advice on writing, from draft to publication
Good morning! Today’s book cover pick is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by author L. Frank Baum and Austin-based illustrator Michael Sieben.
This is the new edition that released just last month. I had a chance to flip through it at Barnes & Noble, and it’s fantastic. A little bit weird, but awesome.
Read an interview with Sieben and check out some interior art here.
Have a safe and happy weekend!
Today’s book cover pick is The Cats of Tanglewood Forest by author Charles de Lint and illustrator Charles Vess. Why? BECAUSE I LOVE CATS, that’s why.
Here’s a description:
The magic is all around you, if only you open your eyes …
Lillian Kindred spends her days exploring the Tanglewood Forest, a magical, rolling wilderness that she imagines to be full of fairies. The trouble is, Lillian has never seen a wisp of magic in her hills — until the day the cats of the forest save her life by transforming her into a kitten. Now Lillian must set out on a perilous adventure that will lead her through untamed lands of fabled creatures — from Old Mother Possum to the fearsome Bear People — to find a way to make things right.
In this whimsical, original folktale written and illustrated throughout in vibrant full color by two celebrated masters of modern fantasy, a young girl’s journey becomes an enchanting coming-of-age story about magic, friendship, and the courage to shape one’s own destiny.
What do you think? I love the … well, the cats, and the name of the book. And the lush green color and reflection in the water.
Have a great weekend! Hug some kitties. :)
Today’s book cover pick is What the Raven Saw by Samantha-Ellen Bound.
Here’s a description:
An unlikely hero. An extraordinary story.
The raven doesn’t want you to read his story. What if you find out the location of his treasure? Or worse, what if you learn his secret — that ravens can talk?
But you should read it, even though the raven wants to be left alone. A pesky pigeon, a beady-eyed weatherhen, a ghost boy and a lovestruck scarecrow will make sure this story isn’t just about one grumpy raven. With their help, the raven will uncover a thief, sing his own song, and discover there’s more to life than being magnificent.
Just promise that you won’t steal his treasure.
What do you think? I adore the arts-and-crafts look — it emphasizes that touch of imagination involved in manifesting the raven’s story.
Happy Friday! Boy, I could use a nap — but no sleeping for me because it’s time for another awesome book cover. Today’s pick is the children’s book The Broken Lands by author Kate Milford and illustrator Andrea Offermann.
It was published last year. Here’s a description:
A crossroads can be a place of great power. So begins this deliciously spine-tingling prequel to Kate Milford’s The Boneshaker, set in the colorful world of nineteenth-century Coney Island and New York City. Few crossroads compare to the one being formed by the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River, and as the bridge’s construction progresses, forces of unimaginable evil seek to bend that power to their advantage. Only two orphans with unusual skills stand in their way. Can the teenagers Sam, a card sharp, and Jin, a fireworks expert, stop them before it’s too late? Here is a richly textured, slow-burning thriller about friendship, courage, and the age-old fight between good and evil.
Just to dispel any confusion, this is the prequel to The Boneshaker, not Boneshaker.
But wow, is this cover gorgeous or what? I love the colors and the viewpoint. Very creative, and it has a ton of detail, too.
What do you think?
I have a long weekend ahead of me (game reviewing and running around, as usual), and I’m determined to squeeze in some leisure time for reading. My boyfriend and I have been watching the first season of American Horror Story although I’m not sure why at this point. I’m curious about the remaining episodes, but we both hate about 80 percent of the characters, and the show doesn’t make any sense at times. Have you seen it? Thoughts?
Happy Friday! Today’s book cover pick is Wings of Fire #2: The Lost Heir by Tui T. Sutherland.
Here’s a description:
The WINGS OF FIRE saga continues with a thrilling underwater adventure — and a mystery that will change everything!
The lost heir to the SeaWing throne is going home at last …
She can’t believe it’s finally happening. Tsunami and her fellow dragonets of destiny are journeying under the water to the great SeaWing Kingdom. Stolen as an egg from the royal hatchery, Tsunami is eager to meet her future subjects and reunite with her mother, Queen Coral.
