Multiple causes of squee

[alex_beecroft]

First of all, I was summoned to the door this morning and handed a great big box I had not been expecting at all.  And lo! When I opened it, there were my author’s copies of Shining in the Sun in print:

It’s such a great moment when you can hold your book in your hands.  It never gets old.  And although ebooks may be the wave of the future, they can’t quite give you the sheer feeling that you have written a real book as a print copy can.  It’s also interesting how different the cover looks in real life.  On the screen it’s quite yellow, but in the flesh it’s more of a golden-brown.

Anyway, that’s probably interesting only to me.  What’s interesting to everyone (I imagine) is this cool vlog on YouTube by Peter Jackson.  I had been underwhelmed by the prospects of The Hobbit as directed by him, since I didn’t like what he’d done with The Two Towers or The Return of the King.  But now that underwhelm-ment is turning into anticipation.  I’m sure it’ll be wrong in multiple places, I’m sure it will annoy the Tolkien purist in me, but I still can’t wait:

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Comments

[darkemeralds]

Your book cover looks BEAUTIFUL! And very enticing. It really must be the most exciting thing, to have your book in your hands. I can only imagine.

The Hobbit looks very promising, doesn't it?

[alex_beecroft]

Thank you! Yes, I've been very lucky with both of my Samhain covers, and even more so because they look even better in real life. And yes, other than falling in love and finding it reciprocated, or holding your sleeping children, I can't think of anything more purely joyous than holding your own book.

The Hobbit does look good so far. It's nice to see the old sets back. Hobbiton and Rivendell were some of the best bits of the last films. I think the tone of at least the first half will mesh much better with what Peter Jackson does than LotR did too. And Martin Freeman is always good, so I have high hopes :)

[darkemeralds]

Wait--what? Martin Freeman?

OMG. I am so terribly out of touch, I didn't know he had been cast. That's fantastic! I can't wait!

[alex_beecroft]

I think that's right, isn't it? He's the one who plays Dr.Watson in Sherlock, and has been cast as Bilbo in The Hobbit.

[darkemeralds]

Yes! I just looked it up on IMDB. Oh, he'll make a wonderful hobbit. A very dry-humored, deadpan hobbit. What a great piece of casting.