Happy to hear that two of my 2012 works have been selected for inclusion in the forthcoming SPECTRUM 20: THE BEST IN CONTEMPORARY FANTASTIC ART, edited by Arnie & Cathy Fenner!

My cover artwork for Brenda Cooper’s THE CREATIVE FIRE: BOOK ONE OF RUBY’S SONG (Pyr), art directed by Lou Anders:

And TARS TARKAS: THE GHOST THAT HAUNTS THE SUPERSTITION MOUNTAINS, my interior illustration for Chris Claremont’s story in UNDER THE MOONS OF MARS: NEW ADVENTURES OF BARSOOM, edited by John Joseph Adams, and art directed by Tom Daly (Simon & Schuster):

Both of these were selected in the Book division by Spectrum 20 jurors, Tim Bruckner, Irene Gallo, Tim Kirk, Mark A. Nelson and Michael Whelan. The book will be published by Underwood Books in November.

Both of these works will be included in my display at Spectrum Fantastic Art 2 in Kansas City next month. 🙂

I saw something inspiring this past weekend.

I saw working people helping each other, toward a common cause. They were, in some cases, working toward this despite deep political and philosophical differences. They were working people, creating a World Science Fiction Convention.

This weekend, they met in San Antonio to plan logistics, scout locations, diagnose problems, create solutions, cement relationships, and make a convention. Their goal — to create the best World Science Fiction Convention possible this August in San Antonio, and when this convention arrives, it will bring some of the world’s best talent in science fiction/fantasy literature and art, as it inevitably does every year.

I watch this happen, and know that I have no interest in running one of these or volunteering on a committee. Ever.

It takes a special kind of human to do these things – to create a convention from the ground up. I have my hands full making art clients happy, building a company, making opportunities, making art. I can’t help but take my hat off to those that do have the fortitude to do this kind of work. I suspect making a Worldcon is a labor of love for them, in the same way that making art is mine.

This past Saturday, I took a few minutes to swing by the San Antonio Convention Center and Marriott Rivercenter hotel to see just what these World Science Fiction Society folks do, in preparation for a Worldcon. This is what I saw.

1) They’re not a mafia.

Far from it.

They’re working people, just like you and me. There were roughly 100 to 125 of them that I could see. This was an ‘all-staff’ meeting for convention committee members. These people, in most cases, have day jobs. They have families and lives back home that have nothing to do with fandom or sf/f. They paid hundreds of dollars of their own money to travel, lodge and feed themselves, taking time off from work and family. All of this, so that they could do the invisible hard work of planning and problem-solving — negotiating, haggling, analyzing, questioning, and solution-making. They weren’t there for glory or thank-yous, but simply To Do The Job, and do it well.

2) Worldcon wants change.

True. I’m not going to say that all Worldcons have, but from what I see and hear, this one in San Antonio wants to be different. Change wears a million faces. The shape of that face often depends on who’s looking, and from what vantage point. In this case, I see a chairperson named Randy Shepard who is what once made me proud to be a Texan. He belongs to a Texas before George Bush, before Rick Perry, where mavericks and democracy were celebrated, where the weird and the strange were welcomed, where being different was cool, where common sense was King. These days, it’s hard to remember that this Texas even existed. Randy hasn’t forgotten, and he wants the biggest, boldest programming ideas that sf/f literature and art can bring. More importantly, he wants them to happen. I’m rooting for him.

3) Worldcon is a team game, not a glory trip.

What makes this con special? Put the traditions aside. Put the guests aside. Put the Hugos aside. The ugly truth that many Worldcon critics won’t face is this – the World Science Fiction Society belongs to the critics, if they know how to claim it. The power of a Worldcon IS there for the critics to claim for their very own, and swing like a mighty hammer, if they just reach out and grab it. It’s right there. Why? Because the World Science Fiction Society is one of the best examples of democracy in action that we still have. Anyone can join the process, and anyone can change it, if they use the tools of democracy properly. It’s that simple.

What’s beautiful is that the ones that wield the power are the ones that are doing the work, and until someone works harder, works smarter, and works better than them – then the workers wield the power. As an American, I feel pretty good when accessible working people wield the power, rather than a faceless elite hiding behind pretense. Don’t you?

