Gail Carriger

All sorts of excitement afoot, Gentle Reader. My cover designer informed me over the weekend that Soulless won a NY Book Show best of 2009 cover award, as did Nichole Peeler. Go Orbit, go, rah rah rah! I so happy for Lauren, she is amazing.

You can read all about how my cover came into existence (from my point of view) in this blog entry. The post for Orbit where Lauren talks about the Soulless cover launch is no longer available but here is my original response, and here she discusses Changeless. (Because I'm now paranoid I'm going to ghost this entry on my blog for posterity.)

Speaking of Changeless, here's a shot of the Orbit catalog layout for this second book in my series.

I haven't seen the final ARC yet, and I think we are going with a Lev Grosseman cover quote, but there it is.

I got my copy of said Orbit Spring/Summer catalog and in addition to a lovely spread, it looks like they've bumped the release of Blameless up a few months to September of 2010. Which means you'll get both books next year: Changeless in March and Blameless only a few short months later. Fun fun. You're excited, right? I know I am.

Lastly I have an extensive interview wherein I answer some reader questions over on RomCon. There's a pretty fun little discussion going there. Here's a sample . . .
Oo, this is fun. Michele ~ The umbrella/parasol on the cover of the first book is all artifice (so far as content is concerned), however, it did inspire a kind of steampunk 007 parasol in future books.



Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Victoria's Secret Goes All Steampunk courtesy of donnaricci

Your Tisane of Smart:
Evidence Alexander the Great Wasn't First at Alexandria
Your Writerly Tinctures:
BBC Woman's Hour recent segment on what's so alluring about vampires.

CAKE in Space: Back from agent, but now I don't have time for it.
An appropriately silly review won Amazon. "Begin with one generous portion of rigorous byzantine Victorian social mores. Whisk in a refreshingly unique heroine. Carefully add one irascible Scottish werewolf. Pepper with flamboyant undead, mad science and a hell of a mystery. Garnish with parasol. Serve at tea time."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless cover along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Back from editor with edits still to do.

Quote of the Day:
"I've been attacked by Rush Limbaugh on the air, an experience somewhat akin to being gummed by a newt."
~ Molly Ivins

New York Book Show 09 Winners!

- Lauren Panepinto - November 21st, 2009

The New York Book Show is an annual competition held by the Bookbinders’ Guild of New York, which is a professional publishing organization focusing on design & production of all kinds of trade, academic, and specialty books. It’s one of the few design competitions every year that focuses just on books, and I entered some of our Orbit titles from 2009.
The judging was just completed, and Soulless by Gail Carriger & Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler both won in the mass market paperback cover design category. Thanks to everyone who was involved in the cover designs, especially Donna Ricci, our model for Alexia Tarabotti & mistress of all things Steampunk Fashion, and Sharon Tancredi, the illustrator for Tempest Rising. Go Team!


This entry is ghosted from the Orbit site, here.

Cover Launch: CHANGELESS

- Lauren Panepinto - October 13th, 2009

I know you’re all abuzz about the first Alexia Tarabotti novel, Soulless, but I thought I’d fan the flames a bit and introduce the cover for the next book, Changeless by Gail Carriger.
I know I’m not supposed to have favorites here at Orbit, but there are a few series I get very excited about continuing to work on as the new books come in. Nicole Peeler’s Jane True is definitely one, and Gail Carriger’s Alexia Tarabotti is absolutely another. What can I say? I have a soft spot for quirky and well-crafted heroines. And well-imagined settings with a lot of detail. It certainly makes the covers easier to picture in my head.
Also, this kind of illustrates how strangely ahead of present Art has to be. In “real-time” Soulless has just launched and is flying off the shelves and gaining great reviews from industry and fans alike. However, in “Art-time” the cover for Changeless is already done and I am already getting ready to work on Book #3 as soon as the first draft of the manuscript comes in. A little bizarre, I know, but heaven for the fan inside this Creative Director.
Luckily with this series we were able to find the perfect model to embody Alexia—not only in looks, but in substance as well. Donna Ricci, a model specializing in goth and steampunk styles, is also the founder of Clockwork Couture, a leading purveyor of steampunk fashions and accessories. In fact, act now and you can be Alexia Tarabotti for Halloween! Alexia has been sporting the Victorian 2-Piece Traveling Suit for books one and two, but I’m “shopping” now to see which outfit I want to use for Book 3.
And here’s a description of Changeless to whet your appetite (spoiler alert of you haven’t finished Soulless yet):

( Read more... )


Please note that this is a parroted post from the Orbit website, original post is
http://www.orbitbooks.net/2009/10/13/cover-launch-changeless/
I just discovered they don't seem to archive their blogs, so I figured I would.

