Stormed Fortress: Status Updates

originally posted by Hunter

Arithon surrounded by his aura on the US cover of Peril's Gate was not enough "Light" - and it was in Lysaer's favourite colours of yellow and blue.

originally posted by Blue

Janny, Hunter, Trys, everyone…

I meant that I would have Janny paint this for me PRIVATELY, were I able to afford it.

I'd be willing to bet she could make short, slight Arithon sexier than Fabio! :smiley:

originally posted by Hunter

Don't you dare take Janny away from writing time… :smiley:

Correct me if I'm wrong? Most of the griping about the US covers comes from folks who are not here. :smiley:

The Artist Rules.

The Whole Series Isn't Finished Yet.

You'd Be Surprised What's On My Easel - that's not been seen by Anyone yet.

Ah - yes - topic status update - I have this subchapter to finish today, and it's Very Close, with the beginning of the Next already formulating - a delightful sign of hot progress to come. I just LOVE when 2 angles of view fold together this way - ups tension, shortens pages.

originally posted by Neil

he he :slight_smile:

I don't think I'll spend much time looking at the cover the moment I lay my hands on "Stormed Fortress" :wink:

But then I may be in a state of shock to have the last part of AOL in my hands…but this is one series where all other readng will inevitably stop and make way.

Status - subchapter drafted. Official manuscript page count stands at 673, which is NICELY in line for a reasonable length finish…yes! On target, and feels great.

Next thread of the Final Sequence launches now…by gosh, the finale action is looming!

These scenes have been lined up for A Very Long Time. Nice to seem them reach daylight as something more than notes on a sequence of paper scraps. :smiley:

originally posted by Arend

Marvelous!

I couldn't resist and I made a (link removed)! (I couldn't seem to include the image in the post.) :smiley:

originally posted by Trys

Arend,

I have the post images feature turned off as I don't want to exceed bandwidth or storage. :wink:

But I must say, you've got a wee bit too much time on your hands. That said, cool graph!!!

Trys

originally posted by Beth

A lot of the time, I prefer the UK covers to the US covers in general. However, with Janny's art, I'll take whatever she gives us. :smiley:

What's the use in complaining about the covers other than as a general rant. The publishers don't really listen or care what the general populace think. They have this 'image' this is what the most people want and that's what we will give them. And quite frankly, the cover doesn't stop me from buying the book. Particularly if it is for an author that I pretty much buy what is put out. (Janny is one of my authors that I just buy the book no questions asked.)

I may comment that the cover is rediculous, has nothing to do with the actual story or just why they need barbie female on the cover of a fantasy/horror book…but I generally still buy the US book and wish it had the UK equivalent on it.


Beth

originally posted by Myranda

I liked the old UK cover art, but I think the re-printed covers look really nice, and as long as the publishers stick to it till the very end, it will make a lovely set on the shelf :smiley:

I remember going to the states while reading a series of books - had bought number 1 here, and the cover art was a well painted piece… got to the states and bought 2, 3, and 4 as the nights were dull (parents not wanting to go out after a fll day) and there was no cover art, just blue white and red covers with raised writing.

I wonder Janny, as an author do you sometimes feel "this is the absolute perfect cover for this book" only to have different publishers in different continents tell you to do another? I'd have thought that could be very frustrating

originally posted by neil

Arend, very impressive :slight_smile:

Beth, I, at least, wasn't complaining :wink: I was perhaps being a little too cheeky so near the author's posts…that's the down side of feeling too comfortable on the board…one's words can always be misinterpreted or plain badly expressed :slight_smile:

I *was* shocked to see only Arithon on the last few US covers (I have the UK ones and thus haven't paid much attention to the US covers which generally I like less (and that goes for all books/authors). Something about the style so mabe the publishers do know what we like in different parts of the world (or at least what we are used to seeing on covers) :wink:

That said, of course, the cover would not stop any of us from buying the rest of books :slight_smile:

And I don't feel the publishers are unaware of the market (although here I have to admit to complete and utter ignorance) I suspect that everyone has a different point from where to see. This is, of course, a theme in WoLaS :wink:

originally posted by Arend

Trys, that took me all of 20 minutes. Getting the data as well as plotting it. I'm a professional at the data analysis thing :slight_smile:

Thanks, neil, we do what we must while waiting for SF to come out ^_~

I forgot to mention that the dashed vertical line is Jan 1st, 2006.

originally posted by juliana

Is there a place in this web site to see the original UK cover artwork?

originally posted by Trys

Hi Juliana,

Welcome to the site.

Yes. Using the menu, navigate to Books: List of Books: Wars of Light and Shadow and click on the title you want to see. The page will come up showing the most recent release's cover. Clicking on that cover will cycle through any covers that I have for that book. For instance, Curse of the Mistwraith will start with the new UK cover. Clicking switches it to the US cover, the old UK cover, the Czech cover, the two German covers (book was split into two) and then the two Hungarian covers (also split into two).

You can also see thumbnails of the various editions by clicking on the List of Books menu item.

Enjoy,

Trys

originally posted by juliana

Thank you Trys. I like the variety of the European releases. I thought I knew these books pretty well but… who is the sorcerer on the cover of the Hungarian Ships of Merior?

originally posted by Trys

Juliana,

No idea. :smiley: It's not Janny's artwork. I always wondered about the black feline on the second Hungarian book of Ships.

Trys

originally posted by juliana

perhaps a poor translation of what the Leopard of Rathain looks like??

One goal for today: put the wrap on chapter set 10. Shouldn't be too impossible. I know where it's going. It's making it lock into the transit for the opening of 11…official page count as of today is: 685

originally posted by Maddie

I understand that the manuscript is going to the publishers in June, not knowing the procedure for draft-to publishing to on the shelves, when will we be able to read SF in the UK?

I am fairly new to the fantasy books used to read just fiction, If I may be so bold to ask can any one recommend a really good book/series,I've read the riftwar sagas and a couple of standalones from Mr Feist and to Ride to Hells Chasm. Hope you don't mind me asking Janny.

originally posted by Trys

Maddie,

I'll let Janny answer the question about publication date.

As to books… there is a Book Nook topic where you can find many recommendations from those who wished to post.

Feel free to post there and give us some idea of what you look for in a book in the way of style, etc. and I'm sure we'll come up with a plethora of recommendations. :wink:

Trys