But Tsunami’s triumphant return doesn’t go quite the way she’d imagined. Queen Coral welcomes her with open wings, but a mysterious assassin has been killing off the queen’s heirs for years, and Tsunami may be the next target. The dragonets came to the SeaWings for protection, but this ocean hides secrets, betrayal — and perhaps even death.
Wings of Fire is for young readers, ages 8 and up, and this is the second book in the fantasy-adventure series.
I don’t have a complicated reason for choosing this cover — I just like it! It’s a nice illustration, and, well, dragons are cool.
What do you think? Do you like it? Any plans for the weekend?
Happy belated Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday. Thanksgiving was a little different for me this year. My parents traveled across the country to visit my eldest sister, and my boyfriend drove out of state to spend the day with part of his family. Even so, I had a great time and enjoyed the company, and I’m definitely enjoying the extra-long weekend break! I’ve been sleeping in, eating leftovers, and watching TV shows — Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, and Twin Peaks (the clear inspiration for one of my new favorite video games, Deadly Premonition). And of course, reading! I’m busy with a book for Kirkus Indie and with Life of Pi for my two-person book club. :D
This year, I’m thankful for my family and amazing boyfriend, but I’m also grateful that my grandpa could make it home for the holiday. He hasn’t been doing so well lately and has been spending a lot of time in the hospital, trying to get better. It made Thanksgiving more special that we could have him with us.
What are you thankful for this year? Books are something we can all be happy about! This week’s pick is a children’s classic, rereleased as an e-book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.
Do you like the cover? I adore the bright colors and childish flair to it, and I can imagine kids would be drawn to the style. That brings up an interesting topic. Where do you stand on publishers rereleasing classics with more modern covers? As someone who looks for the most aesthetic version of a book, I’m totally for them. And if it gets a book back into print (or in this case, fresh availability as an e-book) — even better. The way I see it, if a fancy cover gets young readers to try an old book instead of passing it by, what’s the harm?
Today’s book cover (sorry it’s late!) is Goblin Secrets by William Alexander.
Here’s a description from Amazon:
A boy joins a theatrical troupe of goblins to find his missing brother.
In the town of Zombay, there is a witch named Graba who has clockwork chicken legs and moves her house around—much like the fairy tale figure of Baba Yaga. Graba takes in stray children, and Rownie is the youngest boy in her household. Rownie’s only real relative is his older brother Rowan, who is an actor. But acting is outlawed in Zombay, and Rowan has disappeared.
Desperate to find him, Rownie joins up with a troupe of goblins who skirt the law to put on plays. But their plays are not only for entertainment, and the masks they use are for more than make-believe. The goblins also want to find Rowan—because Rowan might be the only person who can save the town from being flooded by a mighty river.
This accessible, atmospheric fantasy takes a gentle look at love, loss, and family while delivering a fast-paced adventure that is sure to satisfy.
This one’s rated for ages 8 and up. I love the fullness and range of colors! What do you think of the cover?
Have a great weekend, everyone! I’m rushing out the door soon to visit my boyfriend’s family for the weekend. It was his birthday yesterday, so we celebrated with homemade pumpkin cheesecake, tacos, and movies and TV shows! :)
This week’s selection is Can’t Catch a Butterfly, a 2008 children’s book by Michelle Zimmerman.
I love the texture of this cover and how much it resembles a little kid’s drawing!
This week’s featured cover is Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev, the second book in her Theatre Illuminata series.
It’s a teen book for ages 12 and up that tells a story of “romance, magic, adventure, and fairies.”
I love illustrated covers, how about you?
What could be more suitable than an awesome book on a Friday? And not just any Friday—awesome book cover Friday!
An Awesome Book! is written and illustrated by Dallas Clayton. I couldn’t resist doubling this post up with another of Clayton’s books, An Awesome Book of Thanks!. Check out the covers for both and a very cool (I mean awesome) poster advertising the second one.
Here’s the link to Clayton’s Tumblr/website. He’s also on Twitter!
P.S.: Sorry for the slow blog week! Things have been even busier on my end lately. News writing consumes a good hunk of my time, and I’m pursuing new work possibilities. Wish me luck! I’ll try to chip away at some new posts soon.
