Small Town, Big Stories: Deborah Bradseth

At the Madison Mercantile, we believe small towns are filled with big stories. Stories of persistence, creativity, and the everyday brilliance of the people who live here. Today, we’re honored to feature Deborah Bradseth—a designer, entrepreneur, mother, and community builder whose journey embodies all of that and more.

From a young age, Deborah knew she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. But she also had big dreams outside of family life. While studying in college, she discovered a love for graphic design. That spark of creativity met opportunity when her mother, author Deanna Lynn Sletten, needed a book cover designed for her self-published work. At first reluctant, Deborah took on the project—and instantly fell in love.

At the time, self-publishing was brand new and only a handful of freelancers offered cover design online. Sensing possibility, Deborah launched DB Cover Design in January 2012. Just three months later, she landed her first client. Over a decade later, her portfolio now includes countless authors and publishers, from emerging voices to bestsellers. What started as a leap of faith has grown into a fulfilling career, blending artistry with storytelling on a national stage.

Deborah’s creativity doesn’t stop with book covers. When her son wanted a construction-themed workbook and she couldn’t find one, she decided to design it herself. That project sparked a new passion, leading her to launch Scribble Kids Press, a collection of fun, engaging workbooks for children now available on Amazon.

Life, of course, hasn’t always been easy. Along the way, Deborah has held a variety of jobs—retail, waitressing, newspaper design, paraprofessional work—to keep her family moving forward. But the flexibility of running her own business has allowed her and her husband to shape their life so she could be both a stay-at-home mom and a working professional from home.

In December 2015, Deborah and her family moved to Madison. By spring 2016, they had settled into their home, and since then, they’ve embraced everything the community and surrounding area has to offer. Deborah has also become a local leader, founding Prairie Explorers, a homeschooling group that has brought families together. This summer, you can even find her at the Madison Farmers Market on Wednesdays, raising funds for the group.

From designing bookshelves worth of covers for authors across the country to creating resources for kids right here in Madison, Deborah’s story is a powerful reminder: small towns don’t mean small dreams—they mean big stories.

🌟 Learn more about Deborah’s work:📚 Book cover design → dbcoverdesign.com✏️ Children’s workbooks → Scribble Kids Press on Amazon