Official Fan Art Thread

[House of Mustard]

I thought it was time you got some fan art, too.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

Spoilers!!

[Chaos]

Dan, I think you just found a new desktop background.

[ryos]

Spoilers!!

Meh, it's in the cover copy, isn't it?

[Peter Ahlstrom]

That's the problem with cover copy sometimes. You want to sell the book by letting people know how cool it is, but sometimes a book works better narratively if something isn't known. But if you don't put it in the cover copy, what reason will they have to pick up the book?

It's like in the Stargate episode 200, where O'Neal walks in toward the end and says, "Come on, don't tell me the viewers wouldn't see this coming," and someone else says, "They'd put it in the preview the week before."

Anyway, if I know I want to read a book because I've read something else by the author or someone else has given it a good recommendation, I do not read the cover copy before I start reading the book. That always makes the journey of discovery more interesting.

[Fellfrosch]

Interestingly, for the US version we've cut out all mention of the demon until the demon actually shows up. It's only a couple of lines here and there, really minor in terms of word count, but it gives the book, and the reveal, and entirely different feel. Obviously that means we'll be keeping supernatural stuff out of the cover copy as well. I'm interested to see how it's received.

As for the fan art, well, now you see why my brother can't get a job.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

If it's still being released under the Tor imprint, I think most people will guess there's something supernatural.

[Bookstore Guy]

depends if is is actually Tor Horror or Forge.

[Fellfrosch]

That was part of our thinking, actually: we wanted it to be a surprise, but not a shock, which is why the demon was originally mentioned in the first couple of paragraphs--we didn't want people to think it was a normal crime thriller and be blindsided halfway through by a supernatural monster. Then when F. Paul Wilson read it, we talked quite a bit about the surprise factor and he insisted it would be a much stronger book if the demon came out of nowhere (and he's right); he also pointed out that in modern horror, especially coming from Tor, supernatural is pretty much the expected default, so the publisher and the cover image and the little hints dropped throughout the early chapters are all the preparation the audience needs.

[Bookstore Guy]

F Paul Wilson is a stud, and I agree with him that making the Demon a surprise is important and more fun for the reader.

[Tage]

The demon actually confused Kimberly when she read it. She had to call me up then and there to ask if she'd read it right or if it was supposed to be a dream or something. On the other hand, I don't think she reads a lot of fantasy, so she wasn't going to adapt to it very quickly either way.

[Miyabi]

As he referred to the demon all the way through the book I assumed he was first talking about himself.  Then, up until the end I thought that the demon was just John's mind making up stuff so that he wouldn't feel guilty or have to take the blame.

[Shi]

Read I am Not a Serial Killer on vacation and loved it! And for shame, Dan, making me order your book from the UK! Hee hee! Anyway, ended up starting this the day after I finished the book, and putting it off much longer than I should have. So here's my contribution to the world of Dan, cause there's just not enough John Cleaver out there.

[sortitus]

I like it.

[Fellfrosch]

Holy crap, I love it! Very cool approach to the character, with the peeling wallpaper and such. And a wonderful omen of Book 2....