Last week, the UK cover for A Blade so Black by L. L. McKinney was released on The Book Smugglers. It's a gorgeous, gorgeous cover. I love the nods to Alice in Wonderland in it; the rabbit with the clock top-left, the club and spade symbols on the left among the roses. Though, if I'm honest, I'm not crazy about the placement of the Entertainment Weekly quote, but that's a conversation for another day. Despite how beautiful this cover is, it did remind of something that UK publishers don't seem to do brilliant at - representing marginalised people on covers.
Over my years as a book blogger, there is something I have found: 9 times out of 10, the US edition of a book will have a better cover than the UK cover. I also think there's a kind of style about covers from each, that without being told beforehand, I'd be able to pick out which cover was for the US or the UK edition. This is not to say that the UK covers are awful, just that I feel more often than not, the US covers are so much better. Take these covers for example.
The US cover for Die For Me by Amy Plum has been changed to an edited version of the UK cover. Read Amy's thoughts here.
In the US, Nightshade by Andrea Cremer has had a cover change for the paperback release. Because of this, the hardback of Wolfsbane has had a cover change to match it. Read Andrea's thoughts here. (Sorry about image size, can't make any bigger.)
And the UK cover for Wolfsbane:
Finally, the cover for Crossed, the sequel to Matched by Ally Condie has also been released. Read Ally's thoughts here.
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Vicki of Heaven, Hell and Purgatory is organising a Northern UK Book Blogger Meet-Up. Anyone in the UK is welcome, but as most Northerners have trouble making it down to London, they're organising one up north. Check out the post and let Vicki know if you're interested!
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The wonderful Michelle of Fluttering Butterflies is bringing back her blog feature, Awesome Women. Michelle says, "On my blog previously, I'd always tried to maintain a regular feature highlighting amazing and inspiring women but after several (fascinating!) guest posts, the feature kind of fizzled out. I'm really going to do my best to keep it going this time, with Saturdays being dedicated to profiles of individual women, fictional characters and to mix things up, some interviews with some incredible bloggers/authors."
Richelle Mead had adult urban fantasy author of the Jane True series, Nicole Peeler guest post on her blog to discuss how young is too young when it comes to reading books not considered YA. Really interesting post!
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Alyxandra Harvey will be coming over to the UK in May to promote her forthcoming novel, Haunting Violet. You can find out more details on the facebook page.
Here's a note from Alyxandra about the book, and after that, a video of Alyxandra talking about the novel at her own haunted house in Canada.
The Orion Publishing Group is delighted to share the exciting news of the launch of INDIGO, the new imprint that will publish a wide variety of genres for teens and young adults by established authors and rising stars.
Launching in September 2011 INDIGO will publish four titles per month.
INDIGO will publish fiction for older teen readers focussing on the strengths of the publishing that currently sit on the popular and successful Gollancz and Orion Children's Books imprints.
A stellar list of authors will launch the new venture, becoming our first INDIGO authors: Mia James, Cinda Williams Chima, Harlan Coben, Kate Harrison, Holly Black, Marcus Sedgwick, Sara Grant, Sally Gardner, Chris Wooding, Anna Kendall, Cliff McNish, Sarah Silverwood, Alan Gibbons, James Dawson, Chloe Neill and Annabel Pitcher.
Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Frankland and Brendan Halpin (released 7th March 2011) - Teen TV celebrities Jenna and Jonah (real names, Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers) make more money in a month than most people do in a lifetime. They can't stand to be in the same room as each other, but to boost the TV ratings their agents make them a 'real life' couple. Then the deception is uncovered by the paparazzi, and Charlie and Fielding have to disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realise there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile. From Amazon UK
You can read an extract of the first chapter here. Find out more about Brendan Halpin on his website, Facebook page, and on Twitter @bhalpin, and find out more about Emily Franklin on her website.
The Fall by Anthony McGowan (released 1st Mat) - Mog and his mates are bored. Their school’s a dump – the type of place kids get expelled to. Their lives seem pointless – they spend their time at school messing around or going out thieving. The most exciting thing to do is to jump over the beck: the polluted stream at the back of the school. And it’s there that two separate events occur which will change Mog’s life forever… From the press release.
This is Anthony McGowan's first book for Barrington Stoke, a publisher for dyslexic and reluctant readers.
Here's the UK cover for Die For You by Amy Plum! How gorgeous is it?! I love it! And I love the sound of this book!
