

As a print broker, I'll collect rates from these printers based on your book and specific needs, oversee the print order, and handle all of the communication with the printer for you.

This service is only available for my book design / art direction clients so that I can insure the files meet the printer's specifications.

Book Formatting

One of the most challenging steps of self-publishing for authors is formatting—and rightly so. It's imperative to get the files exactly the way your printer needs them. I'll format it for you so that you can get it printed faster and start selling books much sooner than if you tried to learn it all yourself.

For children's books, each and every page needs to be laid out by your illustrator. Then I will take those files and format them correctly. Many times, even if an illustrator is able to lay out the text with their artwork, he or she is inexperienced with how to correctly format it for the printers.

Cover Design

I'll say it over and over again: People really do judge a book by its cover! Your cover is what draws the reader in—whether that's on the bookshelf in their local store or on the screen in their favorite online shop.

For children's books, it's best to have your illustrator provide the artwork. But it's best to hire me at the same time. Once the artwork is ready, I'll add the title, bylines, blurb, barccode, and any other info needed before formatting it for the intended printers.

Are you ready to launch your next book?

As a fellow author myself, I value the pride that comes in publishing your own book! But as an experienced designer, I also value the need for that book to be produced with the highest quality in mind. I'd love to help you do that.