Cover Art Sneak Peek: Dust to Blood

My day was just hijacked in the best possible way: I got COVER ART! And the very talented Gayla Drummond hit it out of the park on this one. She captures the look of Anne (the protagonist), not sure she’s being followed, doing a little bit of sight-seeing in Moscow as a way to throw off any pursuit by KGB types.

And since I’m in a sharing mood, now, here’s another snippet to whet your appetite for the book itself (and give some of the inspiration for the cover):

Straslavski’s own background was from a state-run orphanage, where connections established in childhood serve as surrogate family and unexpectedly loyal comrades who are able to help each other gain access to the rationed and rare resources only available if you had the right Connections. Owing to his precocious abilities with languages and sciences, Straslavski had been slotted into the fast track for advancement as a State poster boy for the values of Communism. Not that he had ever been a hardliner—or even a faithful convert to the Stalinistic point of view—but he was smart enough to put on a good face and still pursue his own interests.

He says, “while I am willing to share dese sings I have found, is no good looking at dem here. We are too close to central government here. Is too easy for dem to see what we do. We must pretend you’re just old friend coming to visit, yes?”

“I’ve never been to Moscow before, so some visiting is good. But I’d like to wrap this up and get back home for family Thanksgiving, so let’s not stretch this out too long, OK?” I’m only halfway teasing; some research assignments drag on, and we’re operating on thin information to begin with.

“Is good. We visit de Red Square today and we talk more. We must be crafty. We lay false trails for de ausorities.”

This seems harmless enough, and is how we end up making our way to Lenin’s Mausoleum. I have the fleeting thought that there’s a possibility of running into Ann and her group of onion-dome gawkers, and never expect this is meant to be a teaching moment. But as we stop in front of the dead leader’s sarcophagus, Straslavski whispers details of the ongoing efforts to keep Lenin’s body in a saint-like state of perfection, even to using peroxide to remove the blemishes of time.

Exiting into the vast plaza of the square itself, he shares a related concern: “Dis obsession wis building strong ties to de human form, it continues from Rasputin srough several generations of madmen. I’m worried we will find more bodies imprisoned, dough de mentions of dis practice are so distorted I’m not sure if I am, as you say, making mountains of molehills.”

Our next stop in the square is the location of the former Resurrection Gate. He’s starting to creep me out with the symbolic place names and his dire warnings about being followed, although I’m still intrigued.

“You must read what I’ve found; decide for yourself. As I said earlier, here is no good. You must stay wis me. No more official hotel, yes? You visit wis me, yes?”

“I’m not sure… Do you have enough room?” At this point I’m worried about having to stay in one of those one-room apartments, legendary because of Moscow’s status as a space-strapped, over-populated, egalitarian city.

Now… I must get back to editing so this thing is ready for publication next month…!

🙂

UPDATE: I’ve completed the book page for Dust to Blood now, for links to buy and other information about this book, please see that page.