ellenkushner | Entries tagged with kd

Oh, look what I just found under the Tree! Um, a post KD drafted in October that we forgot to put up.....

Fortunately, it now doubles as a New Year's Gift to all.

It fits nicely over the Small Beer Press hardcover edition of TPOTS currently on big dog sale for $9.95 for all your DIY'ers). And Taline also says you're welcome to use bits of it for Icons if you like. (I like!!!) I adore ever square inch of it - it's like she reached inside my brain & plucked out the pictures!

Thanks again to the gifted Taline Boghosian for this amazing work, and to everyone who participated in the TPOTS Cover Contest, which we created to celebrate the TPOTS audiobook from Neil Gaiman Presents. I've really appreciated all your reviews & Likes on that page, too. I'm headed back into the studio this week to continue recording The Fall of the Kings, which should be out in spring.

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Attention all The Privilege of the Sword (aka TPOTS) fans! This is Ellen's assistant Katharine, here to present the final version of the winning design from our TPOTS Create Your Own Cover Contest.

Taline Boghosian’s superb and intricate design had many Riverside fans wishing for a dust jacket version of their very own. Taline has graciously obliged, adding a spine so that her cover will fit snugly over the hardcover edition of TPOTS and making the desig available to download and print in two different versions, no less!)

If you don’t already have your own hardcover copy, you can buy one here to use with Taline’s cover (although the Small Beer Press cover is gorgeous as well—maybe trade them out for special occasions?)

Taline also gives her kin permission for everyone to se any part of the cover to make icons (as long as it's for personal use).

Congratulations again to Taline on her winning design, and many thanks for letting us use your amazing artwork!

Hollins University offers co-ed Summmer M.A. and M.F.A. programs in the study and writing of children’s and young adult literature. Students attend classes each summer for 3-5 summers, until all their coursework is done.

Where: Roanoke, VA

When: This summer's semester runs June 17th - July 26th. Ellen & Delia will both be instructors this year. Applications due Jan. 6 & Feb. 15.

In order to study with Delia, students must be enrolled in either the two-year Creative Writing M.F.A program (deadline for applying to the program is January 6th: see application instructions) . . . or the M.A. or M.F.A. in Children's Literature programs (deadline February 15, application instructions here ).

Ellen's seminar is open only to second- or third-year students in the MFA Writing program. However, on her last visit (2 yrs ago), she instigated the Writers' Livingroom, a place for all creative writing students to meet each week to complain, help each other, drink, knit, and sing "Die, Vampire, Die!" She plans to return to that this year.

Both Ellen and Delia have taught and spoken at Hollins in the past, and loved the experience! So this summer Ellen will teach an Advanced Writing Tutorial, while Delia will lead a course on Genre Study in the Craft of Writing for Children/Fantasy.

A full list of courses (all of which I, personally, would love to take!) is available here.

The program features a fantastic roster of lecturers (including Brian Attebery and C.W. "Chip" Sullivan), visits from a renowned writer-in-residence (past writers-in-residence have included Nancy Willard, Marly Youmans . . . and Ellen!), and the chance for students to present critical and creative work at the annual Francelia Butler Conference on Children’s Literature.

If you’re in the Roanoke area, you can also attend talks by faculty members and other public events throughout the summer.

This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in writing children’s or Y.A. literature to study with some of the most talented writers in the field, so spread the word!

--Katharine Duckett
Assistant to Ellen Kushner

This is Ellen’s assistant Katharine, back to announce the winner of our TPOTS Create Your Own Cover Contest, while Ellen nurses a head cold and gloats over all the art.

I’m glad to see that my rallying cry of “Lace! Leather! Silk and steel!” inspired so many of you to design your own covers for The Privilege of the Sword (aka TPOTS, which Ellen really does pronounce "teapots!") in honor of the release of the new audiobook, and I loved seeing the different covers that came in, from photos to drawings to digital collages. (You can see all the entries as links in the Comments section of the original Contest post here.)

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest for the time and hard work you put into your designs. Both Ellen and I were impressed by the high quality and originality of the entries, and judging so many excellent covers was no easy feat. That is why, in addition to our Grand Prize winner, Ellen has selected two second-place winners, whose art you can see below.