From what I see out here, those that demand change and spew venom at the Hugos and at Worldcon – they’ve demanded a place at the table with angry blogposts and derisive comments. They want their voices heard. They want the Hugos to reflect their tastes. They want to believe that there’s an ‘establishment’ blocking the world from seeing their way.

What makes Worldcon great is it’s a convention by the people, for the people. At its best, it welcomes the outlier. It welcomes the outcast. It welcomes everyone to take part and better yet, to criticize it, and shape it into something better. And it’s always ripe for a revolution, for a new regime, for a group of critics, trolls, and nerd ragers to democratically bring their new ideas into the fold. It’s there for the taking every single year, with no exception. How?

Simply show up.

And do the work.

I just saw some of that hard work in action, this weekend. I saw hard-working people leaving behind their dayjobs and families for four days. They paid their own money to get on a plane and fly to a distant location. They checked their egos at the door. They thought about what they wanted. They took the time to understand the wants and needs of those around them. They took the time to understand others’ fears and hopes. They took the time to show up at the World Science Fiction Society meetings. They proposed amendments and changes. They built coalitions. They built relationships. They made the future happen.

Easy.

Simple as that.

Once you put yourself in the shoes of these men and women – the ones who do the work – any agent of change would have to ask themselves first, “Why would someone do all of this work and then turn around and submit to those that aren’t doing any work?” Social media is a weapon. But to my friends who criticize Worldcon and the Hugos – let me offer some advice — the truth is you need a bigger weapon. You’re bringing a knife to a gunfight.

If you want to change Worldcon, you’ve gotta bring yourself.

You’ve gotta bring your best desire to build a common good. And you’ve gotta bring what makes you extraordinary to Worldcon, in some way, shape or form — every year if need be — in person, until you’ve changed this world, as you see fit.

In short – you’ve gotta bring your best. And you simply can’t do that by solely hiding behind an avatar and a keyboard. Apathy has never rung more hollow than when someone slams the Hugos or Worldcon, and has never attended either.

I’m stoked about the experience and leadership I saw in action this weekend in San Antonio. I saw people methodically solving problems. I saw people with big visions. I saw people with the will to make those visions happen. I saw people who want to achieve the very best.

It bodes well for a landmark Worldcon this summer in San Antonio. I’ll be there. You should be there too, if you care about science fiction and fantasy, and especially if you don’t like the current state of the Hugos or Worldcon. Bring a revolution. Bring your best — because this Worldcon, and this world, needs you.

If you do, it’s quite possible you might find a world bigger than yourself.

(Upper right photo credit: http://www.kylecassidy.com/ / Lower photo credit: William Lexner and The Brotherhood Without Banners)

Found out this morning that I was selected for the 20th edition of SPECTRUM: THE BEST IN CONTEMPORARY FANTASTIC ART. Congrats to all of the artists who made the list! 🙂

Fast forward a few hours, and the 2013 Hugo Award nominee announcement went public announcing that I’m a 2013 finalist for Best Professional Artist!

Grateful and honored to be in the company of Dan Dos Santos, Julie Dillon, Chris McGrath, and Vincent Chong. Congrats, folks — and to all of the nominees! 🙂 This is the first Hugo nomination for Julie, Chris and Vincent. It’s the fifth for Dan.

The complete list of 2013 Hugo Awards nominees is here, and it’s a list full of surprises and new blood, which is great to see.

The final voting for the Hugos will open soon. Details here.

I’ll be in San Antonio for this year’s LoneStarCon 3, where the Hugo ceremony will take place over Labor Day weekend. Should be a blast!

And in the coming weeks, I’ll find out which piece of my 2012 work was selected for this year’s Spectrum annual, which releases in November.

Been a good day. These kind don’t happen often.

Might be a good time for a Macallan 25. 😉

It’s been a crazy start to 2013 here, so I’m only just now posting an illustrated list of my 2012 body of professional work, including covers for Brenda Cooper’s THE CREATIVE FIRE, Ian McDonald’s BE MY ENEMY, and the limited edition of Dan Simmons’ HYPERION, as well as the first glimpses of my Loteria card set.

As noted by Tor.com and most of your social media circles, the awards nomination season is upon us again (Hugos and otherwise). If you wish to reference this list for future consideration, please feel free to peruse and bookmark at your convenience. Enjoy!

