Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Celebrating Dreams of Gods and Monsters: Karou Artwork + Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Dreams of Gods and Monsters, the third and final book in Laini Taylor's amazing Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, the fantastic people at Little, Brown offered a number of bloggers the opportunity to give a copy of the book away and generally express their love for this series any way they saw fit.

I of course went into designer mode and decided to put together a promotional poster featuring the character who made me fall madly in love with her the moment she appeared on page: Karou. This series is chock-full of outstanding characters, but Karou, with her bright blue hair, her hilarious banter with best friend Zuzana, and her emotionally tortuous relationship with Akiva, has always been the person I most looked forward to spending time with when I cracked the spine of one of these books.

Before I post my interpretation of Karou (with a little Akiva mixed in for good measure because I want them to be together forever and ever and always), I want to say a huge thank you to my absurdly talented mother who was my collaborator on this illustration of Karou. I'm so pleased with how the entire piece turned out, and I couldn't have done it without her!




I knew I wanted Karou to be the focal point with all her gorgeous blue hair, but I thought she and Akiva and been separated long enough, so I wanted to make sure pieces of him were incorporated into the design as well. Marrying the image of Karou with Akiva's full wings (as was my original idea) simply wasn't working, so we ended up adding feathers to the tips of certain strands of her hair, allowing the blue to subtly fade into the white of Akiva's feathers.

I hope you guys like it as much as I do, and be sure and check back tomorrow for my full review of the book!

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By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?


Find Dreams of Gods and Monsters:


Find the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy


• • • • • • • • • • • 

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the hugely generous team at Little, Brown, I have one copy of Dreams of Gods and Monsters up for grabs on the blog today. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

63 comments:

  1. Oh Jenny! That is beautiful!! Soo amazing, you rock! I love Karou's name so much and her blue hair of course. Honestly, it would be awesome if I could pull off blue hair, but I think my husband would be scared... so no blue hair for me :)

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  2. What a fabulous cover! I don't know what I'm most excited about for the book. I suppose just the fact that it's out. I adored the first book but never got around to reading the second. I still want to.

    And I dare Danny to dye her hair blue for BEA!

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  3. Holy crap, Jenny ... that is gorgeous. I haven't read the books yet, but I can understand the meaning of the feathers, and that is such a great touch. The fonts and coloring is amazing. Perfect. I need to read these so bad.

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  4. I haven't read this series yet but I know I should and your illutration is just perfect, I love love it, better than the original one. Thank you so much for sharing with us!

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  5. Wow, that's gorgeous! You did wonderful! I'm really excited to continue the series. I'm hoping I can attend her signing next week, but if not my friend will pick me up my signed copy. Love Laini!

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  6. Jenny you are so super talented!!! I love love love this picture that you and your mother came up with, seriously if I saw this book with this cover in the bookstore, I would be buying it straight away!!!

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  7. I have been waiting in anticipation for this book a whole year! The world building is so intricate and of course the love story of Akiva and Karou *swoon*
    And the artwork is lovely :)

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  8. Absolutely beautiful! And I am currently reading Dreams of Gods & Monsters, and LOVING it ;)

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  9. I love this Jenny, you are so darn talented!!

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  10. YOU MY FRIEND ARE FREAKIN INSANE! This is beyond gorgeous. I think it's been 5 min since I opened your blog and just sat back and stared at this gorgeous design. Brilliant, amazing, magnificent. Extremely beautiful, Jenny!

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  11. LOVE your design, Jenny - it's so perfect for Karou and the series as a whole. Thanks for sharing, dear!

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  12. Jenny, your art is simply beautiful! I love how Karou's hair is flowing and the tips are like the feathers of Akiva's wings. Thank you for the awesome giveaway :)

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  13. Jenny, that is absolutely stunning! Why is that not the real cover? Seriously, you need to be a cover artist for a big publisher, who most of the time release awful covers.
    Plus, your personality really does shine through with the cover, Jenny. I love how you didn't want Karou to be separated from Akiva!

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  14. Wow, Jenny. Just...wow. I love how her hair with its feathers is a weathered blue, a bit worn and tumbled, like she's been through some stuff (as she has).

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  15. Jenny, that picture is just so stunning and striking. I'm surprised that people aren't breaking down your door begging for your designs already! WOW!

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  16. Oh wow, Jenny... just WOW!! What a stunning stunning piece! I agree with Mindee's comment on Twitter, can we get a copy of your illustration somehow? Cause I think it's simply brilliant!

    I'm dying to get my copy of Dreams of Gods and Monsters in the mail already!! (Ordering from TBD means shipping from UK to Spain can take over a week and that's SO NOT COOL!!) I'm not sure I'll read your review for it tomorrow, cause I want to go into the book knowing as little as possible, but as soon as I'm done reading I'll go back to your review to fangirl about it!

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  17. WOW! This is so so gorgeous! Where can I get THAT as the book cover? ;)

    I'm so excited for this book because it's the LAST BOOK and I can't wait to find out how it all ends, even though I know it'll break my heart.

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  18. I love that! You're very talented, Jenny!

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  19. I haven't read the frist 2 books,but everyone is like talking about this third installment! :) AND HOLY WOW- my jaw went slack!! You really have a fine gem of talent in you, Jenny! So gorgeous!!