There's been some murmuring about the blogoshere on the subject of my book cover. Most people seem to really like it, and several wanted to know how it came to be. So I thought, Gentle Reader, I might tell you the story, because it's slightly different from normal and rather fun.

Picture this: a newly minted author, familiar with the convention circuit but not with having sold a book, attending the Denver WorldCon. She's got her outfits planned (two a day), her stilettos on (ouch), and is excited to meet her editor and her agent. She knows a few things about what to expect from the publishing industry, one of those things is: authors have no say in their covers. Just don't even try, makes one look amateurish. Her attitude: well, they bought it, they can wrap it in whatever they want. Besides, it's their business to know what sells, right?

The scene is thus set.

So, I show up for drinks with my editor at the "wheeler & dealer" hotel (yes there's the party hotel and then there's the hotel where you really meet people) only to find editor has reinforcements: Orbit's publisher and publicist. I'm suddenly quite nervous. However, we get along great. We're nattering away, drinking too much, and I'm bubbling over with promotional ideas after listening to too many podcasts and going to too many panels on the subject. Alex (publicist) and I go to town brainstorming. Then, at some point, quite casually someone asks me about the cover. Probably since Soulless combines so many sub-genre's they'd like my input. However, I'd been resolutely trying not to think about it, so I'm a little at a loss, but I promise if I come across anything inspiring I'll send it along.

We left things at that.

Well, I belong to this wonderful LJ group called steamfashion and I was reading my friend's page one day and this image pops up:

I think to myself, "That woman looks almost exactly as I imagined Alexia" (only Alexia has a larger frontal assault - so to speak). So I gank the image and send it off to Orbit, with a little note saying I was thinking something along these lines might be nice. Nothing. So I figure they didn't like it and continue working on the second book.

About a month later I get a friend notification out of the blue from someone named Donna Ricci on facebook, with a note that says "I'm just about to sign the contract for your book cover!" Ah, the wonders of the internet – nothing stays secret for long. Turns out, she was the model in THAT exact image, which was photographed to sell a dress in her steampunk clothing store Clockwork Couture. Orbit tracked it down, figured out she was the rights holder, tracked her down, she tracked me down on facebook, and . . .

Then Orbit's art department took over. They apparently took a bit of influence from the Sophia Coppola Marie Antoinette movie poster (which is great costume porn but otherwise abysmal) and went to town adding a cheery modern edge that reflects the humorous tone of the book.

I love the result. I was particularly thrilled to find that Orbit's art department actually had read the book, because there, on the spine was this:

There may, Gentle Reader, have been some rather undignified squealing when I saw it. Because add octopus to the fact that, there it was, the number of the book, on the spine! How many readers over the centuries have cried out for just such a simple addendum to one's favorite series' cover art?

Of course, I ordered the dress from Donna, but after some ruminations I've decided to go for a custom version in a color to match the cover of the second book, Changeless instead.

Donna and I have actually met in person when I went down to LA for the Brother's K book launch party! How many authors get to meet their cover model? How cool is that! She's absolutely lovely and we've become quite friendly since (she's donnaricci on LiveJournal). Although, I must say, she is a tiny little thing, and here I was imagining her all tall and statuesque like Alexia.

Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Tom Binn's Jewelry
 
Your Tisane of Smart:
Tea on the go! Dual Voltage Heating Coil
Your Writerly Tinctures:
7 Ways to Build Your Author Brand Online

CAKE in Space: Back fro agent, but now I don't have time for it.
: Shelfari reports in. "Loved it was a new spin on English nobility and supernaturals."
SPOILER ALERT! Amazon has posted Changeless along with blurb. Blurb gives bits of Soulless away so don't read if you haven't read the first book!
Blameless: Now with second beta.

Quote of the Day:
"A lot of modeling is how much crap you can take."
~ Lauren Hutton

Rummaging about the internet yesterday, Gentle Reader, I came across a promo for this book:

Now, please don't misconstrue, I find the book gently intriguing. "Steampunk Romance" says the tag line and from reading the copy it looks like the female love interest would appear to be an airship captain. You well know what a deep abiding affection I have for chicks that kick ass, but (and there is always a but) I sense a trend afoot and it frightens me.