Just read a must-read post by Dennis Johnson of Melville House, outlining the very-possible closing-down of Barnes & Noble’s physical bookstores. For many of my more radical ebook-loving friends, this is cause for cheering and applause. I do not agree with them. For me and several of my long-time publishing friends, it’s the realization of something we’ve been watching and noting since around 2008/2009, like watching a massive train derail in slow-motion.

While I do not forget big-box stores’ ruthless and myopic elimination of independent bookstore competition over the years (good ol’ American capitalism, right?), I don’t applaud the demise of any bookstore, even the big-box versions. And if you’re a fan of anything that’s written or drawn in published form, then you should pay attention to what’s happening right now, because it’s going to affect you, even if you’re really happy right now with your Shiny New Future. And in fact, it already is affecting you, even if you don’t realize it.

Hey, 2012 — You were an amazing career year. Fortunate and grateful to have so many highlights packed into twelve months. Here’s to continuing to put nose to grindstone in 2013, and hopefully becoming a better artist.

Today marks the last day of the 2012 George R. R. Martin / A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE Calendar that I illustrated. This gig was one of the joys of my career, and I’m grateful for not only the work but for George, Parris, Anne, Dave, the Brotherhood Without Banners, and all of the worldwide friends that made the experience one of the best of my life so far. The work is its own reward, but the cherry on top was receiving the Chesley Award for Best Product Illustration for the calendar’s artwork.

This was the year I won the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist, becoming the seventeenth artist in the history of sf/f to do so. Again — incredibly grateful.

This was also the year that I launched a company for my creator-owned works — Lone Boy — and the year that I produced a 2013 calendar of some of my best cover artworks, as the first product offering from Lone Boy. The next Lone Boy endeavor will be Loteria. I can’t wait to create all of that artwork, and bring a new set of visions to it in the coming months.

2013 is gonna be a big year, and I sincerely thank everyone who has shared in my work to this point. I’m grateful for being a part of the sf/f genre community, and I’m looking forward to continuing to make more big sf/f art, while expanding my outreach in the weeks ahead. All best wishes in 2013 to all of my friends and family near, far, and around the world — may all of you experience the very best of times in this coming New Year. Let’s keep trying everyday to make a better world together.

It’s amazing how fast time flies. If this is the day to give thanks, then here’s a limitless thank-you for this amazing daughter, and a wish for a great Thanksgiving day from my family to all of you.

Yup. As of today, we have only seven short days remaining, before the Kickstarter campaign for my 2013 Calendar is officially over on Wednesday, November 28th at 12 noon. I’ve noticed many folks waiting until this Kickstarter is over so they can buy this calendar in stores. Not good — this Kickstarter drive is the ONLY way to get this calendar. So if you miss out now, then you very likely will miss out on this calendar altogether — and the bonus rewards that potentially come with it. The Kickstarter is the way to go. Please spread the word.

What does this Kickstarter drive have for you?

1) You score a unique collectible wall calendar, and because the item isn’t being store distributed, you’ll own something that store buyers won’t.

2) One of the reasons for this — we’ll be rushing to focus on getting all Kickstarter orders out in the attempt to deliver by Xmas to as many folks as possible. Because of the compressed timeline, there won’t be time to market these beyond the Kickstarter. And before you know it — bang — it’ll be January 1, 2013. So the Kickstarter really IS the way to be sure you get these items before the holidays.

3) You need Xmas gift-giving ideas? These calendars can make a lot of your coolest art and book-loving friends happy, with one click of a button. If you have an Amazon account, you’re good to go. 🙂

4) We have prints, original artwork and unique opportunities available in addition to the calendars, including the opportunity for you to become a piece of published sf/f art. Yes — you! And please note that the $40 level scores you a signed calendar, an archival print of the cover art, free worldwide shipping — AND if we achieve the 20K mark, you’ll get a free 12-page bonus sketchbook. A pretty darn good deal, when you need to stretch your dollars.

5) We’re currently less than $600 short of 18K! If we achieve that mark, one lucky Kickstarter backer will win this drawing, absolutely free — and that could be you. Let’s try to make this happen ASAP, folks — so that we can give away another drawing at 20K, on top of unlocking more rewards for you.

