31: The Finer Points of Cover Art and Artistry

Tonight for the second call of 2013, Farland's Authors Advisory was proud to welcome artists Ben McSweeney and Isaac Stewart. Ben and Isaac discussed at length how integral a well done layout and both exterior and interior artwork can be in enhancing the impact of an author's novels. They also answered questions such as:
 

•  How is an artist selected by a publisher to work with a certain author or group of authors?    
•  What artists or comics or cartoons inspired you to become professional artists?
•  Are you allowed to read parts of books you're contracted to do artwork and layouts for, or just scenes from the books before you draw anything?

  For an hour-long interview that answers the above questions and more, press "Play" below!

  To view more of Isaac Stewart's work, visit his page here:  http://www.isaacstewart.com/

  To see Ben McSweeney's art and animation, visit his page here: http://inkthinker.net/

24. Brandon Sanderson: Magic Systems

Bestselling Epic Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson was our guest on this edition of Farland's Authors' Advisory. Along with a spirited question and answer session, Brandon gave us three guidelines to use if the magic in the magic systems of our works aren't qute as magical as we'd hoped.  If you're writing a work that would benefit from having a magic system of any complexity in it, that is.

For nearly an hour of advice and answers from the author graced with the writing task of bringing a conclusion to the late Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series and the creator of such series as The Mistborn series,  (Including the latest "Mistborn" novel The Alloy of Law which releases November 2011) and the  novels in the  Alcatraz Smedry series  to name but a few,  press "Play".

You can download the MP3 by clicking here. Or, new this week, at the top of the right sidebar, you can  SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST through Feedburner.