We are thrilled to announce that the Grand Prize winner of the TPOTS Create Your Own Cover contest is…

Taline Boghosian!

Ellen and I were blown away by Taline's exquisite design and thoughtful layout of the cover, which is for a hardcover with both front, back and side flaps. You can find more of Taline’s work here. In addition to receiving a limited edition copy of The Privilege of the Sword from Small Beer Press, Taline will have her art displayed on the official TPOTS Covers page. We'll announce it when the art goes up, so check back for that post!

And now for our two second-place winners, who will also receive a hardcover copy of The Privilege of the Sword. Well, one of them will, anyway—because one of our two winners, Elizabeth Evans-Gist (underthewetmoon), was already, by chance, the winner of our "What's your favorite imaginary book?" contest and has a copy of TPOTS on the way!

Here's Liz's subtle and elegant cover:

Tied with Liz for second place, we have this terrific cover art and design from vaultedthewall:

We were especially impressed with the WIP posts she did as she worked on this cover; you can see them here on her Tumblr. She also managed to get all our favorite characters in.

Congratulations to our winners, and thank you again to everyone who entered!!! Even if you didn't win, you can still perfectly legitimately acquire your own limited edition copy of The Privilege of the Sword here (at a discounted rate) - and/or download the new TPOTS audiobook, narrated by Ellen herself (with a little help from the great Barbara Rosenblat & a cast that includes Felicia Day and Joe Hurley) from Neil Gaiman Presents.

We loved each and every entry, and all the enthusiasm everyone has so kindly shown over the launch of the TPOTS audiobook.

I think it's time to lock Ellen in a tower and make her write another novel, now, don't you?

She says she has to finish recording The Fall of the Kings first. But I dunno . . . .

Lace! Leather! Silk and steel!

And, of course, Girls with Swords.

Thomas Canty's original painting for the new TPOTS audiobook represents only the latest design in a series of gorgeous covers for The Privilege of the Sword around the world since it was first published in 2006.

Whether it's high fantasy grace, gypsy punk cool, or stylized manga, all of the TPOTS covers convey the vibrant, complex spirit of Riverside and its denizens in their own distinct, creative way.

Now it's your chance to show us your vision of Katherine, the Mad Duke, and the world they inhabit - as it would appear on the cover of the next edition of the book!

That's right....

We want to see your art and design for a The Privilege of the Sword cover!

Visit Ellen's website to see the existing TPOTS covers, including covers from the Dutch, German, and Spanish editions, then create one of your own, that you think is perfect for your own private or dream edition of The Privilege of the Sword.

Post your cover on Facebook, LiveJournal, DeviantArt, Tumblr or anywhere else we (and your friends!) can see them.

Then post a link to your entry in the comments below by 11:59 p.m. EST (U.S.A. Eastern Time) on Sunday, September 16.

Ellen will judge all entries herself. The winning entry (and runners-up) will be posted here and on the Covers webpage for all to ogle and enjoy.

THE GRAND PRIZE:

An elegant limited edition trade-cloth hardcover of The Privilege of the Sword, published by Small Beer Press!

So start drawing, painting, or otherwise creating, and spread the word to any artistically-inclined friends you know are just waiting for the chance to design a brilliant, beautiful sword fighting-inspired book cover. Thanks in advance for your entries—we can't wait to see your new TPOTS cover designs!

—Katharine Duckett
Assistant to EK

FROM KATHARINE: With award-winning actors who have appeared on Broadway, London's West End, and numerous television shows and films, the cast for the new TPOTS audiobook is decidedly all-star. If you haven't heard the work of Barbara Rosenblat or Joe Hurley, you are doing your ears a serious disservice, as they are masters of audiobook acting and both lend incredible depth and talent to their roles in TPOTS.

Below, you can see the cast list for the production—we'll post another comprehensive one with all the smaller roles played in the near future, but this offers a look at the major players and links to more of their work, as well as the wonderful crew who made the book happen. Enjoy!

THE PRIVILEGE OF THE SWORD
From SueMedia Productions

Narrators: Ellen Kushner and eight-time Audie Award winner Barbara Rosenblat

Featuring: Audie Award winner Joe Hurley (Alec Campion: the Mad Duke Tremontaine); The Guild creator Felicia Day (Katherine Talbert); Audie Award finalist (currently on Broadway in Newsies!) Nick Sullivan (Lord Ferris; Arthur Ghent); multiple Audie Award winner Katherine Kellgren (Lady Artemesia Fitz-Levi; Teresa Grey; Flavia "the Ugly Girl"); and Neil Gaiman (Rogues' Ball Artist).