6) You can also have your birthday printed in the calendar, which means you can actually attempt to claim your birthday as a federal holiday to your employer. (Successful results may vary.)

7) And the best thing? You’ll earn karma and good favor from our celebrity endorser, Samantha The Great — and the Power of the Pink Trike will be on your side in The Eternal Struggle Between Good vs. Evil. Let’s make it happen, folks.

I’m pleased to see my 2013 John Picacio Calendar Kickstarter doing well so far. If you look at that page, you’ll see the $2000 pledge level is called the “Art Muse” level. I’ve received a number of inquiries about this, so I want to address what $2000 gets you because I’m very excited about this.

In addition to calendars, prints, original art and other goodies, you receive a very unique opportunity — the chance to model for an upcoming published illustrated artwork created by me. This original new illustrated artwork will be inspired by photographs of you, or the person of your choice. The opportunity includes exclusive initial consultation with me, and it’s a very rare opportunity to not only be a part of the making of a piece of published art, but to immortalize yourself (or someone you love) as a piece of artwork for all to see.

So what are the artworks in question?

In 2013, Lone Boy will be publishing a bold new Loteria card deck and game featuring my artwork — and you can become a part of one of these 54 cards.

I’m planning to make this Loteria deck one of the finest works of my career to date, and I’ve already started creating the cards.

For reference, here are what the classic, traditional Loteria cards look like for “La Sirena” (The Mermaid), “La Rosa” (The Rose), and “El Pescado” (The Fish).

And now for comparison, have a look at my completed pencils for my new versions of “La Sirena” and “El Pescado”.

If you would like to become a part of this opportunity, here’s the list of Loteria cards that you can consider immortalizing yourself as:

Great news — the 2013 John Picacio Calendar will indeed be available next month, and you can reserve yours right now via Kickstarter. In addition, we have plenty of prints and reward opportunities available  at various pledge levels. Note that $25 gets you a calendar. $35 gets you a signed one, plus free shipping. And $40 is a really good deal as it gets you all of the above, plus a free print of the calendar’s cover artwork.

And if we reach the next funding goal, then all orders $35 and above will receive a free 12-page sketchbook featuring process sketches and notes from the calendar’s artworks.

The campaign will end on November 28th at 12 noon Eastern, and these calendars will not be available in stores. So I encourage you to stock up via Kickstarter right now, so that we can try to fill your order in time for the holiday gift-giving season! Thanks, folks!

2013 is gonna be here in just barely more than two months from now. How the heck did 2012 fly by so fast??

Good news to share — I’ve created a new publishing imprint for my art and creative ventures. It’s called Lone Boy and our first venture is a 2013 John Picacio Calendar that will collect twelve of the best cover artworks from my career.

Want one? You’ll be able to get yours exclusively via Kickstarter, starting Monday, October 29th through Tuesday, November 27th.

I’ll post the link on this blog, and on Facebook and Twitter as soon as it goes live.

We’ll have signed prints and unique exclusive opportunities available as well. Our Kickstarter funding goal will be $12,000. If we hit that goal, the calendar becomes a printed reality.

If you’ve never visited Kickstarter’s website, please do. You’ll need to create a registration there in order to pledge for a calendar when the page goes live. So if you’re new to Kickstarter, you might as well do that in advance?

And maybe just as importantly — please spread the word and let folks know because this Kickstarter campaign will be gone in a flash, and this will be the only way to purchase this 2013 Calendar. 🙂

Can’t wait for Monday! Here’s a sneak peek at the January calendar layout. More previews coming soon.

Here’s a visual history of the winners of the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist. The Hugo Awards started in 1953. However, the Best Professional Artist category wasn’t created until 1955. Since then, seventeen pro artists have been recognized with the award in that category (eighteen if you count Leo and Diane Dillon as individuals — debatable because they considered themselves inseparable — even though each was/is a powerhouse individual artist). It’s a helluva list.

Two Sundays ago, I became a part of it. After assembling this set of images, the first thought I have is “get back to work….go get better.” And the next — “this still feels like a dream.”

Leo and Diane Dillon: I love this one — the wraparound cover art for Harlan Ellison’s DEATHBIRD STORIES. The Dillons are the only art team to be recognized with a pro artist Hugo thus far. I like this quote from Diane: “We could look at ourselves as one artist rather than two individuals, and that third artist was doing something neither one of us would do. We let it flow the way it flows when an artist is working by themselves and a color goes down that they didn’t quite expect and that affects the next colors they use, and it seems to have a life of its own.” They won the Hugo in this category in 1971.

