Justine Larbalestier

reading, writing, eating, drinking, sport

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Tiny change + Japanese covers

Inspired by how much fun I’ve had with the month of writing requests I’ve decided to make a few changes around here. Basically I’m no longer blogging about stuff I think I should blog about. From now on I only talk about what I want to talk about.

I always figured that I had to let you know when my books get good reviews etc. even though I find writing those posts the most boring thing in the world. Not to mention embarrassing. I always feel like I’m saying, “Hey look at me! I’m fabulous!” My heart was never in it. Thus there will be no posting about reviews of any of my books unless the reviewers raises an interesting point I want to riff on. If you’re interested in that kind of thing you can find pull quotes for each of my books in their review section. I will continue to add them as they come in.

Note: My not blogging about reviews does not mean that I’m against other writers doing so. I’m not criticising any of you. I find some writers’ discussions of their reviews fascinating, some a train wreck1, and some unreadably dull. Just like blogging about any subject really. I would never blog about cakes and yet Cake Wrecks is one of my favourite blogs.

More and more readers of this blog are here, not because they like my books, but because they like this blog. So overall I will be blogging less about the publicity aspects of my career. Though I will continue to bitch and moan and be rapturous over my struggles and joys in writing those books.

I’ll also continue to let you know about upcoming events because otherwise how will I get to meet you? But you can always check here for details.

And nothing can stop me posting about other editions of my books. Because that’s my favourite thing about being a published writer: I has books in different languages and different covers! Bliss! Joy! Happiness! For example, my foreign rights agent, Whitney Lee, just sent me links with the Japanese covers of Magic or Madness and Magic Lessons and they’re fabulous!

I love that Reason is wearing the outfit I describe her wearing and that Tom is surrounded by fabric. It’s as if the cover designer had actually read the books! Made my day! Whatcha reckon about these covers? I still love the German ones best, but these are up there.

Speaking of great covers. Just wait till you see the cover for the paperback edition of How To Ditch Your Fairy. It’s the best cover I’ve ever had. Bless you, Bloomsbury!

  1. Though that’s still fascinating. [↩]

Posted by Justine at 0:35, 1 February 2009 under Bloggery, Magic or Madness trilogy, Praising, State of the World, Writing life | 11 Comments »

Comments

  1. Karen Smith Says:

    The Japanese covers are lovely, but I truly love the German covers.

    oh, and in the spirit of blogging about things you want to blog about–I found the Only Acceptable Uni***n:

    http://shanalogic.com/item.php?item_id=1917&category_id=153

    Thought you might enjoy it if you hadn’t come across it before. Thanks so much for the month of writing request answers!

    February 1st, 2009 at 2:40 am

  2. V Says:

    I actually like the Japanese covers better, because I think I’d have the same problem with the German ones that I do with the Twilight books — too similar and I can’t instantly tell them apart from each other.

    February 1st, 2009 at 5:20 am

  3. 3. Justine Says:

    Karen: I do adore the dramaticness of the German covers.

    V: The Japanese covers are also a LOT closer to how I imagine the characters. Tom really is that fair-skinned and haired.

    February 1st, 2009 at 5:29 am

  4. V Says:

    That’s another great thing about the Jap. covers, Justine: I love reading a book and flipping back to look at the cover, particularly when the cover backs up visually what you’re reading. Aesthetically I like drawing over photography too, so I think you really lucked out with those editions. Would love to see more as they come out :)

    February 1st, 2009 at 6:09 pm

  5. 5. Justine Says:

    V: I also much prefer non-photographic covers. Sadly, YA publishers are obsessed with them. I even heard that one particular NYC house has forbidden any but photographic covers for its YA titles. Madness!

    February 1st, 2009 at 6:33 pm

  6. E. Kristin Anderson Says:

    The Japanese ones are so…Japanese! I love them and can see just how that fits into the Japanese market (which perhaps is completely silly of me to say, since I’ve not been there). I always love seeing how other countries market the same book.

    Totally looking forward to seeing the new HTDYF cover! Will Charlie get a head?

    February 1st, 2009 at 6:49 pm

  7. NeoFlareod@msn.com Says:

    I must say I’m very impressed with the Japanese covers, they make the manga-nerd in me jump for joy. The character designs are really good. The cover for Magic Lessons is my favourite of the two though, it kind of captures the mysteriousness and the magicness of the series.

    Although I’m not quite sure what that toucan is doing?

    February 1st, 2009 at 8:57 pm

  8. Rachel Says:

    The Japanese Magic Lessons cover may be the closest cover-imagining correlation I’ve ever experienced! Wow!

    Congratulations on your new editions!

    February 2nd, 2009 at 12:24 pm

  9. 9. Justine Says:

    Thanks all. I’m dead pleased.

    Though I’m not sure what the toucan is about either. I mean we have them in zoos here but they’re not exactly native. Last time I checked they were from South and Central America . . .

    February 3rd, 2009 at 3:03 am

  10. Liann Says:

    In case you’re interested, rough translations for the Japanese titles are as follows:

    Magic or Madness–> Myself and the Witch’s Door

    Magic Lessons–> The Light that Captured Me

    The German titles are probably much closer to the originals (I can see ‘Magische’ on all three covers) but I thought you might be interested to know that they tweaked the Japanese titles quite a bit =)

    February 4th, 2009 at 8:11 pm

  11. Amber Says:

    I’m here because I like your blog. I’ve read some of Scott’s books but none of yours YET. As soon as I return to a library I will be sure to look for some of yours. You’re a good writer on this blog and I love reading is. Can’t wait to read your books.

    February 6th, 2009 at 1:18 pm

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