Author Archive

NYCC Recap: Orbit US 3rd Anniversary Party

It’s been a busy week/weekend here at Orbit US, and as we all start to come out of our post-NY Comic-Con exhaustion, we’ll be catching you up on all the excitement. First, let’s all take a moment to say HAPPY 3rd ANNIVERSARY to Orbit US. We had a little party to celebrate while people were in town for NYCC. It was held at the really cool subterranean Cellar Bar at the Bryant Park hotel, which had a seriously urban fantasy vibe going on. The cocktail waitress even had a corset on – and although Orbit was accused of requesting it specifically, I assure you it was a happy coincidence.

Pictures after the jump! (more…)

Wallpaper: Version 43 by Philip Palmer!

New Wallpaper time! I know all your assorted screens and devices would love some new art, and I am happy to provide new visuals, this time from Version 43 by Philip Palmer.

I love how this series is shaping up (Red Claw, Version 43, and soon you’ll see the cover launch for Hell Ship), and I think the pulp-retro feel of the covers works for these books – if you’re looking for classic, in your face, action-packed scifi then Philip Palmer is your man.

The creepy-cool image was shot by Eric Westpheling, who I’m sure is still haunted by visions of the doll props taking over his apartment.

Enjoy!

1024 x 768 | 1280 x 800 | 1440 x 900 | 1680 x 1050 | 1920 x 1200 | iPhone | iPad | PSP

Steampunk Fun at NYCC

This Fri-Sat-Sun is the New York Comic-Con and there’s a lot of exciting stuff going on at Orbit’s booth (#2315). I’m here to tell you about a really fun art-department project that all you Parasol Protectorate fans and Steampunk experts can be a part of. I am always super impressed by the imagination and care that Gail’s Steampunk fans put into their wardrobe and to celebrate that, we’re going to induct you all into the Parasol Protectorate!

If you are showing off your best Steampunk finery Friday or Saturday, come by the Orbit booth and we’ll be taking pictures of you in your best Victorian action poses. Next week we will be turning those pictures into custom Parasol Protectorate covers of your very own! We’ll be uploading them here on the blog a batch at a time, and we’ll have our blog readers vote on their favorite covers. The winner may even get a prize! (more…)

Wallpaper: The Black Prism by BRENT WEEKS

The wallpaper all you Brent Weeks fans have been asking for is finally here, ready to take over your assorted computers, phones, portable-media-devices, facebook page, chat icons… ok I’m getting carried away. I’ve got the standard wallpaper sizes up for 99% of you to download, but if there’s a certain resolution/size you need that’s not there let me know in the comments, I’ll make it for you special.

Richard Jones did a great job with the in-your-face image of one of the awesome and unpredictable characters from the book.

The Black Prism has all the twists and turns readers have come to expect from Brent Weeks, along with a huge  cast of characters whose reversals of fortunes and motivations will keep you guessing right up until the last page. Download links after the jump. Enjoy!

(more…)

Mystery Cover Outtake 8.7.10

Truly a cover designer’s work is never done…a sunny hot saturday spent in the studio of fabulous photographer Laura Hanifin working on a top secret book cover for next season…I’ll just have to let you keep guessing which one until the final cover is released! Just wanted to share for your viewing – and squirming – pleasure. Now if only I could share the stink. Yuck.

Comic-Con Part the Second: Costume Out-takes!

The most visible part of San Diego Comic-Con – and the hardest part to explain to non-geeks – is the costumes. I was trying to explain to a friend who had never been to any con before (talk about sink or swim, your first public geek experience being SDCC) that Comic-Con is like the prom, and everyone who dresses up is totally Prom King and Queen of their own personal universe. People who maybe are too shy, or just not attention-seekers normally can dress up as a kick-ass superhero and feel like a rockstar all day at con. All day people want to take pictures of you, tell you how awesome your costume is, tell you how much they love your character (and the more obscure, the better accolades). I have never dressed up for a con, but I have hit more than a few halloweens in NYC dressed up as Lara Croft, Dark Phoenix, assorted Jedi, and a few vampires, and it is kind of a heady experience. I can only imagine to do it at a con is even better. (more…)

Comic-Con Part the First: Orbit/Yen Booth Happenings

I had high hopes of blogging my first San Diego Comic-Con as it was happening (or at least, at the end of each day) but I woefully underestimated the sheer craziness going on every minute of the day and night. Even prepared with multiple cameras and an iPad, there wasn’t a spare minute to post! So, I’m going to be catching you all up now, categorically.

There is so much thorough SDCC coverage around the web that I’m going to try to keep this stuff edited to unique pics taken by me (or Orbit/Yen team members) and try to keep it edited down to a few topics. But don’t doubt for a second that I have a bajillion pics of bespandexed cosplayers posing like they practiced all year…and you know they did. (more…)

Wallpaper: THE UNIT

Here is a brand new wallpaper for a brand new Orbit release: The Unit by Terry DeHart. This after-the-bomb novel is a fascinating look at the lengths a family will go to survive a disaster. Plus, the author is a former Marine, and a security analyst for NASA, so the book is terrifyingly plausible.

(more…)

Cover Launch: MR. SHIVERS

With a fresh new look for its paperback debut, here’s Mr. Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett. If you’ve been reading along with these cover posts you know I love to take an opportunity to revisit the art when there’s a change of format…it’s especially fun to take a fresh look at a book and art that you like already, and just shake it up a bit.

If you caught Mr. Shivers in hardcover, you will recognize the hobo symbol for Mr. Shivers himself now taking front and center on the cover. You can also see more about the book and the hobo symbols at www.mistershivers.com.

Mr. Shivers is a great read kind of straddling historical fiction, suspense, and horror. and my favorite review (Publisher’s Weekly starred review) of the book says it all for me: “…Like a collaboration between Steven King and John Stienbeck.” Um, how does that not sound awesome? (more…)

Cover (VIDEO) Launch: DANTE VALENTINE

I know I skipped a week (I’ve been busy working on the Spring/Summer 2011 season), so to make up for it I give you not only a cover launch but also a fun behind-the-scenes video I made at the photo shoot for the collected edition of Lilith Saintcrow’s Dante Valentine Series.

I know a lot of you are already familiar with the five books of the Dante Valentine series, and as a fan myself, I was excited to get a chance to try a new look for Dante. The original series covers were very cool and graphic, but we felt for the relaunch with the Omnibus edition we wanted to go for a whole new look, and it would be fun to get a chance to actually personify Dante in the flesh. (more…)