“In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.”
“When Kate Mercier’s parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life—and memories—behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.
Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate’s guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he’s a revenant—an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.
In this incandescent debut, newcomer Amy Plum has created a powerful paranormal mythology with immortal revenants. The Paris setting comes enchantingly alive as a relentless struggle between good and evil takes place in its streets. Rich with romance, atmosphere, and thrills, Die for Me will leave readers breathlessly awaiting its sequel.” From AmyPlumBooks.com
I so can't wait to read this book!
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A fan of Anthony McGowan's The Knife that Killed Me? Loved When I Was Joe by Keren David? Devoured Spider by Linda Strachan? Well a fantastic new blog set up by four brilliant authors - Keren David, Anne Cassidy, Gillian Philip and Linda Strachan - will be right up your street! Crime Central will concentrate on crime writing for teens. They will feature new books, get posts from writers and generally promote the genre. They have just launched with a giveaway of Anne Cassidy books. So go check it out!
Please, please download it! My amazing composer, Harriet Bushman, and I donated our royalties, so all the iTunes proceeds go to keep the Amabile family singing. I am amazed at what Harriet and the Amabile girls turned my humble lyrics into.
For those of you who haven't read SING, "Take me Home" is a gospel spiritual about a slave girl who wants the Good Lord to take her home. Beth wins the solo from the diva in her competitive girls' choir--and her life is never the same. The Amabile guys, who inspired the story, previously released,"Beth's Song.""
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Ten lucky people can win tickets to meet Twilight author Stephenie Meyer at an intimate gathering! Check out the press release for more info.
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Books to check out:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith - The story opens with newly married protagonists, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, defending their village from an army of flesh-eating unmentionables. But the honeymoon has barely begun when poor Mr. Darcy is nipped by a raging dreadful. Elizabeth knows the only acceptable course of action is to promptly behead her husband (and then burn the corpse, just to be safe). But when she hears rumours of a miracle antidote being developed in London, she realizes there may be one last chance to save her true love - and for everyone to live happily ever after. From Amazon UK
Since I posted a few weeks back about all the new red UK covers for the whole Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead, I have had a few people come to me asking where they can get them. Everyone seemed to be saying the same thing; either online or in actual shops, they could only find either Frostbite or Last Sacrifice with the new covers.
I emailed my contact at Puffin about this and found out some information. It turns out that the novels with the new covers will become available once the novels with the old covers sell out, and a reprint is needed. Then the new covers will be available to buy. Last Sacrifice has only been released with this one cover, and Frostbite has been reprinted, hence the red cover. The other novels in the series are yet to need reprinting, which is why we can't find them anywhere. Apparently, it could take a couple of months before we see the new red covers on our bookshops' shelves or on online stores. It's just a case of waiting, I'm afraid. Hope this helps some of you!
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Alyxandra Harvey will be coming over to the UK in May to promote her forthcoming novel, Haunting Violet. You can find out more details on the 
Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Frankland and Brendan Halpin (released 7th March 2011) - Teen TV celebrities Jenna and Jonah (real names, Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers) make more money in a month than most people do in a lifetime. They can't stand to be in the same room as each other, but to boost the TV ratings their agents make them a 'real life' couple. Then the deception is uncovered by the paparazzi, and Charlie and Fielding have to disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realise there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile. From Amazon UK
The Fall by Anthony McGowan (released 1st Mat) - Mog and his mates are bored. Their school’s a dump – the type of place kids get expelled to. Their lives seem pointless – they spend their time at school messing around or going out thieving. The most exciting thing to do is to jump over the beck: the polluted stream at the back of the school. And it’s there that two separate events occur which will change Mog’s life forever… From the press release.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith - The story opens with newly married protagonists, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, defending their village from an army of flesh-eating unmentionables. But the honeymoon has barely begun when poor Mr. Darcy is nipped by a raging dreadful. Elizabeth knows the only acceptable course of action is to promptly behead her husband (and then burn the corpse, just to be safe). But when she hears rumours of a miracle antidote being developed in London, she realizes there may be one last chance to save her true love - and for everyone to live happily ever after. From Amazon UK
Since I posted a few weeks back about all the new red UK covers for the whole Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead, I have had a few people come to me asking where they can get them. Everyone seemed to be saying the same thing; either online or in actual shops, they could only find either Frostbite or Last Sacrifice with the new covers.
