The first time I noticed
former Project Mayhem contributor Marissa Burt was on the Absolute Write
message boards. I noticed her because her avatar was the cover for STORYBOUND,
her (then) soon-to-be-released debut MG novel. Marissa had won the debut author lottery with her amazing
cover by Brandon Dorman, though, to give credit where credit is due, the
artist had an incredibly rich world to work with in Marissa’s debut fantasy
duology, set in a boarding school for fairy-tale characters.
STORYBOUND's follow up, STORY'S END continued the awesome cover luck with a contrasting cover that carried through the same sense of wonder and excitement.
When the first book of her second duology came out in October, it was clear Marissa had some serious MG cover mojo. The gorgeous cover of A SLIVER OF STARDUST, a Mother Goose-inspired fantasy, was done by Jakob Eirich, and it immediately drew the interest of my household’s resident 10-year-old.
So how to follow that up? Because A
LEGEND OF STARFIRE is due out in October. Could Marissa’s amazing cover-streak
hold?
In fact, it did! A LEGEND OF STARFIRE’s
cover is as intriguing and evocative as all her others. Before the cover reveal
(and ARC giveaway!), here’s a description of the book.
Apprentice Fiddler Wren Matthews thought she wanted nothing more
than to resume her alchemy lessons at the Crooked House. But an urgent appeal
from a friend sends her to the steampunk otherworld of Nod where stardust is
mysteriously disappearing and horrific nightmares threaten everything the
colony of Fiddler Magicians has built. Aided by her friends, Wren braves danger
from the power-hungry leaders within the city walls and battles the
half-animal, half-machine experiments-gone-wrong without in an effort to solve
the mystery before the magic of Nod is lost forever.
So are you ready for the cover of
this fantastical steampunk MG?
Here it is….
So if you’d like to win a
signed ARC of A LEGEND OF STARFIRE, just leave a comment and tell us about some
of your favorite middle grade covers!
Those covers look great! Some of my favorites are Howl's Moving Castle (Diana Wynne Jones) and Blackbringr (Faeries of Dreamdark by Laini Taylor).
ReplyDeleteThank you! And great cover choices!
DeleteExciting! My nine-year-old daughter is going to be ecstatic when I tell her there is a sequel!
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite covers may be The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate and its sequel. But in general, I think MG covers are the best--they're keeping the art of beautifully illustrated covers alive.
Aw, I'm so excited for her to get to read it! And I love the silhouette on Calpurnia Tate, too.
DeleteI'm so happy to see Marissa's cover here! I love Jakob Erich's work. Jason Chan's is a favorite too -- I love his covers for the Keepers of the Lost Cities and Winterlings series.
ReplyDeleteYes! Have you seen Jakob's website? His work is so imaginative and fantastic.
DeleteIf it's an international paperback giveaway sure, if not better luck for me next time. Congrats Marissa. Your stories really pull people in a beautiful covers can only help.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm so excited for you to get to read it!
DeleteWow, this is gorgeous! For whatever reason, I tend to love MG fantasy covers (like this one!)~ The Luck Uglies and Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes are among my favorites :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! Oooh, I agree - The Luck Uglies is lovely, too.
DeleteWow, this is gorgeous! For whatever reason, I tend to love MG fantasy covers (like this one!)~ The Luck Uglies and Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes are among my favorites :)
ReplyDeleteSo incredibly beautiful! Wow! Another cover a person could just fall into and never emerge from....
ReplyDelete:) Thank you, Anne!
DeleteBeautiful! Huge congrats, Marissa!! :)
ReplyDeleteOops! My favorite MG covers include the original Fablehaven covers, Shannon Messenger's Keeper of the Lost Cities series, and Sarah Prineas's Winterling series.
DeleteThanks so much, Shannon!
DeleteI love these covers! Harry Potter are definitely my faves, as are the Penderwicks series.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Ah, yes, there is nothing quite like the HP covers. I still haven't checked out the illustrated editions, but I imagine they're just as lovely.
DeleteLove these covers. The lost heir and the thirteenth reality series all had great covers.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteMarissa, Congrats on this GORGEOUS cover! I agree, all of your covers are so beautiful and just suck you in.
ReplyDeleteMarissa, Congrats on this GORGEOUS cover! I agree, all of your covers are so beautiful and just suck you in.
ReplyDeleteThat looks amazing! I cant name any favorite one, too many good ones!
ReplyDelete