Rick Sternbach: He did production work for the first STAR TREK motion picture back in the ’70s, and that’s where I’m most familiar with his work. However, he also did a range of sf book art. “Moonbow” (above) is my favorite. He won two Hugo Awards, in 1977 and 1978.

Vincent Di Fate: There’s something unmistakable about the way Di Fate lays down his hard edges against softer textures. I love his ships and spacescapes. This one is from later in his career (2002?), but he won the Hugo Award back in 1979.

Michael Whelan: He’s one of the ultimate artist’s artists. And this is one of my favorites of his — the cover art for Joan D. Vinge’s THE SNOW QUEEN. A couple of years ago, he brought this original to Boskone. I stared at the lace on that arm for a solid five minutes — without blinking. LOL When I think of the ambassadors of the sf/f field, Michael will always be one of the greatest — as an artist and as a person — and that includes all authors and creators, bar none. He’s won the most pro artist Hugos — thirteen — 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 2000, and 2002.

Jim Burns: I fell in love with this image the moment I first saw it a couple of decades ago — Burns’ classic cover for Ray Bradbury’s THE ILLUSTRATED MAN. If I had to make a list of top-20 favorite sf artworks of all-time, this would be in there. Jim has won three Hugos in this category — 1987, 1995, and 2005.

Don Maitz: Whenever rum drinkers chug a bottle of Captain Morgan, they get up-close and personal with Don’s art. However, works like “Death of the Last Dragon” are where he shines brightest, in my opinion. This is one of my favorites of his. He’s won two Hugo Awards in this category — 1990 and 1993.

Bob Eggleton: And here’s a dragon of a completely different mode. Yes, Bob’s known for these as well as his Lumley covers, his Godzillas, his Cthulhu art, and his love of pulp, amongst other things. But when I look at an Eggleton, I see the craft of brushstrokes and accretions that are dripping with emotion, and with the pure love of someone who’s never stopped being a fan. And that’s why he’s a master pro. Bob has eight Hugos in this category — 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2004.

Donato Giancola: Along with Whelan, I consider Donato one of the great artist’s artists, and one of the best of all pro artists I’ve ever met. I love how he handles himself as an artist and as a pro, and this cover artwork for Kathleen Bryan’s THE GOLDEN ROSE is one of my favorites of his. I was flabbergasted when Donato lost seven consecutive years for the Hugo from 1999 to 2005, until he finally won his first Hugo, on his eighth nomination in 2006. (And yes, now I know a bit of how he felt — that math does sound eerily familiar, come to think of it. ;)) He now has three in this category — along with the 2007 and 2009 rockets.

Stephan Martiniere: As far as I’m concerned, he’s the master of the futuristic cityscape. This is his cover art for Ian McDonald’s RIVER OF GODS. There are many artists that do this type of imagery so well, but I can’t think of any more transcendent than Stephan. Even as some traditionalists and collectors decry the evolution and impact of digital art, Stephan has done what the great artists do in all media throughout history — he has pushed the vocabulary of art forward, and that achievement goes beyond arguments over pencils, paints or pixels. He won the Hugo Award in 2008.

Shaun Tan: What I love about Shaun Tan is that he made himself. His visions and narratives are uniquely his own. He didn’t come out of a vacuum, but when I look at the evolution of his work from THE VIEWER through THE RABBITS (above) through THE ARRIVAL to the present, he re-shaped the world on his own terms and brought it to him, rather than vice versa. He has two Hugo Awards — 2010 and 2011.

John Picacio: And it’s 2012. And here I am. Hello, world. And it’s time to get back to work, to make new art, and to make better art. Don’t look now — I think my best is still yet to come.

Still haven’t quite wrapped my brain around that one. Dreamed about it for many, many years, but now that it’s reality, it still hasn’t sunk in, even several days after a magical night.

Loved hearing the stories and insights that came out of Coop’s mouth. He’s as brilliant as he is subversive, and I doubt it’s the last time he and I cross paths. Dave, Billy, and Steven were terrific as well, and together we pulled off a panel that many folks said was one of the very best of recent Dragon*Cons, despite technical snafus that we overcame. I was proud of that panel.

