Even MORE Middle-Grade Fantasy Covers

Welcome to day two of  Love that Cover, in which we see ghosts, great hair, contraptions and cartoons, not to mention muscle-men and prancing war-horses. What’s not to love?

Seriously, what’s NOT to love? My favorite today is a toss-up between two big guys: Hades, or the giant knight protecting his kingdom. (Hades is actually kind of hot. But then I suppose he’d have to be.)

Which do you like?

Horsies!

Great Hair Catches the Breeze

Contraptions!

 

Doorways and Other Portals

Ghosts, Fog, and Assorted Wisps

Cartoons!

Cool art

 

My, you’re big

Spring MG Fantasy Covers: Infinite Variety

Last year around this time, middle-grade fantasy covers had a startling sameness to them: Lots and lots of backs and silhouettes, and not that many faces.

This year, the variety is huge. In fact, the only  identifiable “trend” is the time-honored “frame your story” technique. Okay, and a few backs. A couple of tornadoes. But also, there are faces! Goofy cartoons! Moody princesses, eerie time-tunnels. Cute doggies. Snarling wolves.

A bear with a teacup.

We decided to include as many covers as we could find with pub dates between January and June. That’s a lot of covers, so we’re splitting them into two posts. The second will run tomorrow.

In today’s edition, I admit to a soft spot for the tea-sipping bear. (It’s the raised pinky. Gets me every time.) What’s your favorite?

I was framed, I tell you!

Strange weather we’re having

Got Dramamine?

Time-travel also makes me a tad queasy

You’re not seriously thinking about going in there, are you? Because from back here it looks like you are.

This is cozy. Wait, what’s that noise?

Animals. They're grumpy, silly, cute, suckery…

... and downright nasty.

See you tomorrow!

New Deal Shamelessness!

Starting out with big news from Leah Cypess! Per Publisher Marketplace:

Leah Cypess's DEATHSWORN, a fantasy about a young sorceress with mysteriously fading powers who has been sent to tutor a sect of assassins in their underground stronghold; but while trying to solve the murders of the tutors who preceded her, she will discover a terrible secret about the assassins' true goals, one that will challenge her deepest beliefs and force her to make a choice that could overthrow an empire, to Martha Mihalick at Greenwillow, for publication in Fall 2013, plus a sequel, by Bill Contardi at Brandt & Hochman (NA).

WOO HOO LEAH!!!!!!!  This one sounds just as amazing as the MISTWOOD saga, too!

William Alexander has racked up yet another fantastic review for GOBLIN SECRETS, this time over at Fantasy Matters, which says:

There are books that make you feel good for having read them. Not virtuous or well-behaved, but good. More whole-hearted, more brave, more likely to look at a stranger and see the fine face beneath the mask of their unfamiliarity. Goblin Secrets, William Alexander’s debut novel, is just such a book.

Could a review be any better? I think not!

If you're in the Southern California area, I'll be doing an appearance at WonderCon tomorrow, March 18th.  I'll be signing at the Mysterious Galaxy Booth at 11am alongside Andrea Cremer, and I'll be on the YA panel at 3pm with some amazing authors.  Here's the line up:

3:00-4:00 Shivers, Shakes, and Swoon: the Young Adult Books We Can't Put Down — Come along for a Q&A session and chat about the hottest new titles in YA fiction. Moderated by Andrea Cremer (The Nightshade Series) and featuring Ann Aguirre (Enclave), Kami Garcia (co-author of the Beautiful Creatures novels), Gretchen McNeil (Possess), Lissa Price (Starters), Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children), and Veronica Rossi (Under the Never Sky). Room 207

*dances*

And lastly, the audio version of Erin Cashman's THE EXCEPTIONALS is now available to order!

That's it for this week.  Big round of applause for everyone's fantastic news!!!!