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  20. That is just gorgeous, Jenny. I love it! Really I do! I am such a fan of this series and I am digging into this book this weekend. I totally wanted blue hair after reading the first book.

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  21. AHHHH this is absolutely stunning Jenny!! I wish I could have a giant poster of this, seriously. It's like one of those minimalist fairy tale posters, and I do have framed versions of those in my office. I love the colors, and the way you incorporated Akiva in a clever, easter egg sort of way. LOVE!!!!! :-)

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  22. WOWZERS! I'm in love with your creation!!! It is whimsical and alluring! It's just so lovely Jenny! I'm super impressed!
    I'm so excited yet super bummed about Dreams of Gods & Monsters. It being the final book in the trilogy is heart wrenching! But I will survive! Thanks for the chance to win this awesome book!
    xoxoxo ♥
    Michelle ~ Book Hangovers Blabs Books

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  23. I cannot wait to see how Karou and Akiva's story ends.

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  24. Wow that art is gorgeous! You and your mum are very talented! :) Beautiful, well done on getting a copy to give away! I'm so excited about this book, it is unreal!

    Katrina @ Chased By My Imagination

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  25. This is incredible, Jenny! Your talent never fails to blow me away. I love how thoughtful and beautiful this piece is. It's also got me in the perfect mood to start Dreams of Gods & Monsters, which I plan to dive in to tomorrow. :) Thanks so much for sharing.

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  26. *turning so green that Kermit is becoming jelly of me*

    I SO WANT THIS BOOK! Oh and then you had to go and tease me with your wonderful cover! Dammit Jenny! Stop hogging all the creativity. ;) You are so talented!

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  27. You are so talented Jenny ^^

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  28. As everyone does, I want to see the ending of Karou and Akiva's story! (This series is only a trilogy right? No additions?) I'm dying to read it!

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  29. Stunning, Jenny! I think you captured the beauty and romance of Karou and Akiva that we came to love in this series. I can't wait to read this one and am really looking to your review!

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  30. This is soooooo Beautiful, I love it. And thanks for the giveaway

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    1. Also, I haven't read the series yet, but I want to marathon it. I know I'm going to love it.

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  31. Jenny, that is how I picture Karou! I love her blue hair and how free her spirit is. I think you capture that too in her free flowing hair as well. I love the addition of the feathers from Akiva. I will be sorely disappointed if they do not end up together. Daughter of Smoke and Bones blew me away. I believe it can be called my favorite fantasy of all time. (pending investigation :) I love the characters and the imaginative story. And I love Laini Taylor's blog.

    I know it must have been time consuming to do but I would love to see the marionette scene on the bridge. It sounded so magical as does all of Prague. You do such beautiful work Jenny! I hope that Laini sees it!

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  32. Wow, the artwork is gorgeous! I want to frame it and put it on my bookshelf!

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  33. I'm not a big fan of this series, but your poster is gorgeous, Jenny! You and your mother's collaboration is stunning! :)

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  34. I am really looking forward to reading this series and I can't wait!! :) I haven't read the series yet but it is very high on my TBR list!! Thanks for the giveaway.

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  35. I have heard so much about the book that I'm just plain curious about the story. I know I will end up reading the whole serious.

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  36. (This is Darith L)

    Everything! I want this to complete my collection and read it of course.

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  37. Everything!!

    The Characters, the world, the romance, it's all so perfectly done and engrossing that I want to know what happens to all of them.

    She's an awesome author, and I LOVE YOUR DESIGN!!

    Thank you :)

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  38. I love how her hair turns into leaves. Beautiful!

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  39. That is such a beautiful illustration that you did! I adore it! I wish I had time to dig in and learn photo shop especially since I bought the darn software *cackles madly* maybe when I retire in 30 years...

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  40. Jenny you are so talented! I love what you did. Even though this story just did not stick with me, I'm glad you loved it.

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  41. It's gorgeous! Such a talent! This is one of the most unique series I've read.

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  42. Oh wow, that's beautiful! :) And I'm just so excited for this book! I can't wait to see how Laini ends it!

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  43. I'm just excited to get back into the wonderful world that Laini Taylor has built in this trilogy. I also really want to see what happens next with Karou, Akiva and just everyone. I'm sure this book won't disappoint and I can't wait to read it!

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  44. I'm really excited to start this series! Beautiful artwork!

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  45. That is an absolutely beautiful piece of art!

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  46. I just need to know how it ends. Thinking of all of the people that have died for nothing was just so sad. And I have to know more about the group that lives across the water and mountains from the Seraph. They seem all powerful but there has to be more to them than that. And the humans are now pulled into the war. So unfair!

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  47. cant wait to see how it all ends! love the cover!

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  48. I just really want to know what happens with Karou and Akiva

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  49. Jenny, that image is gorgeous!! I kind of wish I had a poster of it to put on my wall, it's stunning! Fantastic job.

    I'm most excited to see how the trilogy ends - I'm very curious to see what happens! (Entering as Lea Johnson)

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  50. You are amazingly talented, Jenny! I'd buy a print of this image it is so gorgeous. I love the subtle way you added a hint of Akiva to Karou's image. I love those two. They will remain a favorite couple forever.

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  51. Oh wow, so freaking gorgeous!! Your mother helped? That's so cool! So at least two talented artists in the family then. Love the feathered tips to Karou's hair.

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