Cover reveal: FIEND's UK cover
Plus a look at covers past
We did this cover reveal in coordination with the publisher, Titan Books, on April 3. I always look forward to the battle of the covers: U.S. vs. U.K. I’m no expert in why some covers appeal more to American tastes and others to Brits; I only know that I often prefer the U.K. cover to the U.S. Probably because I favor modern art? It’s all down to taste.
Hey U.K. friends, you can pre-order the book HERE.
What I like about this cover: it’s closer to the story’s core, which is Succession (though it’s about more than that). It lets you know that it’s going to be set in the boardroom. I also like the treatment of the font, that it’s not all solid, which seems to be a trend in the U.K. right now. (What’s with the smoke, you may ask. You’ll have to read the book to find out.)
I thought it would be fun to compare covers of some of my previous books:
The following are the original two covers for The Taker. Perhaps because it was my first book, these covers have stayed with me. The original of the U.S. version had the title in red foil, no scrolls. I thought red made it look too much like a vampire novel so they changed it to gold. I also asked them to add the scrolls. I wonder to this day if those changes were a mistake.
The U.K. original was a beauty, with commissioned artwork and black sprayed edges. I still have a handful of copies. Maybe I’ll give some away in a future contest.
Let me know what you think of the FIEND cover (or any of the others) down in the comments.
In other news: I have an essay appearing in two different non-fiction books about horror. One, Why I Love Horror by Becky Spratford, I mentioned last week. The second is coming out August 19, Feral and Hysterical: Mother Horror’s Ultimate Reading Guide to Dark and Disturbing Fiction by Women by Mother Horror (Sadie Hartmann). If anyone needs convincing that more and more women are getting into horror and dark fiction, they need look no further. It seems to me, as an observer, that as both creators and readers, women are embracing horror like never before. Perhaps because it gives us a perspective on what we see happening in our lives—or an outlet for our rage and frustration. I have a chapter in here on historical horror which, even in the short time since I wrote it, seems to be growing in popularity (The Reformatory, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter).
Also coming out August 19 is The End of the World as We Know It, the anthology of stories inspired by the world of Stephen King’s The Stand. With 35 authors and 800 pages, this is going to be a big, big book in more ways than one. King himself is writing the introduction. I’ve mentioned this before and now is a superb time to pre-order or ask your local bookstore or library to stock it (you can mention Fiend while you’re at it). There will be events for the launch, and I believe at least one special edition in the offing. Stay tuned for more details.
What I’m reading: Stephen Graham Jones’ The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is every bit as great as everyone says. I’m trying to go slowly to savor it but keep turning the light back on at night to sneak in a few more pages… At the other end of the spectrum is Careless People, the memoir of a former Facebook exec. I’m only a few pages in but it’s already infuriating. Instead of hiring people to help them address policy concerns in a serious manner, they used them as body men and yes men.
To watch: The Residence (Netflix) seems like Shonda Rimes’ answer to Knives Out. When the head usher at the White House residence is killed, an oddball consulting detective is brought in, and she seems more than capable of dealing with the super egos at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Especially charming are the dollhouse-like sets that help the viewer navigate the White House’s sprawling layout. We’re six episodes in and give it a big thumbs up.
I’m only one episode into universally acclaimed Adolescence. It’s brutal but great and I’m looking forward to the rest of this mini-series.
Eagerly looking forward to The Last of Us’ return on April 13. Andor’s (Disney) second (and last?) season begins April 22.
I totally want to trade in my US Fervor for that UK one.. ah! And I lovesss my US Fervor
I have to admit: those UK covers are pretty impressive. The Hunger's US hardback cover is the bomb though. We rewatched Severance and are almost finished with Season 2. I'm sure you've checked this out, but if you haven't, it's one to put on the list.