Why the headless torso front cover? Why? Did she misplace her brain? Have her knees suddenly gone off about business of their own?

There is a prevalence of this madness in paranormal romance and urban fantasy already, I object most strongly to it leaking into steampunk. I'm taking a stand here and now, Gentle Reader, this trend should not be allowed to jump the shark into another sub-genre. Leave my goggles and dirigibles alone, you, you Art Department Torso Lovers!

Where have all the heads gone? (*singing* Longtime passing.)

Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
New fashion inspiration Latina singer Silvina Magari

Your Tisane of Smart:
Awesome resources for snippets of Victoriana The Illustrated London News with samples online and a very useful time grid.
Your Writerly Tinctures:
obtaining Cover Blurbs

CAKE in Space: With agent.
Soulless: Soulless is SFWA's featured book!
Changeless: Awaiting copyedit. Release date currently April 2010.
Blameless Gone off to betas.

Quote of the Day:
"Writing is not a genteel profession. It's quite nasty and tough and kind of dirty."
~ Rosemary Mahoney

Well, Gentle Reader, this is an odd world where one can get excited over a favicon. But I am. My brilliant web designer has made me a favicon of a teeny tiny parasol for the website. I am beginning to believe parasols are like shoes, one can never have too many.

I wonder sometimes if this is a side effect of the internet: excitement and happiness over little inconsequential things - like LOL dirigibles, or the perfect quote for a blog. Have we sacrificed some degree of happiness in our real lives for this, or is it adding to our general contentment? Which makes me wonder, is happiness somehow finite, to be parceled out in proportionate doses, or is it infinite? Now I'm beginning to sound like some Victorian philosopher, I shall stop.

Gail's Daily Dose
Your Infusion of Cute:
Love this cover: it's very appealing and cheerful. Something like would be fun for Soulless. Unlikely to happen, but fun.

Your Tisane of Smart:
Map of Victorian Railways
Your Writerly Tinctures:
Fantastic piece over at Editorial Ass on whether to bring out in hard or soft cover. It doesn't really pertain to us genre writers, and doesn't cover the trade vs. pocket question, but is still very interesting. Just for the record, I actually prefer pocket paperback, and told my editor so. I don't know if that weighed into her decision, but I do believe Soulless is not coming out in hardcover. I don't like hardcover, never have, the jackets always fall off, they are too big for the shelves, and too heavy to carry around easily - terribly untidy over all.
LPTC, Part the Second: First draft:

Quote of the Day:
"Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which if you sit down quietly may alight upon you."
~ N. Hawthorne

I have been thinking much on the subject of covers recently, which made me look through my entire SF/F and YA book collection. Frankly, I didn't love any of them. Some of them were interesting, some were appealing, but none were works of art to me. I guess what makes a good cover doesn't necessarily make for a great picture, like the difference between short fiction and long. Thinking about this had me sailing about Google Images for a while. Here are a few I liked.



I know, I know, I will never have any say in what my covers look like, nor should I really - we author beasts know nothing on the subject of packaging and marketing. But I do know enough to realize steampunk is the next big thing and anyone stuck in the contemporary paranormal mold of cover art should get ready to eat top hat.

Other People's Words:
"All bad art is the result of good intentions."
~ Oscar Wilde 

CAKE in Space:

Tor recently re-cast their pod on SF/F cover art and design from a World Fantasy panel last year. It was very interesting and is really worth a listen.

If you, Gentle Reader,  are interested in this subject you might visit one or more of the following.
The New York Times book design review blog.
The Art Department blog by Irene Gallo of Tor fame.
Cracked.com's article on the best/worst SF/F covers.

Two funny covers to keep my readers amused.


             

Other People's Words:
"Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings."
~ Heinrich Heine

Welcome, Gentle Reader, to the first in new thread of installments called Thog the Cover. In which we will take a leaf out of Ansible's (proverbial) book, only pictorially speaking.

Shadow is described as an elf having masses of "ebony" hair all the way down to the floor, which she braids and coils about her head (p. 6). This is a key element in her character, as among elves amount of hair denotes the title "Matriarch."

And here she is, depicted on the cover as a dirty blond in braids...