I also like the cat reaching out to bat at a planet. Even though I can't think of when or where Theo had a cat with her in outer space, it is kind of evocative of the general attitude of Coyster, who probably would bat at a planet if he could.
I think you're right, though actually, the planets Coyster kept an eye on were in the mobile, as I recall. My main caveat is that this person looks MUCH older and ... developed ... than a fourteen-year-old. Oh, well, nothing's perfect. (Althought actually, the original cover of Agent of Change, with Val Con, Miri, and Edger, just about WAS perfect.)
Unfortunately, I have to partially agree with Amm_me. I like the setting with Theo showing either exuberance or getting ready to dance, and Coyster swatting at a planet. IMHO, on the cover Theo looks about as developed as a 14 or 15 y.o. girl would be - a Terran girl, that is. However, Theo looks like "that Liaden girl", described or referred to as such to a greater or lesser extent in several places, and is ever thought of as younger than her actual age by strangers. We have seen blond Liadens (Er Thom), so the blond hair and dark eyes is not an issue, but Liadens in general are very often mistaken to be children to unfamiliar Terrans. Female Liadens are slender and have slight, almost boyish figures, what a Terran male might think of as pre-pubescent. (Yes, I imprinted on the originally BB AoC cover with Val Con, Miri and Edger as well..)
I think this artist may have been told that the primary character was a 14/15 y.o. girl, but may not have realized that her physical appearance should be akin to that of an 11 or 12 y.o. Terran female.
I think this artist may have been told that the primary character was a 14/15 y.o. girl,
Ahem. This is a Baen book; the cover artist got the rough draft to read. I know that he did so, twice, because he then wrote to us with questions.
but may not have realized that her physical appearance should be akin to that of an 11 or 12 y.o. Terran female.
He may well have realized this. However. Artists must convey the reality of the eye. If he painted a portrait of Theo as she "actually" looks, several things would happen:
(1) Readers would assume it was a children's book, because of the "little girl" on the cover (not all potential readers have ever heard of a Liaden or read a Liaden book. We hope.)
(2) We might very well find ourselves in a similar position (http://ursulav.livejournal.com/833981.html), which is a place we'd rather not be.
There have certainly been plenty of conversations over on the Theo_Waitley community about how thus-and-so is Not How It's Done Here, as if that justified it being "wrong" everywhere and for all reasons, to remind us that people -- even SF readers, sometimes (and, yes, even SF authors) -- have a hard time leaving their preconceptions at home.
It's our job, as writers, to try to shake up preconceptions, yours, ours, and theirs. It's the artist's job to get people to pick that book up off the shelf so that it can stick to their fingers and they have to buy it to get out of the store.
I think that cover's going to do really well for Theo.
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mmmag
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Date: 2008-11-26 01:32 pm (UTC)Lorna
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Date: 2008-11-26 01:54 pm (UTC)Coyster
Date: 2008-11-26 03:24 pm (UTC)Re: Coyster
Date: 2008-11-26 04:45 pm (UTC)Re: Coyster
Date: 2008-11-28 07:37 am (UTC)I think this artist may have been told that the primary character was a 14/15 y.o. girl, but may not have realized that her physical appearance should be akin to that of an 11 or 12 y.o. Terran female.
Brom
Re: Coyster
Date: 2008-11-28 07:41 am (UTC)Brom
Re: Coyster
Date: 2008-11-28 12:56 pm (UTC)Ahem. This is a Baen book; the cover artist got the rough draft to read. I know that he did so, twice, because he then wrote to us with questions.
but may not have realized that her physical appearance should be akin to that of an 11 or 12 y.o. Terran female.
He may well have realized this. However. Artists must convey the reality of the eye. If he painted a portrait of Theo as she "actually" looks, several things would happen:
(1) Readers would assume it was a children's book, because of the "little girl" on the cover (not all potential readers have ever heard of a Liaden or read a Liaden book. We hope.)
(2) We might very well find ourselves in a similar position (http://ursulav.livejournal.com/833981.html), which is a place we'd rather not be.
There have certainly been plenty of conversations over on the Theo_Waitley community about how thus-and-so is Not How It's Done Here, as if that justified it being "wrong" everywhere and for all reasons, to remind us that people -- even SF readers, sometimes (and, yes, even SF authors) -- have a hard time leaving their preconceptions at home.
It's our job, as writers, to try to shake up preconceptions, yours, ours, and theirs. It's the artist's job to get people to pick that book up off the shelf so that it can stick to their fingers and they have to buy it to get out of the store.
I think that cover's going to do really well for Theo.