Writtenwyrdd

Possible cover art

Vamp Chix had a link to this site, Killouettes.  They are darling little macabre, Victorian-style silhouettes with topics that shock and amuse.  I think they would make wonderful cover art. 

I mentioned before I loved Stacia Kane's Unholy Ghosts, but I just finished Unholy Magic AND IT IS BETTER THAN THE FIRST BOOK!!!!!! Go out and get these, they are great urban fantasy. Really.

An author's experience with her writing

Mind Games by Carolyn Crane.

I'm not going to review it, but I liked the book.  It takes a special way of thinking to be able to use a hypochondriac as a heroine and make it work! I'm looking forward to book 2, Double Cross.

Carolyn is also the blogger behind The Thrillionth Page, which I've followed for a long time now, and she has a great guest post over at cool spec fic blog Wicked Jungle.

I definitely like the cover, but if you ask me, the knife is a bit much and doesn't really fit the story.  It's either weapons or tattoos, though, I guess.

Upcoming releases for fantasy fans

The Kate Daniels series, book 4 will be out in April:

The Chicagoland Vampires volume 3 will be out in July:

And the 4th in the Raine Benares series will be out in April as well:

And although there is no cover art available yet, Michelle Sagara's Elantra Chronicles will have book 6 out, presumably sometime in 2010. 

I enjoy all three of these series (among a zillion others) and thought I'd mention them to you.  The first two are urban fantasies.  Kate Daniels is my favorite series at this time.  My second favorite is the Elantra Chronicles.  The Raine Benares series is an excellent fantasy series.  The first book was a bit tough to get into, but once you get into it, you can't help but love the world and the main character. The Chicagoland Vampires series is full of great characterization and a different take on the paranormal scene, and I'm enjoying the unfolding of the relationships between the characters.

And a note on cover art:  The Kate Daniels covers continue to have the poor woman drawn wearing an ill-fitting push-up bra.  I am annoyed every time I look at those covers.  But I must say I am glad that they decided not to go with a classically pretty cover girl.  Kate wouldn't be right as that sort of look.

Cool cover art: Paranormalcy, by our own Kiersten White

If you hadn't heard the screaming over at Ms. K's blog, she's gotten the cover for her upcoming release, Paranormalcy.  It's a YA book and her first. 

Congrats to Kiersten both for her novel and for such a great cover. 

SF wins the Edge Hill Short Story Prize!

 

Congratulations to Chris Beckett for the win!  I haven't read the book, but it seems like a good read to add to the TBR list.

SFFmedia.com has an article on the Edge Hill Prize which is interesting.  Sort of a backhanded compliment in the way the judges talk about their decision...as if embarrassed.

And that's a cover:win! if you ask me. 

Cover: Fail!

Pop Quiz!  Only one question, and it's pass or fail:  What is wrong with this cover?

If you answered "wicked sharp knife held on with ace wrap so sexy heroine can slice herself up while wandering about with an illegal-in-most-municipalities uber sharp knife," you get an A!!!

Just started the book and so far it's good; but the cover is going to be one of those ones that I like the book despite of.  That frigging knife is obnoxious in it's attention-grabbing wrongness.  Oh, and if she's just walking, it's just the right location to accidentally slash her hand on when her arms swings.  I could go on.

So to many people, this cover, while cool in an arty/sexy/dramatic way, sucks big ones in its abysmal understanding of weaponry.  Even a modicum of common sense should have avoided this embarrassment.  However, it is NOT the author's fault, so I am ignoring it as best I can. 

(I hate the cover big time, though.  Lots and lots and lots and lots...)

Cool Cover

I'm not the least bit interested in reading a Warhammer world novel or Worlds of Warcraft or any spinoff from a MMORPG or whatever the acronym is...but this cover for a book due out in 9/2010 is awesome with awesome sauce!  So I'm sharing the art. 

Thanks to Dark Wolf's Fantasy Reviews for the linkage.