Supporting Cast: Wilson Bridges, Jason Collins, Butch D'Ambrosio, Matt Mendillo, Bill Rogers, Sue Zizza

Original Score: Nathanael Tronerud

Producer/Director: Sue Zizza

Co-Producer: Ellen Kushner

Recording / Master Mixing: David Shinn

Editors: David Shinn, Marc Wiener, Alex Ghersini, Sue Zizza

As Friday evening edges ever nearer (not long now!), I hope some of you are planning to snuggle up and listen to the TPOTS audiobook at home this weekend—or that you'll take it on the road, treat yourself to an outdoor listening date to the park, or even break out your old boom box and broadcast it loudly on the subway, '90s-style. (Anyone who actually does this will win—well, I don't even know, but I'd have to dream up something amazing, because you would be my hero).

Speaking of things to be won, on Monday we will launch our first contest for the audiobook, so make sure to check back for details on the rules and prizes. We'll keep you in suspense as to the nature of the competition, but prepare your pens, pencils, and paintbrushes, and carefully study any swords (or swordsmen) you may have lying around, as they'll serve as terrific inspiration. Okay, that's all I'll say—my lips are sealed until Monday!

FROM KATHARINE: For those of you who haven't yet gotten a chance to listen to the audiobook, here's the story of the excellent sample you can hear on Audible's The Privilege of the Sword page by clicking the green arrow beneath the cover image. (And for those of you who have heard the book—we'd love to read your reviews, here or on Audible!)

The five-minute scene brings to vivid and musical life the Rogues' Ball from TPOTS, wherein we encounter the ribbon-wrapped Companions of the King, "devilish revelry" abounds, and the Mad Duke, much to Katherine's dismany, attempts to ascend a human pyramid. It also features the voice talents of Neil Gaiman and Dr Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog's Felicia Day, two amazing performers who loved the Riverside series long before they became part of the audiobooks.

Felicia Day's involvement came about, as many fortuitous things do, via the Twitterverse. In October of last year, Felicia (@FeliciaDay) happened to tweet that she loved the books of War of the Oaks author Emma Bull, an old friend of both Ellen and Neil's. When Ellen retweeted, Felicia responded (and I quote): "Holy crap that's Ellen Kushner. I loved Swordspoint too!"

Ellen tweeted back to ask if Felicia had read The Privilege of the Sword, mentioning that Felicia would make a perfect Katherine. Neil (@neilhimself) happened to stop by that corner of Twitter to chime in with a "Yes! I agree!" and the brilliant idea to use Felicia's mix of nerdy-girl-next-door charm and subtle badassery for the upcoming TPOTS audiobook was born.

Felicia, of course, wears many awesome and stylishly geektastic hats, and has been extremely busy founding the YouTube channel Geek and Sundry and creating the online book club Vaginal Fantasy Hangout. (Visit both, and watch several hours of your life disappear in a way you'll love). However, Felicia still made time in her schedule to drive to a recording studio in LA and record some key lines from Katherine's scenes—including the famous Letters with Artemisia!

And here's Ellen's report on casting Neil as the foppish and fustian architect of the artists' tableau at the Rogues' Ball:

'Since Neil's the producer of NGP, and an old friend (and was so wonderful as Bogdan in The Witches of Lublin), we thought it would be fun to give him a "cameo/cookie" appearance in each book (after Swordspoint). I knew immediately that it should be "the red-haired artist" at the Rogues' Ball - and Sue (of SueMedia Productions), when she read it, agreed! This is actually the only time in the entire book that the first person narrator is in an "Illuminated" scene (i.e., one with actors doing character voices, plus lots of SFX) - we broke our own rule in order to make that happen! Now we're trying to figure out who Neil should be in our next production, THE FALL OF THE KINGS (scheduled for late fall 2012) - any suggestions?'

So the floor is open, Riverside fans—who should Neil play in The Fall of the Kings? And who else would you like to see on the cast list, if Twitter were capable of bringing us anyone our (and your) hearts desired?