     Chapter Two: WOW! I won a Chesley Award!

Back at Dragon*Con, I was ecstatic to win this Chesley Award, as these are the awards given by one’s art peers in the industry. Headed back to the Marriott Marquis with Lou and the Pyr crew to celebrate and watch the night-time madness of D*Con, which really is like no other con scene anywhere. It’s electric, I love it, and I’ll be back next year.

     Chapter Three: Two Cons In One Day

Headed to the Brotherhood Without Banners Party from there — and that joint was jumping! The Bros always throw a terrific party and I have a lot of friends there. X-Ray gave me my Chesley. She and Mr. X had Balvenie Caribbean waiting for me. Good times, great people (shoutouts to Boiled Leather, Red Woman, Mutha Hydra, Lady Chattaya, Lodey, Raya, Lacey, Leigh, Tara, Will, and more), and a lot of laughs. And still no sightings of RaceBannon but Steve Spaulding was in the house. (BWB inside joke that I inadvertently created…..if you’re non-BWB, nothing to see here. :))

     Chapter Four: Rocket Sunday

(pictured above: Mary Robinette Kowal and her husband Rob at the Pre-Hugo Reception)

Had breakfast with George, Parris, Raya and her boyfriend. Good way to start the day. Lunched with LOCUS‘ Liza Trombi. With the Hugo Award Semi-Prozine rule changes being instituted, 2012 will be the last year that LOCUS is eligible for a Hugo in the category. The magazine won a massive haul of Hugos under the leadership of Charles Brown, but since Liza assumed the leadership of the mag, they hadn’t landed a Hugo yet. I was rooting for her to pull it off because this was her last chance.

Many conversations and meetings later — it was time for the pre-Hugo Awards reception. I’ve been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist seven consecutive times. I’ve been through these events six previous times. They’re a joy because there are so many friends dressed to their best, but they’re also nerve-wracking because everyone is on edge for the results to be announced. This one was no different.

When it was time to head to the awards, I was seated next to Irene Gallo and Greg Manchess, with Patty Wells and Colin Harris on my other side. Irene was accepting for Stephan Martiniere and I was convinced that either he or Dan Dos Santos was gonna win the award. The more Irene kept scribbling on notepaper as each category was announced, I was sure that Stephan had won his second Hugo. 

John Scalzi was the MC, and he did what Scalzi does — he’s eloquent, funny, gracious, and in command of the moment. It’s what all Toastmasters hope to be, and Scalzi does it effortlessly. He’s been with me at many a Losers’ Party. We’ve shared several post-Hugo commiserations over the years.

After losing seven straight years, there were two noticable differences this time around though. 1) I’ve received loud cheers at past Hugo announcements, but there was a massive roar from the audience for my name this time when the nominees’ names were read. 2) And then there was Scalzi and when that little smirk creeped across his face and he did that giant pause, something in my stomach went, “Oh f**k.” 

And I barely even heard my name because the room exploded with screams and cheers, and I was utterly stunned and glued to my chair. Stared at the floor for about a second, before heading for the stage. Chris Garcia bearhugged me in the aisle. Steven Silver was there too. And at the end of the aisle, before I hit the stairs, stood Liza, who had won her ‘first’ Hugo — the one that means the most to her because she earned this one without Charles, and totally under her leadership, along with Kirsten Gong-Wong, Francesca Myman and the rest of LOCUS’ crew. I’ll never forget the look on her face, and for she and I to have earned our Hugos on the same night is a very special thing. 

As far as my speech — I didn’t have one. What came out of my mouth is what was on my mind at that moment. That’s the only way I know how to do these things. It was important that at least two artists who were never recognized with Hugos were celebrated this night and those were Richard Powers and John Berkey — two giants who opened doors to new frontiers where many of us pros now thrive, and hopefully expand upon.

I’m extremely grateful to all who voted for me all of these years, and who voted for me this year. I’m grateful to have won this on a night when my friends Liza, Paul Cornell, John DeNardo, Charlie Jane Anders, Kij Johnson, Sheila Williams, George R. R. Martin, and Neil Gaiman also won. 

