Treats galore & cover art worthy of a big mention...

The second tranche of the "big snow" may have hit south east Wales overnight but the postman did make it to the door and the letterbox earlier this morning.  For the second time this week, I have received an unexpected Jiffy bag, this time from Macmillan.

And what a beautiful book I found inside.  In these days of the cover art equivalent of mass market bran tub dipping and pure androgyny (neither here nor there banality), this one stands out and I think, like me, you will immediately see why.

It's a great and original cover continuing the retro-theme we saw with L. C. Tyler's first Macmillan New Writing tome The Herring Seller's Apprentice (image below).

Even though supporting Len as a "brand" in some ways, this novel is comic fiction as opposed to comic crime fiction.  All the same, I look forward to reading it and it sounds intriguing.  But what a beautiful cover!  A Very Persistent Illusion will hit your real and virtual book-buying shelves in early March 09.

The follow-up to The Herring Seller's Apprentice - Ten Little Herrings - might be with us before 2009 is out.  Not sure about that one - but I suspect that Len will let us know, confirming or otherwise, in due course.

The last word to Macmillan New Writing: thanks for some lovely covers!  You know how to make a difference and be unique.  But you've already proved that with the novels you've brought to the market.  Congratulations all round!  And more to come, I hope!

Comments

[Karin]

I definitely agree. Very appealing cover!

[Len Tyler]

Yes, it's a great cover. You've managed to get your copy of the book before I've got mine, but I do already have the original art work! I think Mark has done a brilliant job. Today is, by the way, the pubication date of the paperback of The Herring Seller's Apprentice - available now "in all good bookshops" as they say.

[cfr]

Thanks Will. Mark Thomas does a fine job on all of them! (Albeit, I love Len's covers best of all. They remind me of transport ads from the 1950s; collectable now, I believe.) And thanks for confirming that Ten Little Herrings will be with us in August - Len did tell me once and I was pleased to see the deadline shortened - but my ability to find the relevant email is remiss.

[Will Atkins, Macmillan New Writing]

Thanks for your nice comments. Mark Thomas is the illustrator responsible (also Malcolm Pryce's and Jasper Fforde's covers). Ten Little Herrings will be out in August.