Kathy Amen Design

Kathy Amen Design Colorado-based book designer, publishing professional, and print production specialist. This position is where Kathy honed her editing skills.

I help authors bring books to life through design, proofreading, production oversight, and print coordination. Kathy began her professional career by attending and graduating from the Colorado Institute of Art in 1988. While in college, she interned with the Art Students League of Denver, the Metropolitan Denver Arts Alliance, and the Denver Partnership. After graduation, Kathy worked in the print advertising department at KCNC News4, where she created advertisements, bus boards, and billboards; coordinated photo shoots with newscasters such as Ron Zapollo, Bob Palmer, Greg Moody, Larry Green, Ed Green, Kristin McCloskey, and Madeline McFadden; and conducted press checks at printing facilities across the country. In 1989, Kathy was hired by—and proudly worked for—Joe Bullard, former managing editor of the Denver Post, and Tony Campbell, former managing editor of the Rocky Mountain News. She served as Production Manager for one of Denver’s first and only publication design firms at the time, Publication Design, Inc. In this role, she managed production and scheduling for several weekly publications in the cable news trade industry, including Cable World Magazine. Editors would stand over Kathy’s shoulder in the Cable World newsroom, as she worked late into the night, racing deadline. Cable World was printed overnight and distributed the next day, so there was no room for delay. The headlines had to be attention-grabbing—and they had to reflect what was happening in the cable industry that week: mergers, acquisitions, and takeovers. It was the 1990s, when Denver—home to TCI under John Malone—sat at the center of a cable boom, alongside the expanding empires of Ted Turner, Rupert Murdoch, and Sumner Redstone. Not only did Kathy work alongside some of Denver’s top writers, editors, and photographers—from the Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post, and the Denver and Boulder Business Journals—she also collaborated with some of the best printing companies in the country. Working with Publication Printers is where Kathy also began honing her printing skillset. In 1995, Kathy’s career path brought her to Colorado’s Western Slope—specifically the Gunnison Valley and the mountain towns of Crested Butte and Gunnison. Over the years, she served as a Prepress Department Manager and Graphic Designer for two local printing companies: Crested Butte Printing with Jeff Neumann (1995–1998) and later B&B Printers with Jim Stanley and the Stanley family (2007–2015). Together, these roles added another decade of fast-paced print production experience, sharpening her expertise and setting her apart as more than a graphic designer. From 1998 on, Kathy simultaneously operated her own design business, serving clients throughout Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley—including CBMR, The Idle Spur, and the Crested Butte Brewery (Tom Skerritt–Garcia era)—and nearly every business on Elk Avenue and up on the mountain. If you had design work or advertising done during that time, chances are Kathy was behind it. She collaborated with Sandy Fails, Nathan Bilow, and others to design and produce Crested Butte Magazine for more than ten years, working closely with local writers and photographers. She also worked with Mark and Dianne Reaman at The Crested Butte Weekly, served as the signature designer for the Crested Butte Center for the Arts—partnering with Pat Crow and Jenny Birnie from 1998 to 2019—and was lead designer for Western Horizon Resorts with Pamela Frenette from 1998 to 2021. Currently based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Kathy is focused on her strongest suit—book publishing and printing—helping authors bring their books to life with her expertise in publication design and print production. On a personal note, Kathy has been a fine artist her entire life. Her passion for creating has never wavered, earning her both local and national recognition over the years. She’s also a devoted dog mom—and a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and caregiver.

10/05/2026

I’ve been waiting to share this news — and it’s a big one! 🏆

Valley of Castles, Cattle & Coal by Gary Scott Steffens won Best Nonfiction – History at the 2026 C**A EVVY Book Awards at Red Rocks Amphitheatre — and then it won Best Overall Nonfiction!

I had the privilege of designing and producing this 1,055-page book, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget the experience. Gary spent years researching and preserving the history of the Gunnison Valley, with Teresa beside him throughout the process, and I was incredibly fortunate that they trusted me to help turn all of that work into the finished book.

This was one of the biggest and most challenging book projects of my career. It stretched me, taught me an enormous amount about the ranchers, communities, and history of a place that means so much to me, and reminded me exactly why I have spent my life making books.

Gary, Teresa, and I worked very hard on this one, and seeing Gary’s book receive not one, but TWO EVVY Awards is pretty darn special.