George is special to me because he gave me the opportunity to do that 2012 ASoIaF Calendar, and spending that time in Westeros is a time that I will never forget. I’m really glad that GAME OF THRONES won a Hugo. I wish A DANCE WITH DRAGONS would have fared better in the final Best Novel tally. I believe George will own a Best Novel Hugo someday.

Standing next to Neil at the post-Hugo photos, I reminded him that I won my first pro award — the International Horror Guild Award (Best Artist) — ten years ago in this same city. The person who handed me that award? Him. 

Congrats to all winners and nominees Sunday night — and especially Dan Dos Santos, Michael Komarck, Bob Eggleton, and Stephan Martiniere — so honoured to be amongst you. It’s an honour just to be nominated for a Hugo — yes, no doubt about it. And being nominated seven straight years is a massive achievement — I know this. But wow, I’m so grateful to win this Hugo on my eighth nomination. More grateful than I have words to express. It really is a dream come true. Thanks to all friends and family, who were there along the way, including my mother, father, and sister who always believed — and Traci who was there for so many of those losing years and now will be treated to many celebratory dinners over this next month because she deserves to savour this as much as anyone.

What can I say? I’m a Hugo Award winner — only the 17th artist to ever win in the Best Professional Artist category (18th if you count Leo and Diane Dillon as individuals, but since they were such a team, they’re really one artist).

Wow.

Time to get back to work. Time to make better art. Thanks, everyone!

(Thanks to Brenda Cooper for the above photo.)

Here’s where you can find me at this year’s Dragon*Con before I swing over to Chicago for Worldcon.

Friday, August 31
2:30pm / Hanover G – Hyatt (1 hour)

The Art Of George R. R. Martin: Making The Calendar

Here’s the official cover for Pyr‘s release of Ian McDonald’s forthcoming YA novel — BE MY ENEMY. This is the followup to his terrific YA debut PLANESRUNNER — a Sidewise Awards finalist, and runnerup in this year’s Locus Awards for Best YA Novel.

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes that shows why art directors are one of the most valuable links in the publishing chain.

I turned in my catalog version of this cover and Lou Anders, Pyr’s art director, suggested a couple of tweaks. All and all, he thought we were good to go.

Unfortunately, I kept feeling like I had fallen short of the best solution. Way short. Not Lou’s fault. My fault. And it nagged me. A lot. For weeks.

So it’s July 13th and it’s almost time to go to press. The smart call would be to keep my mouth shut and let my submitted cover go to press. But I’d been telling Lou that I wasn’t sure if I’d gotten it right yet.

We’re at San Diego Comic-Con and we’re about to have lunch, and I say to him again, “I’m still not sure about that cover. You mind if we brainstorm together here?” Bear in mind that this cover is already pretty much turned in. No one in their right minds should be revisiting this cover this close to deadline.

We’re trading images and phrases back and forth for about a minute and Lou says, “Gimme something to write on — fast.” I hand him a grocery receipt, and he scribbles this tiny little scrawl.

He says, “Be my enemy…..be my valentine…..you see?”

I saw a stick figure holding a gun (maybe running? maybe breakdancing?) surrounded by a heart — were we talking about a roadsign of sorts?

Lou said, “No, I’m seeing a guy like this (points his index and middle fingers like pistols and crosses his arms across his chest).

And then — that’s when I saw something he didn’t — I saw a skull-and-crossbones cross-pollinated with a valentine. Lou said later he wasn’t thinking ‘skull-and-crossbones’, but he just let me run because it made perfect sense. I don’t think he saw the abstraction coming either. As is often the case when I work with Lou, my ‘A’ plus his ‘B’ often equals a ‘C’ that’s more than the sum, and more than we first imagined.

I took that Lou Anders thumbnail home, and started over from scratch. Several days later, I was finished and the new final cover was born. Grace Conti-Zilsberger finished the layout of the rest of the jacket . She did a great job on-the-fly.

I’m glad Lou and I didn’t compromise. I’m glad lightning finally struck both us — even if it was almost too late. Whew. 🙂

Ian McDonald is one of the best writers in all of genre fiction. BE MY ENEMY is going to blow readers’ minds. Heads up, folks — if you haven’t read PLANESRUNNER, snag it now so you’ll be ready when BE MY ENEMY arrives in September.