Lois McMaster Bujold's Blog, page 54
September 18, 2015
Cover reveal! Falling Free
For the past month or so, I have been working closely with artist (and long-time friend -- like, 45 years) Ron Miller on a complete set of updated covers for my direct-placement e-editions in the Vorkosigan series. http://www.black-cat-studios.com/ I very much wanted sophisticated cover treatments that evoked each book's theme, while giving a coherent and recognizable overall series "look".
It's been a very exciting (and very educational) process. We worked through several design ideas before finally getting to the final scheme. There are lots of constraints with e-book covers. For the most part, they will appear as small images, frequently as thumbnails or grayscale, so fine details tend to get lost. Each needed to provide a strong, simple image that would register on the eye and mind in the perhaps half second that average browser gives to them; and, with luck, intrigue the viewer enough to stop and look further.
The set of 17 new e-covers are now done, but as I also decided to give my 2011 text files each a last proofreading before putting them up again, they won't appear all at once. But the first, for Falling Free, is now up on our three vendors, Kindle, Nook, and iPad, or will be shortly.
For a bonus, Ron also supplied very nice professional title pages, and devised me my very own colophon!
So here is the first peek...
More to follow as they each go up...
Ta, L.
It's been a very exciting (and very educational) process. We worked through several design ideas before finally getting to the final scheme. There are lots of constraints with e-book covers. For the most part, they will appear as small images, frequently as thumbnails or grayscale, so fine details tend to get lost. Each needed to provide a strong, simple image that would register on the eye and mind in the perhaps half second that average browser gives to them; and, with luck, intrigue the viewer enough to stop and look further.
The set of 17 new e-covers are now done, but as I also decided to give my 2011 text files each a last proofreading before putting them up again, they won't appear all at once. But the first, for Falling Free, is now up on our three vendors, Kindle, Nook, and iPad, or will be shortly.
For a bonus, Ron also supplied very nice professional title pages, and devised me my very own colophon!
So here is the first peek...
More to follow as they each go up...
Ta, L.
September 13, 2015
new books from Korea
My present in this week's mail was two Vorkosigan books from my new South Korean publisher, SIAT. I don't know how the translations are, but the books are good-looking trade paperbacks. The cover art is in a unified style for the series, always a good thing; I don't know anything about the artist.
Herewith Mirror Dance...
and Memory.
Ta, L.
Herewith Mirror Dance...
and Memory.
Ta, L.
September 11, 2015
Baen podcast roundtable on creativity, part 1
New roundtable discussion with Tony Daniel, Wen Spencer, Brendan Dubois, and me. Our part begins a bit after 4 minutes in.
Let's see if I can make this link work...
http://www.baenebooks.com/podcast/mp3...
We recorded it by phone about a week ago, Wen in Hawaii, Brendan in New Hampshire, Tony in North Carolina, and me in Minnesota. Sometimes, living in the future just amazes me.
Part 2 will appear next Friday, or thereabouts.
More kinds of downloading options at this link:
http://www.baen.com/podcast/podcast.asp
Ta, L.
Let's see if I can make this link work...
http://www.baenebooks.com/podcast/mp3...
We recorded it by phone about a week ago, Wen in Hawaii, Brendan in New Hampshire, Tony in North Carolina, and me in Minnesota. Sometimes, living in the future just amazes me.
Part 2 will appear next Friday, or thereabouts.
More kinds of downloading options at this link:
http://www.baen.com/podcast/podcast.asp
Ta, L.
September 10, 2015
old audio interview refound
This was a good one, with Grover Gardner... it's resurfaced on YouTube, I see. YouTube seems rather like the Ghost of Christmas Past, sometimes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBBWm...
Grover will also be narrating the Blackstone/Downpour audio edition of Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, in due course.
(The novella mentioned later in the interview is still dead, alas. Other things happened instead.)
I just recorded a 2-part podcast roundtable with Baen editor Tony Daniel this week -- more on that when it is posted, real soon now.
Ta, L.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBBWm...
Grover will also be narrating the Blackstone/Downpour audio edition of Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, in due course.
(The novella mentioned later in the interview is still dead, alas. Other things happened instead.)
I just recorded a 2-part podcast roundtable with Baen editor Tony Daniel this week -- more on that when it is posted, real soon now.
Ta, L.
August 31, 2015
Spring in Geneva audiobook
My friend Sylvia Kelso has had her novella "Spring in Geneva" produced for audio by Audible --
http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fant...
A sly and amusing little... not quite steampunk re-envisioning certain famous events in Switzerland in the early 19th C. The Meta is strong in this one...
Ta, L.
http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fant...
A sly and amusing little... not quite steampunk re-envisioning certain famous events in Switzerland in the early 19th C. The Meta is strong in this one...
Ta, L.
