2009: The Year Of The Fan continues with another token of appreciation for you amazing, supportive readers. With muchly thanks to the brilliant folks at St. Martin's Press -- including my editor Michael Homler, publisher Matthew Shear and especially designer Phil Pascuzzo and executive art director Michael Storrings -- I'm proud to present the "print edition" cover for 7th Son: Descent.
The trade paperback original will be released this fall (no street date yet, but you'll be the first to know once I do), and St. Martin's has approved my ambitious online promotion celebrating the book's debut. More on that in a moment. Let's get to the good stuff already.
According to editor Michael Homler, the cover will likely feature "metallic inks," making the novel pop like a road flare on the bookshelves. This thing looks like it was brought back from the future, it's so slick.
Homler told me: "Our sales force and our publisher really loves this one. I love it too, and think with the (ink) effects, it’s going to be even more stunning. We strive to have things that don’t look like everything else that's out there."
The creative team of Pascuzzo and Storrings did just that, and knocked it out of the park. I believe this dynamic, ultra-modern cover will evoke killer curiosity with shoppers, and encourage them to pick it up, turn it over, read the back cover....
...and as you fans know, once they do that, it's all over but the shoutin'. :)
The front cover will also likely feature a blurb from New York Times bestselling novelist Scott Sigler: "(Hutchins's) high-tech nightmares leap off the page and lodge in your brain like a literary headshot. Brilliant."
The support St. Martin's is showing for 7th Son: Descent is nothing short of stunning. This design -- and other marketing initiatives the company will release in the mainstream marketplace -- show an absolute commitment to the book's success. I'm thrilled and humbled by St. Martin's support, and can't wait to share news of those initiatives in the months ahead.
Of course, I am absolutely committed to Descent's success, and -- equally important -- to entertaining you during this year ... YOUR year ... The Year Of The Fan. Last week, St. Martin's approved my online promotion plan to celebrate Descent's release, which includes:
- A "book trailer" the likes of which has never been seen in publishing
- Easy-to-distribute promo e-cards, posters and web widgets, so you can help build the Beta Clone Army
- An innovative seven-part prequel story serialized across seven different blogs
- A "digital EP" of folk-rock music sung and performed by 7th Son character John Smith (Yes, you'll hear the John Smith perform)
- A seven-story prequel anthology called 7 Days, which documents the week leading up the Beta clones' abduction seen in Descent (Each episode focuses on an individual clone)
- A new "Print Edition" audio version of 7th Son: Descent, distributed as a free podcast novel
- Exclusive prizes for superfans who pre-order Descent
- And more...
...and it's all for you, my friends. And it'll all be free. Consider this a heartfelt thank you for your relentless support and cheers during the past three years -- and for your support this fall, as Descent hits bookstores everywhere. Thank you.
Before I go, I want to share another image -- this one, of an "advance reader's copy" of my supernatural thriller that will be released on June 9, Personal Effects: Dark Art. I received this in the mail today:
That photo, right there, is proof that what you do as fans makes an impact. That's my book. I wrote that. And now, it's no longer words on a screen -- it's a tangible thing, a real thing, and you made that happen. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
It's going to be an awesome 2009. Will you join me for the ride?
--J.C.