The Final Battle

Blackbirds is in the Ranting Dragon Cover Battle 2012! Round after round it fought —

And now?

It has reached the final round.

*crash of thunder*

*timpani boom*

*a distant wolf howls*

It is up against the mighty cover of Seanan McGuire’s equally mighty Discount Armageddon — Seanan is, of course, my spirit animal and the profane yin to my vulgar yang, and she is a damn fine writer (sweet Sid and Marty Krofft, have you read her Feed series under the name Mira Grant? Do yourself the favor and read, read, read).

So, were Blackbirds to lose this battle — it would be a glorious loss.

BUT WE AIN’T GOING DOWN WITHOUT A LOT OF KICKING AND FLAILING.

When I saw Joey Hi-Fi‘s cover for Blackbirds (and the follow-up, Mockingbird), I about fell over, dizzy. I’d won the cover lottery. It is a truly incredible cover, a cover that sells the book far better than my own writing ever could — I cannot tell you how many people told me they picked the book up to check it out by dint of that cover. It is a single image that contains myriad images: dozens of little scenes and snippets from the book.

So, I beseech you here today — pleading eyes searching, sweaty palms turned heavenward, manly tears streaking my gore-caked beard. I ask you to go and place your vote for your favorite cover of the year. If that cover is Blackbirds, then I shall high-five you when we both arrive in Valhalla. If it’s not, then so be it. I mean, I might drive over you with my car if I see you crossing the road, but that’s the way it goes. No harm no foul, right?

The vote is close! Split down the middle! Hurry! Hurry!

Congrats, of course, to Seanan and her cover artist, Aly Fell!

(The contest is open until December 30th.)