Month of Guests 2013: Maria V. Snyder - Plus Giveaway!

And now begins the Author Fortnight of my Month of Guests!! YAY!! I'm so excited - and even more excited that we are going to be kicking off with one of my favourite authors - Maria V. Snyder!! And that we're also kicking off with a giveaway of the Glass Trilogy (UK only - sorry international followers)! But now onto Maria...

Getting a Fresh Look!

I’m a lucky writer.  Really!  My books have been in print since 2005 and show no signs of being… *looking over shoulder – lowering my voice to a whisper* going out of print.  That’s a nasty word in publishing.  When your books are you know what, then readers can no longer find them when browsing the bookshops.  I know, I know e-books are forever, but I’m old fashioned and love my print books – the smell, the feel…  And I’m not the only one.  But that’s not the point of this post.

Back to my topic.  My books have been published in over a dozen countries with a wide variety of cool covers in the last eight years.  The old adage of not judging a book by it’s cover is bunk.  Yes, you heard me – bunk.  We all judge books by their covers – it’s that sparkly, pretty, colorful, or intriguing design that draws the eye.  Ohhh… we, say.  What’s that book about?  And we pick it up to read more.  And that’s the purpose of the cover – to entice you away from that other book.  You might not buy the book based on the cover, but you noticed.

My good friend, Alethea worked in a bookstore for years and she said, “A bad cover can kill a good book.”  Amen, sistah!

This summer a few of my books have undergone a cover re-design.  In the UK, my Study and Glass series of books had their covers redesigned and the books were re-reprinted.  I love the new covers, but I also loved the old covers.  I asked my publisher, MIRA Ink why the switch.

The Original UK Covers

Claudia Symons of MIRA Ink said, “Our reason for the new covers, was that we had seen the Australian covers (of the Study books) and really liked them and thought that they would work really well in the UK market as they were really striking and contemporary and that as we hadn't re- jacketed the books since they were first published that there was an opportunity to re-jacket and re-promote the books. We  have also moved the Glass and Study series  to our MIRA Ink imprint, where I think these books are perfectly suited and these covers are perfect for the YA market as well as having real cross-over appeal to your existing fan base. We're going to be doing a big push with these books in the libraries and the schools market over the coming month and i hope find a new generation of readers!”

The New UK Covers - What Do You Think?

Enticing new readers is an author’s bread and butter (plus my son started university this year – I need all the bread and butter I can get ;).  In the USA and Canada, my Glass series of books were also re-designed using the Australian Glass covers.  And they also came out in mass-market paperback format, which is cheaper and smaller than the original trade-sized paperback.  Even more reasons for a new reader to pick up a copy.  The books are in the grocery stores and airports. So exciting to see copies of Storm Glass in my local grocery story!

Now there is a down side.  My readers might think I’ve come out with a brand new book and pick up a copy by mistake.  I hope that doesn’t happen – just check my website and Facebook pages to keep up to date on my news.  Or they might think this is a bid for more money – bottom line, my publisher sells books – that’s what they do.  And because I’ve signed a publishing contract with them, they decide when and how they are going to publish the book.  I’m in control of content only. 

The biggest upside for me is knowing my publisher is still supporting me.  I’m not as big as many other authors, but they believe in my stories and are hoping to spread the word about my books far and wide.

That’s why I’m a lucky writer! 

So what do you think of the new UK covers?  Which ones draw your eye?

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Yay, thank you so much for taking part, Maria!!  I love the new covers so so much - I might just have to buy them all over again!!  I love the new ones because I think they have more of a crossover appeal - boys and girls, adults and teens.  Lots of new readers and fans, hopefully!!

Hope you all enjoyed Maria's post! And don't forget to follow Maria's Blog, follow her on Facebook and Goodreads and check out her Site!! :D

And enter the giveaway!!  You'll win a complete set of the Glass series - a new cover set!!  The giveaway is open only to people in UK and Ireland (sorry! the publisher is UK based!) and will close 10th October 2013.  

Tweet and let people know!!  :D  

Check out The Book Addicted Girl's Giveaway Policy before entering.

And keep up to date with MonthOfGuests on Twitter using #MonthOfGuests2013! And stop by tomorrow for a brilliant post by the wonderful James Dawson - I'm the final stop of the #MurderOnTheBeach blog tour!!  :D

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Meteorologist turned novelist, Maria's been writing fantasy and science fiction since she was bored at work and needed something creative to do. A dozen novels and numerous short stories later, Maria's learned a thing or three about writing. She’s been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a half-dozen awards, and has earned her MA degree in Writing from Seton Hill University where she's been happily sharing her knowledge with the current crop of MFA students. She also enjoys creating new worlds where horses and swords rule, 'cause let's face it, they're cool, although she's been known to trap her poor characters in a giant metal cube and let them figure out how to get out. Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at http://www.MariaVSnyder.com.