Geist

The Face of Your Story

Facebook certainly has developed a way to remind you rather forcefully of the passing of time. Yes, logging onto Facebook this morning, the memories popped up and reminded me it was six years ago that I was shown my cover art for Geist.

Six years ago.

However, I do remember it very well. It was my first NYC publishing cover, and at that stage I had zero input into what it looked like. Yep, it was a total dice roll. Luckily I must have rolled a natural 20, because what Jason Chan produced was absolutely gorgeous. It showed my character (MY CHARACTER, my mind screamed when I saw it), Sorcha Faris. She was dressed exactly as I had written her, but he had captured an expression on her face that reflected the character beneath.

And it wasn’t just me with my bias that thought so. That cover went on to win the Chesley for Paperback Book Cover Illustration. Jason wasn’t at the event, but I got to accept the award on his behalf. I nearly cried.

So yes, authors can get very, very attached to their covers.

After ten books with big publishing, the cover process changed. I was asked if I had ideas, to supply images to give the artist ideas, and even my opinion on the cover before it was released. I got a change made to a dragon!

I was extremely lucky, over and over again. Artists like Jason Chan, and Karla Ortiz brought my vision to light, and in turn inspired me to write the sequels. It was a delicious loop.

I have tried doing my own covers. Once. Early on.

Yeah, I quit doing that…however, I do know what I like.

I like characters to have heads. I know in the romance genre the reasoning goes that it allows the reader to identify with the main character, or to imagine themselves in that place…but for fantasy I need a face.

I need the front cover image to convey a feeling, and a mood that goes with the book.

I love to see real art and care.

Recently I’ve been lucky enough to work even closer with artist for my own independent books. Alex White for Weather Child and Ministry Protocol. Most recently Michael Ward of Go ForWard Photography and Starla Huchton of Designed by Starla for The Ghost Rebellion.

And I learned some things. If you are working with good people, let them be good. Even though now I am paying for these shoots and covers, I am a writer. They are the visual artists. Some of these shoots I have known exactly what I wanted (‘hey Alex, I want to see a women hovering in mid-air in the middle of the thunder-storm’) and others we’ve given them free rein.

Sure, as the person paying we have the final say, and we are consulted with about what is happening, but often the magic of the cover is uncovered in the process of creation. Watching Michael Ward, move the models around, work the lighting and the composition…yeah, I just sat back and let him work his magic.

Hopefully my good luck with cover art continues, but I will never forget the fear and trepidation on getting that email with the subject ‘here’s your cover art’. It was swiftly followed by the delight of an author that finds an artist has truly brought her ideas to life.

Welcome 2013!

It’s a little late, but I’ve been assessing 2012, and planning 2013 so that takes some time.

2012 was my best year yet as far as financial rewards for writing, but there were some goals that I didn’t reach. I’m not going to get depressed about that, but it comes time to set new ones for the year ahead.

In 2012 Tee and I worked not only on novels, but on getting our own self-publishing business, Imagine That! Studios, as a nice side income stream working for us. ITS is about producing new short fiction, as well as being a way to have our independent novels out there in the wild. It did about seven times better than 2011, but I know 2013 can be even better. I started the year by releasing a project I’d been working on for awhile The Little Clockwork Mermaid, but look for more from ITS in future months.

In 2012 the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences became a Locus Bestseller, and I won a Parsec for the Precarious Child. This year means a new round of awards open up for us. First up is the Sir Julius Vogel Award, which has a special place in my heart because it recognises New Zealand fiction writers. Wrayth, the Janus Affair, and Hunter and Fox are all open to be nominated, the more nominations the better. So if you think any of these deserve to be on the list, please go nominate! Later on there are the Parsecs and the Airship Awards…so we shall see…

And just got word today that the omnibus edition of Geist, Spectyr and Wrayth is shipping. So if you’d like a hardback edition with an awesome cover, then please order away. I am very excited because this is my very first omnibus anything.

As for what I am working on currently…well now is the time to be producing three chapter and synopsis for new series. I have ideas for two. The first whose working title is the Knack, is set in 1920s with a fun new heroine and a dark conspiracy in the heart of England. I’m enjoying pulling together the plot with Scrivener, and making all the character sketches. The second idea I will be constructing a submission package for in February is set in America just after the civil war.

So I am messing about with history again, though I am not ruling out a return to epic fantasy after the saga of Sorcha, Merrick, Raed and the Rossin finish.

Also ahead in 2013 we have the release of several things in the summer. Harbinger, Kindred and Wings, and the clockwork fairytale anthology I am in are all coming out fairly close to each other.

Tee and I are also working on Ministry projects to span the slight gap between book two and three. Look for a Kickstarter in March for a print anthology. We have some exciting authors lined up to write for us, and we think our readers and listeners will be excited too.

Once again though, I would like to thank those readers and listeners for supporting me. You make it possible for me to keep doing what I am doing, and I’m going to work even harder in 2013 to keep bringing you stories.

Deadlines and appearances

Time for an update from me!

Well, the deadline for Harbinger is drawing in, and it is hard to let go of these Deacons, Pretenders and geists that I have spent the last five years visiting with. I am pulling all the threads together and deciding their fate…

On the happy side, I’ve had word that the German version of Geist will be coming in the summer of 2013â€”which makes me wonder what the title will be. Since Phoenix Rising came out in Russia and Germany, I’ve begun to crave as many foreign versions as possible!

Our next appearance after that will be at DragonCon!

For now back to the writing!

Jason Chan WINS!

I am currently at WorldCon in Reno Nevada, and having a fine old time, but none as fine as what happened tonight.

The Chelsey Awards are the big award for fantasy artists and are presented by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors. Jason Chan’s work for my book Geist was nominated in the category of Best Cover; Paperback.

Jason couldn’t be at WorldCon, but since Tee and I are here we went along to represent him. We were sitting in the audience, just watching the nominees. I leaned across to Tee and whispered ‘This is one of those categories where it is an honor to be nominated.’ Check out the field of competitors if you don’t believe me.

So when Lou Anders of Pyr books read out Jason’s name, I was so delighted. It felt like I’d won the award. I got up on the stage and blathered something about how getting great cover art was such a joy as an author, and how Jason was so amazing (obviously they already knew that!)

So the beautiful award will be winging its way to Jason, and I hope he knows it was my honor to be there to represent him. He’s fantastically talented, and this recognition just goes to prove that.

Yes, this is now officially award-winning cover art!

Two tiny tidbits

Already 2011 has begun with a bang.

First off- Geist’s trailer (which Tee Morris produced) won Best Overall Adult at Parajunkee’s View.

I am so delighted with this as Tee (and me to a certain extent) put such a lot of work into it. If I can wax lyrical about book trailers for a second. I like them to be like movie trailers. I don’t like to have to read a whole slew of text, and I think in this case a voice over worked really well. Wait until you see what Tee has planned for Phoenix Rising!

Speaking of… my other bit of cool news. Phoenix Rising has been sold to a publisher in Russia! So that is the fourth country it will be available in; Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Russia. I am so excited, and can’t wait to see what they do for covers and titles.

But Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences is Ministerstvo Osobaya nahodok according to Google translate. If there are any Russian speakers out there that know different, sing out.