LIAN TANNER

New book covers

March 24th, 2018

In my experience, writing novels is a solitary business. It’s just me and my cat Harry, sitting up in bed in our pyjamas.

I know that everyone does it differently – I have writing friends who work with their editor right from the start, talking through the story before a word goes on the page.

I’m much more secretive. If I talk about a book too soon, I’m afraid I’ll lose the energy needed to write it. Or the story-thief (who comes in the night) will steal it. So no one gets to see or hear a thing until I’ve got it as good as I can make it. I hug it, and hiss at anyone who comes too close.

It’s really different from writing for theatre, which is all about collaboration. The only collaboration for me in novel writing is when it comes to editing – and book covers.

I love seeing new book covers. So this was a good week, with news of a paperback edition of Accidental Heroes coming out in June with a new looking cover.

And more news, that the Spanish publishers Anaya have made an offer for Accidental Heroes. Its first translation! And I’m extra pleased about it because Anaya just recently published The Keepers trilogy in Spanish, and they did the most exquisite covers.

I’m hoping they’ll use the same artist, Xavier Bonet, for Accidental Heroes.

What am I reading?

I’ve just finished rereading Diana Wynne Jones’ Dalemark quartet, which begins with Cart and Cwidder.

Each of the books in the quartet is based around different people, but the whole story comes together as a tale of children caught up in a fight against tyranny, with a particularly evil mage behind some of it, and some huge and fascinating magic. I don’t think there’s another author who I love as much as DWJ.

I’ve also read a really good YA novel. Planesrunner by Ian McDonald is based around the multiple universes theory. ‘There is not just one you, there are many yous. We’re part of a multiplicity of universes in parallel dimensions – and Everett Singh’s dad has found a way in. But he’s been kidnapped, and now it is as though Everett’s dad never existed. Yet there is one clue for his son to follow, a mysterious app: the Infundibulum.’

The writing is gorgeous, the story is gripping, and to my delight it’s the first book in a series.

0 thoughts on “New book covers

  1. Sienna says:

    hi i’m Sienna, i have been reading one of your books called THE KEEPERS Museum of Thieves and so far i am LOVING this book, i’m hooked and intrigued when i am reading. by the way if you are looking for some new ideas i thought maybe you could write a fantasy such as fairies and dragons to make the reader imagine deeply when reading.

    1. Lian says:

      Hi Sienna, thanks for letting me know that you’re loving Museum of Thieves – it’s really nice to hear comments like this. And thanks for your idea suggestions!

  2. helga says:

    Dear Lian,

    my name is Helga Nyírő.I’m from Hungary.
    Love all of your books.You are my list of favorite authors.I still remember discovering your books at my local library and reading all the books they had of yours in a 2 weeks… My favorite books:The Hidden Series. I know this is a book in the category for Young Adults, but I’m 24 and I loved it:) I would like to request bookmarks,or signed bookplates?
    Thanks for the opportunity!!!

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