Not this:

Wolf’s Cross

When I wrote Wolfbreed I wasn’t concerned for markets, or genre, or much else beyond having my muse promise not to beat me senseless.  It was written outside of my contracts for DAW, so I had no real constraints on what I was doing, and no expectations of anything beyond its fiery conclusion.  Everything had been wrapped up, the still-living characters all had their main conflicts resolved.  All the plot threads tied up with a nice bow made of human entrails. . .

Of course you have to go there tor read the rest of it.

And our wonderful UPS guy decided to leave the package out in the rain, on top of a trash can next to the house. . .  But I got this to cheer me up.  Go there, you may win a book.

Fortunately, aside from the time-travel aspect, and the gender of the protagonist, this book by Shana Abé has exactly ziltch in common with what I’m working on. I have, however, started reconsidering my title.

Here we see the cover of the Blackstone Audio version of Wolfbreed coming out March 20th.  Much coolness, and it’s interesting seeing a cover that’s clearly influenced by Spectra’s cover, yet different.  I can’t wait to get this on my iPod.

Zoe doesn’t seem too impressed, but it may be because she can’t read.

If you want to buy it on-line, but you’re pissed at Amazon’s antics of late, you can buy it here. Or here.

But, in addition to that, look at what I got in the mail:

These are the faux trade-paper bound galleys, like I got for Prophets.  I still think it’s way cool seeing them in this format.

I like this even better than the cover for Wolfbreed.  Though in both cases I think the cover captures the spirit of the protagonist.

You know you want to buy a copy.

Booklist:

Swann’s exquisite werewolf historical brings the era vividly to life as the perfect setting for his conflicted, multidimensional characters. This may be the werewolf book of the year, for, filled with action, romance, gore, and political intrigue, it’s a fresh, page-turning take on werewolf tropes that is not to be missed.

Publisher’s Weekly:

Religion and political intrigue turn an adolescent werewolf into a killing machine in this compelling novel of 13th-century Northern Europe. [...] Lilly’s struggle to reconcile her split personalities—cold assassin and lonely girl—becomes a quest for redemption and love as she endures rape, amnesia and the knowledge of her own terrible actions in the church’s service. Swann turns opposing viewpoints into sympathetic perspectives, clearly painting the complex political and religious dynamics of the time.

George R.R. Martin

S.A. Swann has written a spellbinding fantasy of the Teutonic Knights and the great Northern Crusade, set in a little-known period of history amidst the gloomy forests of Prussia and Lithuania. Vivid and visceral, dark and delicious, this one kept me turning pages from start to finish.

Mary Balogh

A mesmerizing story that entertained me thoroughly and moved me deeply. Lilly’s Song is an exciting, non-stop action adventure involving the supernatural. More than that, though, it demonstrates how the human spirit, even when in a not-entirely-human body, can be transformed and redeemed by the power of love. I adored this book.

Robert Masello

Lilly lives in a world so strange that even werewolves have to fight for survival, and I found myself rooting for her from the very start. Before long, I was falling for her, too! Lilly’s Song is a thrilling, yet deeply moving, journey that I never wanted to end.

Yeah, it’s a reprint, but it still makes me happy.

The artist is Gene Mollica, who also has a cool variant of this image on his website.