I will be at Book Expo in New York City next week. This is an industry show, I don’t think there is anything open to the public, and I’m booked up with business stuff the whole time. So I won’t be doing any regular events or even playing tourist while I’m there.
I’ll have the full calender of my tour stops and cons for the rest of the year posted as soon as I get back. I just needed to figure a few things out schedule wise before posting. People have been asking, yes, I will be at DragonCon. I’m going to ALA too, but that is causing me to miss LibertyCon. I’ve got about a month of tour around the release of Son of the Black Sword, and I’ll post all those soon.
Speaking of which, Jim Butcher read it and loved it. He wrote a blurb for the cover. Jim is a very talented author, I’ve been a fan of his for a long time, so that was pretty neat. Beyond the blurb he gave me a bunch of feedback on the plot. Jim got what I was trying to do and what I’m working towards. He’s a perceptive guy. 🙂
Some of you have noticed that on the eARC for Son of the Black Sword the cover has changed.
http://www.baenebooks.com/p-2688-son-of-the-black-sword-earc.aspx
The basic black cover is now the cover for the hard back. The Larry Elmore painting is now a full color art page in the front with the maps. This was one of those marketing decisions that the author didn’t have much to do with. There was a bunch of discussion. I trust my marketing people, so if that’s what they say to do, that’s what we’ll do.
People ask me how much say an author has over their cover. At first? Zip. And by the time you are successful enough that your opinion actually does count, that means you’ve sold enough books that you trust the people who sell them for you.
That said, this picture is still totally bad ass, and I’m glad it is in there as a glossy art page. (I’m also putting it on my wall in a nice frame).
Larry,
I’m one of the artists for Castalia House and we do allow interaction between the authors and the artists during the cover design process. I routinely exchange emails with them, or at the very least the editor will get their opinion of the various concepts and let the author chose the one they like the most.
This is one of the reasons authors like working with us (and other independent publishers) as they have more input in the process. As the artist I like it as well as it has almost universally been a positive thing and I get advance copies of the book to read by some of my favorite authors.
To clarify, I do have input with the artists. I talked with Larry a lot before he did this painting. This was a marketing decision after that involving the publisher and buyers.
Thanks for the clarification, and I like the look of the new cover as it looks more serious and fits the current style in epic fantasy. I’m looking forward to the new series!
Mr. Star,
May I just say that those are some awesome pictures you have on your website, and I may have to track down some of those books based on the cover art alone.
Thank you. It’s been a lot of fun working with some really good writers. I also suggest you check out http://www.castaliahouse.com/ and the Quantum Mortis series in particular for some classic and fun sci-fi.
Oooooo, I am liking that black cover for the hardback! With full art inside! That’s mouthwatering, that is!
Agreed. The new cover rocks.
It’s a great cover. Larry Elmore is a legend imo.
I read the free chapters here and enjoyed them.
Sorry to hear that your schedule omits LibertyCon, but totally get it. Also, I think that your cover art is an interesting and valuable departure from the usual Baen cover.
They are fine, mind you, I just like the change.
I actually really like the new black cover.
Personally, I like the simplest covers best. I like to imagine for myself what the characters look like. That said- I LOVE art inside the books, so the glossy insert is awesome too. Pretty sure I’ll get the hardcover of this one. Neat. 🙂
“I trust my marketing people,”
Larry’s got ‘people’ now. 🙂 Remember when you were your own marketing ‘people’. I still got a pdf of MHI with the original cover on a computer somewhere.
Hope the paperback has the Elmore cover.
Can’t wait!
ALA you say? I now have something to plan my schedule around and it looks like I’ll spend my own money on books for the first time at ALA Annual.
Heh. I thought I was one of the only non-lefty librarians remaining. Good to read Mr. Correia won’t be going into the belly of The Beast alone.
That’s exactly what I said! Now, I’m so much more excited to tackle the exhibit hall.
Art by Larry Elmore, one of my inspirations.
Book by Larry Correia, one of my favorite authors.
Blurb by Jim Butcher, another of my favorite authors.
Must get this in hardback, oh yes I do. Must gets it, precioussss….
You’ll like it, assuming you haven’t read it already. I raced through the eARC. Lotsa fun.
Hey Larry, is your schedule open August 20-23? Want to attend the 10th Annual Gun Blogger Rendezvous?
http://gunbloggers.blogspot.com/
We’d love to have you!
+1 to this-one of my favorite authors with some of my favorite bloggers??? Recipe for awesome
Am hoping you’re coming to GenCon – it will be my first time and I have a ticket for the BFAA presentation/Road Show (where I presume Son of the Black Sword will be plugged). I will buy a dead tree version of SOMETHING that you can sign if you’re there.
And if your book tour takes you to Kansas City (oh please) I volunteer to be your personal BBQ tour guide.
Digging the new cover but glad that the art page is included on the hardback edition. The best of both worlds.
I have to admit, I like the old cover better. Maybe I’m just old-fashioned, but I liked my books with an illustration on the cover, rather than just a solid color with maybe some kind of logo. I dislike this new trend.
I guess Baen knows what sells, but I’m glad the illustration will still be in the book.
Dragoncon?!? With this and them finally getting rid of Ed Kramer, I suddenly want to attend!
SOOOOO looking forward to SOTBS. Can’t wait.
I really like the new cover. In fact, I think I actually prefer it. (I usually prefer a nice illustration on the cover, but in this case I think it gives it maybe an older feel rather than a more modern one.) I can see how the new one would appeal to a wider potential audience. But it is pretty cool to still have the illustration on the inside.
I played D&D in the 80’s, I can therefore give expert testimony that an Elmore for York book means you have achieved victory.
You should tell people that Elmore did the (plain black) back cover too. I mean, it isn’t like the guy couldn’t paint a black rectangle, right?
Hope you’ll be dropping in to Uncle Hugo’s on the tour. Always enjoy your signings.
Does anyone know if the world map is included with the eARC, or will that only be included with the print edition?
Missing you at the Denver Comic Con. Maybe next year?
Brass, Sarah Hoyt’s at the Kevin J Anderson booth. You can say hi to a different evil lady of evil.
And Larry, you should have left Jemisin dangling a bit more. Finding out what evil thing you said at the yet un-held 2015 Gen Con would have been amusing.
The image looks generally awesome. Just a note. On my smartphone, the arms and posture of the man in front look somewhat unnatural. And the sword fades into the background, giving the impression of someone masturbating… Or it could just be me.
I like the old one, but I like the new one, too. I can see how it would be easier to brand as a series than the old one. But I also like the idea of having a glossy art page inside the book. Personally, I’d like to see a return to the concept of interior illustrations in novels. 🙂
As an older guy I’m loving this new website. I have also read the eARC for SoTBS and I’m wondering what stop on your tour will be closest to South Carolina. I would truly love to have a book signed by TILOH, not to mention spend a moment talking with him. It may even bring my reputation up a couple of levels.
I like the new cover much better.