I just got the cover proof for the UK edition of AN ECHO IN THE BONE. As usual [g], this is Completely Different from the US design–but also different from the most recent UK versions of the series cover, because we have a new UK publisher for ECHO–Orion.
The cover is really striking, and I like it (slight quibble with the typography and balance of the title, but art departments routinely mess with those things; this isn’t a finished product, by any means).
Anyway, I asked the editor whether Orion would mind my showing it to you–since y’all were so interested and helpful in the question of the new US cover–and he said that would be great; he’d be very interested to hear your comments.
Only difficulty being that I don’t know whether I can insert a .jpg into this blog–or if so, how. Do any of y’all have any good technical advice? (If I can’t post it here, I’ll put it up on my website, but that takes a bit longer.)
Thanks!
OK, I _think_ I’ve got it. Let’s see now…OK! I think it worked.
Really striking, as I say–the gradations of blue are gorgeous; don’t know how well they’ll show up here. And the leaf in the center is–they tell me–going to be embossed in gold foil, so will be much more visible. (I was impressed that somebody thought about it enough to come up with the skeletal leaf as a non-bony [g] metaphor for the title.)
Anyway, let me know what you think!
Just upload the .jpg from your hard drive. Go to the edit screen for your post, or make a new entry. It’s the little picture thingy button (technical term) on the menu.
Janine is right
I am a visual person so I used this link since it has lots of step by step pictures on how to do it:
http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=41641&topic=12532
Can't wait for the pic!
Dear Janine and Night–
Thanks! It actually worked–I’m amazed. [g]
Nice enough, I guess. Agree that the title needs ajusting. Won’t get you any new readers, I don’t think, but then a) you don’t really need to, and b) they would be a bit silly to start by reading this one anyway, eh?
Keep up the good work,
Chrisx
wow – even though I’m a die-hard fan of the US covers, this one is spectacular. thanks for sharing!
-Kelly
They will listen if you have quibbles, Diana. At least they always have to me (I just sent you an email about this). I love the deep blue–you could almost drown in it–and the delicacy of that skeletal leaf… a promising start to work on, I reckon. I’m guessing it’s got a good texture too, or will have. They’re good on texture.
I absolutely LOVE the rich blue tones. Probably the most striking cover of all. I got chills just looking at it. Can’t imagine what will happen when I actually get to read it!!!
Thanks for inspiring us all with your passion and imagination – your books are truly a gift.
Wow, I really like it.
It’s very different from the other U.K. covers which I was really fond of, but it’s so different and I think it works really well.
I’m sure once you’ve sorted out the typography you like it will be even better.
Must admit the smaller pic doesn’t do it justice, but once I clicked on it and got a HUGE view!, I LOVE it!
Definitely worth the wait and I know this isn’t the finished product but it’s gorgeous now!
Personally, I’ve always been partial to that shade of blue. It’s beautiful. To me, it’s evocative. I agree with you about the title. It does need to be rebalanced. The center placement of the skeletal leaf and then the surrounding leaves is very pleasing. Overall, I love it!
Thank you for sharing this with us. I think it is beautiful and I’m sure any changes you have them make will only improve it.
I really like this, as far as overall effect, very haunting IMHO. I’d like to respectfully suggest that, if staying with the “jewel” covers, that the US version be a similar dark blue with the skeletal leaf for it’s icon.
Ooooh, it’s so pretty! I love it. I think I’m going to order my copy from the UK.
Well, I’m no expert, but I’d pick this up if I didn’t already read and know about the author. I like it, though the font throws me off a bit from the usual fonts that have been used on the US covers, but I haven’t seen the other UK covers and it’s certainly not a bad font… just different. All in all, I like it. Thanks for sharing it!
I love the blue! The blue/black combination is visually catchy (I’m an artist, that’s another technical term…), but something in the composition bothers me. Maybe the font, but I’m not sure. I love the simplicity of the U.S. covers.
Perhaps a silly question, but will the UK edition be different from the US edition (a la Cross Stitch/Outlander), or could we Yanks order the UK (and are the release dates the same?)
Bedelia
Well I really like it. The deep blue and the graduations thereof are attractive (to me). Plus I have a thing about botanical stuff so leaves and trees are all good….
If the leaf is embossed then that just adds to the effect – fondle factor is important to this book reader. (And smell too, but maybe that is just too wierd).
Oh, wow! I love it. It’s really, really beautiful and would make a great christmas present next year (if it’s out by that time)
Simply beautiful! The deep blue and black just pulls you into the cover and it evokes a very somber and troubled emotional response… just what you want to sink your teeth into. The skeletal leaf adds to the intensity. Very different, but very striking. I can’t wait!
Pretty shade of blue. I like it.
I agree that there's something not quite right about the balance of the words (I would think either Echo and Bone should be bigger, or all the words should be the same size, but then what do I know? <g>)
And I'm wondering about the symbolism of that leaf, naturally. (Jamie and Claire in the autumn of their lives? Not a thought I want to dwell on.)
BTW, here's another blogger tip for you: you can use < and > for < and > instead of the square brackets, if you prefer. <g>
Karen