August 27, 2015
notes from another world
My nephew, who is an international cargo pilot, sent me this amusing link:
"Ps. Here is a cool link that sort of shows a day in the life of an international cargo pilot ;)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?sns=fb&am...
Bunch of other YouTube entries next to it look like they would be interesting to explore, too.
It has often struck me, getting occasional glimpses of the modern air traffic system from the inside, how very SF-nal it all is -- not the usual loner-triumphs action tales, but a whole lot of very dedicated and careful people all working together to get everyone through alive. (Several of the shots that look like people wandering around are actually safety checks.) Life in space would be a lot like this, I feel.
Also, welcome to the 21st Century aka The Future.
Ta, L.
"Ps. Here is a cool link that sort of shows a day in the life of an international cargo pilot ;)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?sns=fb&am...
Bunch of other YouTube entries next to it look like they would be interesting to explore, too.
It has often struck me, getting occasional glimpses of the modern air traffic system from the inside, how very SF-nal it all is -- not the usual loner-triumphs action tales, but a whole lot of very dedicated and careful people all working together to get everyone through alive. (Several of the shots that look like people wandering around are actually safety checks.) Life in space would be a lot like this, I feel.
Also, welcome to the 21st Century aka The Future.
Ta, L.
August 25, 2015
audiobooks news
Some nice updates from Blackstone Audiobooks, aka Downpour.com --
I am very pleased to report that Blackstone Audiobooks has made offers to do audio editions for both the novella "Penric's Demon" and, rather to my surprise, my little e-collection of very early works, Proto Zoa.
http://www.amazon.com/Proto-Zoa-Lois-... , also on iTunes and Nook.
Also, we have contracted for an audio edition of Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen. I would expect this to be released at about the time of the Baen hardcover edition in February, if it follows the pattern of my prior book or two. (Blackstone does not yet have the final corrected manuscript in hand, so they can't have started production yet. But it shouldn't be too terribly much longer.)
Ta, L.
(Later: I see the Blackstone Libraries site confirms their release date for GJ&RQ as Feb. 2 -- Groundhog Day! -- same as the hardcover. And also confirms Grover Gardner as the narrator.)
I am very pleased to report that Blackstone Audiobooks has made offers to do audio editions for both the novella "Penric's Demon" and, rather to my surprise, my little e-collection of very early works, Proto Zoa.
http://www.amazon.com/Proto-Zoa-Lois-... , also on iTunes and Nook.
Also, we have contracted for an audio edition of Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen. I would expect this to be released at about the time of the Baen hardcover edition in February, if it follows the pattern of my prior book or two. (Blackstone does not yet have the final corrected manuscript in hand, so they can't have started production yet. But it shouldn't be too terribly much longer.)
Ta, L.
(Later: I see the Blackstone Libraries site confirms their release date for GJ&RQ as Feb. 2 -- Groundhog Day! -- same as the hardcover. And also confirms Grover Gardner as the narrator.)
August 18, 2015
Pulp Fiction (no, not the film) is 20
Pulp Fiction is a delightful F&SF and mystery specialty store in Brisbane, Australia. Owner Ron S. and the crew played host to me when I was there on my long-ago and memorable trip down under. I am told they are having their 20th anniversary celebration (and sale) this month:
http://www.pulpfiction.com.au/pages/n...
Ron, Ian and Beau
Pulp Fiction Booksellers
They also say:
WE HAVE MOVED, NOW AT:
Shop 4, Level 1 (first floor)
Blocksidge & Ferguson Building Arcade
144 Adelaide Street, Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal address remains:
GPO Box 297
BRISBANE QLD 4001
Ph: 07 3236 2750
They tell me they are looking forward to the publication of Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, so if you are a reader in Australia the store will likely be a prime source for mail order of the hardcover come next February. (Pre-orders would doubtless help them manage their stock more accurately.)
Ta, L.
...I wonder if that's the American-style first floor or the British-style first floor? One could get a little O. Henry-esque tale out of that confusion...
http://www.pulpfiction.com.au/pages/n...
Ron, Ian and Beau
Pulp Fiction Booksellers
They also say:
WE HAVE MOVED, NOW AT:
Shop 4, Level 1 (first floor)
Blocksidge & Ferguson Building Arcade
144 Adelaide Street, Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal address remains:
GPO Box 297
BRISBANE QLD 4001
Ph: 07 3236 2750
They tell me they are looking forward to the publication of Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, so if you are a reader in Australia the store will likely be a prime source for mail order of the hardcover come next February. (Pre-orders would doubtless help them manage their stock more accurately.)
Ta, L.
...I wonder if that's the American-style first floor or the British-style first floor? One could get a little O. Henry-esque tale out of that confusion...
August 13, 2015
nice shout-out for Cordelia
Kind words, and many of them...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sc...
Although I am not, technically, a grandmaster, only a McMaster.
Ta, L.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sc...
Although I am not, technically, a grandmaster, only a McMaster.
Ta, L.
