Before Hild is published, I’ll be doing a tear-down of my website, this blog, and Gemæcca. Meanwhile, I’ve been futzing about with the Aud books.
There are three novels about Aud Torvingen. But each is from a different publisher, so readers of one book might not know about the others. One day I’ll buy back the rights and republish all three as a sleek and coherent package. Until then, I’ve been experimenting with the notion of meta-publication. I’ve built some additional pages for this blog just for the Aud books: one for the series, one for The Blue Place, one for Stay, and one for Always. Right now they’re just bare bones: no excerpts, no audio, no video. But there is new art work. Go take a look.
If you have opinions on whether the new look works or doesn’t work, I’d love to hear them.
Nicola Griffith 
To me it look slasher, or ghost story. Which means I think Stay works best, but they don't hit the right note, for me. Of the covers, I think Always & The Blue Place have something to offer. The fist on Always always seemed to me like it was part of a series– like your “shower door” covers. I mean, it WASN'T part of a series, but it could have been, a hand-themed series. The Blue Place cover also has…well, I think having a attractive woman lounging around threateningly does hit a good note for Aud, especially early Aud.
The first cover you link to, for the Blue Place, looks a little too…victim? A little too Psycho. If I'm spitballing. The second looks the most ghostly, which is appropriate. The third looks like erotica, yeah? At least to me, if I was guessing genre.
I am fond of the “already” covers, and slow to change allegiance to what I love. However, the new covers show the effect of love and relationship on the wild heart of Aud, so I can't help but find them attractive. I hope that helps.
mordicai, barbara, I hear you on the new graphics. I wouldn't want them as the new covers–they depict only Aud's trying-to-break-free-of-her-self-constructed-carapace angst, not her zest, or the thrill-ride suspense aspects of the books. But I like them as windows into one facet of her personality, the one she mostly tries not to acknowledge.
For new covers I'd want something lush and painterly.
Nicola, the new look is impressive, and yes, it works. I am drawn to hands, think they tell us as much about a person as eyes. Interesting too, since I know you have said – as recently as a couple of days ago – that it will be a long time before you return to the fourth and fifth Aud books, but it seems to me that some muse, has, through the words and art you’ve chosen, offered you the cup and dice.
Marilyn, I'm already juggling with knives :) The cup and dice will have to wait their turn.
lovely.
Cool.
“If you have opinions on whether the new look works or doesn't work, I'd love to hear them.”
judging from the three aud-links, it looks as if we won't be able to make comments after the tear-down? what a pity!
can't help it:
“Without Aud, it’s hard to see how there could have been a Lisbeth Salander.”
– Val McDermid
i love stieg; i really do. but i'm not sure if i like the parallel. in no mofo way is aud a victim of the system – as lisbeth is. and thank god she ain't. for once, i didn't have to read about the abused (lesbian) woman … saved by a good-looking male hero. but i like lisbeth too. i really do.
kate
I will always make sure there's a place to comment. To me it's part of the point of a blog.
And I absolutely hear you on the victim thing–Aud is no one's victim (except occasionally the victim of her own certainty).
N. I like images as art (and wonder who is behind the glass?) but I am not sure I connected to your idea of Aud breaking free, until I read it. Then, OK, got it. I wonder if you would consider a reader-partner effort to put all the books under one roof? W.
Woody, the tricky part is getting the rights back from the three publishers–it would cost tens of thousands of dollars.
I agree about commenting; blogs without comments drive me nuts. But then…I'm a narcissist who always wants to add his two cents.
N. But it can be done? They would be willing to sell them back to you? If so, why not see if readers would be willing to buy “shares” or some other mechanism to invest without the promise or expectation of much return. Kind of like microfinancing. I bet many of the folks on the “list” would be interested in at least exploring the possibility of having a little piece of something good. I know. I read fantasy as well as action, but I like both.Fantasy and action I mean. w.
Theoretically I can be done. But practically speaking I think the amount I'd need is greater than the amount available via a Kickstarter-type of appeal.