The cover for THE SHADOW SAINT has been released. Once again, it’s a lovely piece by Richard Anderson (and designed by Steve Panton.) I’m tremendously grateful to Orbit for the wonderful covers I’m getting.
That’s the New City in the background. The basic design of the cover (cowled figure with sword, echoing the first book but with a different colour scheme) came together very quickly, so my main input was providing some art references for the architecture. If you’re curious, the pinterest moodboard is here.
I allowed myself an indulgence in this book. While researching for THE GUTTER PRAYER, I came across a poem that I believe I’ve quoted on the blog before – Hugh McDiarmid’s Midnight.
Glasgow is null
Its suburbs shadows
And the Clyde a cloud.
Dundee is dust
And Aberdeen a shell.
But Edinburgh is a mad god’s dream,
Fitful and dark,
Unseizable in Leith
And wildered by the Forth,
But irresistably at last
Cleaving to sombre heights
Of passionate imagining
Till stonily,
From soaring battlements,
Earth eyes Eternity.
As I’ve said, Guerdon’s part Cork, but also part Edinburgh. Castle Hill is the Castle Rock of Edinburgh Castle; the profusion of spires and gothic monuments next to alleyways and wynds next to new and ordered streets is also very Edinburgh. One of the characters in THE SHADOW SAINT is a poet, and I licensed the rights to tweak that poem slightly and draw it into my world.
Speaking of Edinburgh, there are still tickets for my event with Darius Hinks at Cymera.
Gareth Hanrahan 