LIAN TANNER

Icebreaker: the US cover

October 12th, 2014

One of the things I have always loved about working in the arts is that you get to collaborate with other artists, and see how they interpret your work. When I used to write for Terrapin Puppet Theatre, I worked with puppeteers, directors, designers, puppet makers and all sorts of other people. One of my favourite puppets, made by Greg Methe for a show called Corpus Nullius, was this bellydancer.

The belly dancer from my play 'Corpus Nullius', made by Greg Methe.

Of course now I’m writing novels there’s not a lot of room for puppeteers etc, but there are illustrators and designers and art directors. In Australia I work with the very talented Sebastian Ciaffaglione, who has given us two gorgeous covers for the first two books in the Hidden series, as well as illustrating all of the Keepers trilogy.

I have loved Seb’s covers from the beginning, and didn’t think anyone could match what he did for Ice Breaker. But now I’ve seen the American cover (to be published next year by Feiwel & Friends/MacMillan), and it is beautiful, as well as being totally different from the Australian cover. What do you think?

Icebreaker_US_cover

16 thoughts on “Icebreaker: the US cover

  1. Irene says:

    This cover draws me in. It’s intriguing. And a little haunting, dark and mysterious. I cant wait.

    1. Lian says:

      I agree, Irene – it is haunting, isn’t it!

  2. Irene says:

    Yes. I’m torn between ordering from Europe now, waiting for the American version, and waiting for all three so i don’t have that trilogy itch you can’t scratch. I stumbled upon your work when the entire keepers series was available in Canada. So this is a small inconvenient torture. Suggestions?

    1. Lian says:

      LOL – I have no idea what to suggest, Irene! I agree completely about that trilogy itch – it’s horribly frustrating having to wait for the next book. If you waited till the end of next year you *could* buy all three – from Australia rather than Europe.

    2. Elisheva says:

      Oh, I totally get what you mean by waiting for the next book! One of my favorite authors, Jeanne Birdsall, has written 3 books so far, is planning on writing 5, and the next one won’t be published to next year! And I really want her to finish quickly because I don’t want to be too old to appreciate her books by the time they are all done.

      1. Lian says:

        Totally frustrating. That’s happening at the moment with one of my favourite authors, Robin Hobb. I’ve read all her previous work, and came to it late enough for them all to be published, so I could read them one after the other. But now she’s started a new trilogy, a follow-on from one of her old ones. And I’m halfway through the new book, and know that it’s going to be several years before the next one comes …

        Jeanne Birdsall – that’s the Penderwicks? I’ve read the first one which I really enjoyed. Haven’t seen the others – I don’t think they’ve been published in Australia. But I also don’t think that you really grow out of favourite authors. Not the good ones. 🙂

  3. Lilli says:

    Hi Lian,
    I LLOOOVVVEEE the American cover, it is very mysterious and intriguing. It makes you want to read the book even more.
    Love Lilli

    1. Lian says:

      Glad to hear it, Lilli!

  4. Io says:

    Jealous! I wish I could be a talented artist like Sebastian 🙂 And a talented writer like Lian 🙂 I would be famous! Which is what Sebastian and Lian are! You guys work so well as a team with reeling people in! Can’t wait for Fetcher!

    Lian, I LOVED Sunker’s Deep! Best one yet!

    Io 🙂

    1. Io says:

      In addition to that, I love the cover! I especially love how the ship dwarfs the boy/ Fin.

      Gabi: “Cool! Their cover is so much cooler. It’s not fair…”

      Io:)

      1. Lian says:

        It’s pretty dramatic, isn’t it. But Gabi, I think both Australian and US covers are wonderful. Completely different, but equally gorgeous in their own way.

    2. Lian says:

      Glad to hear you loved Sunker, Io! The rest of the world gets to read it in a couple of weeks. Hope they feel the same. 🙂

      1. Io says:

        I hope they will as well, but Lillian’s in the last few pages and she absolutely adores it! So I don’t think you have a problem!

        Io:)

        1. Lian says:

          That’s the sort of feedback I love to hear! 🙂

  5. Elisheva says:

    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! So excited for this trilogy to be released in the USA! I honestly love both covers. The difference is shocking, but unique, and I see the parallels and the beauty in both covers.

    1. Lian says:

      That’s interesting that you can see the parallels in the covers, Elisheva. I adore both of them, luckily! And still some time to wait, for the US version. But hopefully it will be worth it when it comes.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Lian on Facebook, Instagram & Goodreads