Here it is, the front and back covers for Mirage, the second book in my Above World adventure series from Candlewick! Isn’t it gorgeous? Artist Alexander Jansson and Kathryn Cunningham at Candlewick have really outdone themselves.
[Click for a larger images.]
And the official flap copy:
The desert is no place for ocean-dwelling Kampii like Aluna and Hoku, especially now that Aluna has secretly started growing her tail. But the maniacal Karl Strand is out to conquer the Above World, and the horselike Equians are next on his list. Aluna, Hoku, and their friends — winged Calli and Equian exile Dash — race to the desert city of Mirage, intent on warning the Equians and forming an alliance.
Unfortunately, Strand’s clone Scorch has gotten there first. Now the Equian leader has vowed to take all his people to war as part of Strand’s army. Any herd that refuses to join him by the time of the desert-wide competition known as the Thunder Trials will be destroyed.
To have any chance of defeating Scorch and convincing the Equians to switch sides, the four friends must find a way to win the Trials. The challenge seems impossible. But if they fail, the desert — and possibly all of the Above World — will be lost to Karl Strand forever.
SQUEE! I am a Very Happy Author. I may or may not have rubbed these glorious ARCs on my face.
They look so fab!! Is the flag bigger on this version? It looks so epic! Like Theoden’s flag as he rides onto the fields of Pelennor.
Ahem.
So you’ve got blue and red. Will the third be green? :D
Flag is the same size, but yay for the Theoden reference! I was definitely thinking Riders of Rohan myself. :-D
As for the third, I’m going to vote for green, purple, or green and purple!
OH MY GOD SO GORGEOUS
YAY
Gorgeous cover! Appropriately entrancing…
Thank you!!
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Hugs, honey!
Thanks, Christine!
Fantastic cover! Squee indeed!!
Thank you for squeeing with me!
Holy canoli! My heartbeat is galloping, and no, I’m not kidding. What an exciting cover. I WANT that flag emblem on jewelry. WANT. Remind me, when is release date?
Release date is March 12, 2013, and hooray for galloping heartbeats!
Hey! I loved your first book! I loved how Aluna was so tough and took the seed and be- oh wait. I am spilling the bean about the end! I finished your Above World in one day! And I hope I can do it with the mirage too! Is there going to be a 3rd book too?
Hi Denali,
I’m so glad you enjoyed Above World! Hooray! And yes, there’s a third book. I’m in the middle of revising it right now so it doesn’t even have a title yet.
Your name looks familiar — is there any chance I met you in Berkeley when I was doing an event there?
Jenn
I’m in love!!
I can’t wait to get my greedy hands on this book!
Yay! Thanks, Gaby!!
I pre-ordered it! I can’t wait. I’ll be squeeing until March. I think there should be a whole line of Above World Jewelry — Sea Horse earrings, anyone?
I’m on board with this wish, Susan! And thanks so much for the pre-order. :-D
I know I’m a bit late in responding to this post, but SQUEE! The cover, oh, that marvelous cover ! That beautiful cover! Oh my! I wish it was March! Oh, why can’t it be March right now?! SQUEE!
What?? Its not even out yet!
Anyway, how could you possibly say that?
Be positive!
Say SQUEE…
Sam, I deleted the last comment — sorry about that! I assumed it was someone who hadn’t read the book yet.