Congratulations, Gary and Teresa! I am so proud of what we created together. ❤️📚🏆

Valley of Castles, Cattle & Coal is available at Abracadabra (formerly the Bookworm) and Traders Rendezvous, both in Gunnison, and at Oh Be Joyful Gallery in Crested Butte.

Another publication is finished and printed, and I’ve shared personal notes and photos from the process on my blog, “Bet...
09/01/2026

Another publication is finished and printed, and I’ve shared personal notes and photos from the process on my blog, “Between Drafts.”

On Trust, Timing, and the Making of “Most of Us Recover—Taking a Fresh Look at Extreme States”

Just as I am finishing one project—sometimes on the same day—I receive an inquiry for the next one.

I’ve come to trust that. I trust God, I trust the universe, and I trust that the work meant for me will find me. It’s how I sustain my presence on this earth—through the work that arrives.…

Read the full article here:
https://kathyamenbetweendrafts.substack.com/p/the-work-that-finds-me

Purchase the book:
https://a.co/d/03Ytha5T

04/03/2026

A huge thank you to our incredible sponsors who help make the Pikes Peak Writers Conference possible each year. Your support helps us bring in amazing speakers, offer workshops, and create opportunities for writers to learn, connect, and grow. We truly couldn’t do this without you!
Join us at the best little writing conference around! Registration is open now! https://bit.ly/49wrszK

Join us March 16 at 4 PM as Moss Wagner shares his fascinating stories from the Hippie Trail! If you miss it don’t worry...
03/07/2026

Join us March 16 at 4 PM as Moss Wagner shares his fascinating stories from the Hippie Trail! If you miss it don’t worry there will be a replay on KBUTs West Elk Word archive.

Listen live to KBUT

Another publication is finished and printed, and I’ve shared personal notes and photos from the process on my blog, “Bet...
02/19/2026

Another publication is finished and printed, and I’ve shared personal notes and photos from the process on my blog, “Between Drafts.”

Reflections on “Adventures on (and Sometimes Off) the Hippie Trail, 1972–75”

When you work closely with an author on their book, you come to know them on an intimate level. You learn their daily routines and habits; you hear the stories of how they arrived at the place where they could entrust their manuscript to a relative stranger—someone who will shape it into a finished, living, breathing account of their experiences. I was honored that Moss chose me to help bring his book into the world.

My journey with Moss began with a phone call from a Crested Butte number that I curiously answered on a Friday evening. He introduced himself as Moss Wagner and said he had a manuscript that needed to be digitized so it could be made into a book. Moss mentioned that he had seen my ad in the Crested Butte News and had held on to it for nearly a year before he was ready to call...

Read the full article here:

https://kathyamen.com/adventures-on-and-sometimes-off-the-hippie-trail-1972-75/

Check out my latest “Between Drafts” blog:
02/12/2026

Check out my latest “Between Drafts” blog:

That’s Moss, clean-shaven, sporting a new earring and a fresh tattoo, Goa, India

Just finished the design for this year’s Crested Butte Wildflower Festival T-shirt—and this year marks the festival’s 40...
02/12/2026

Just finished the design for this year’s Crested Butte Wildflower Festival T-shirt—and this year marks the festival’s 40th anniversary!

This year’s poster artist is Susan Anderton, a true Crested Butte icon and the very first Wildflower Festival poster artist in 1986. She has created many Crested Butte posters over the years, two of which are cherished pieces hanging in my home.

https://crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.org/

Some projects stay with you long after they’re finished.“Valley of Castles, Cattle & Coal” was one of those.This book as...
01/01/2026

Some projects stay with you long after they’re finished.
“Valley of Castles, Cattle & Coal” was one of those.

This book asked for patience, care, and deep respect for the stories it holds. Every page, photo, and decision was part of honoring a place and the people who shaped it. These images offer a small glimpse into the quiet, behind-the-scenes work that brings a book like this to life.

It was a privilege to work with Gary and Teresa Steffens over the past year, whose dedication to preserving the history of the Ohio Creek Valley made this project possible. Their commitment to storytelling, research, and community shines throughout the book.

“Valley of Castles, Cattle & Coal” is available through Abracadabra! (The Bookworm), and directly from the author at [email protected], more vendors will be announced soon.

Here are a few photos from the process—moments along the way that helped shape this book.

Between Drafts Blog:
https://kathyamen.com/valley-of-castles-cattle-coal/

The Wildflower crew and t-shirts I designed! Pretty cool!
08/07/2025

The Wildflower crew and t-shirts I designed! Pretty cool!

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Fort Collins, CO
80525

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