It’s not easy to tread lightly wearing steel-toed boots.
Sirantha Jax isn’t known for diplomatic finesse. As a “Jumper” who navigates ships through grimspace, she’s used to kicking ass first and taking names later—much later. Not exactly the obvious choice to sell the Conglomerate to the Ithtorians, a people whose opinions of humans are as hard as their exoskeletons.
And Ithiss-Tor council meetings aren’t the only place where Ambassador Jax needs to maneuver carefully. Her lover, March, is frozen in permanent “kill” mode, and his hair-trigger threatens to sabotage the talks—not to mention their relationship.
But Jax won’t give up on the man or the mission. With the Outskirts beleaguered by raiders, pirates, and the flesh-eating Morgut, an alliance with Ithiss-Tor may be humanity’s only hope. Which has Jax wondering why a notorious troublemaker like her was given the job…


Wow that’s an amazing cover. Can’t wait to read this one!!!
Thanks! I mailed out the prizes for your blog, by the way.
Look at those guns for arms!
I guess she has grown back her hair also?
Guns, katiebabs? :stares: huh.
Me, I like it–she looks toned, in shape. And her expression? Pure Jax, peeps!
(Yes, I have read this one :evil cackle:)
Honestly, I’m not sure what to think of Jax chilling with the flowers. I guess she’s not really chilling though, look at that futuristic cattle prod thing; she’s about to kick butt as usual. Still….not sure I dig the flowers. I absolutely love how Jax herself is shown, as usual too.
Oi! i don’t think she looks butch at all. I thought she looked more butch on the other two. And I totally dig her bod, more muscular, less emaciated.
RE: flowers… look at it as art. Don’t think about context. And that’s a shockstick, of course. She’s had one in her hands on every cover.
Oh, I just stole the cover too. Suuuhh-wipe!
AL: I have a thing for muscular arms. If you have seen Anchorman, you know what I mean. lol
*whispers to Az* But you haven’t seen the revision. I added 13K in new material!
Evil Ann! :pouts:
Love It! This is gorgeous.
[...] From Aguirre’s site: It’s not easy to tread lightly wearing steel-toed boots. [...]
Very cool cover Ann! I loved the one from yesterday too! Jealous I am!
WOW! Great cover and I love “She’s humanity’s last hope. Run for your lives” – it’s so Jax :D
Hot dog! That is one awesome cover! I want my copy NOW!!!
Love the new cover! Can’t wait to read this one!
What a gorgeous cover. Can’t wait for the book now.
Yeah, run for your lives!
Love it, Ann. Can’t wait!
Wow Ann!! This is an amazing cover and I can hardly wait to read this!!
OOooooh Wow! I am soooo loving this cover. Jax looks more amazing than ever. She’s gained some muscle, her hair has grown back even more beautiful, and her facial expression almost breaks my heart.
Congrats, Ann. Stunning book cover.
Woah. Love the hair, love the scars, love the shockstick. Love it!
Awesome! You get the coolest covers! Of course, I’m really waiting for the cover for a certain action-y romance I’m currently reading with an assassin hero… *taps foot*
Oh, and I voted! You probably can’t guess what I voted for…
I can’t wait for my art for Skin Game either! I’m so excited about my first beef-cake cover.
Hey, how do you guys like the threaded comments?
Very nice cover. Quite eye catching. Have you mentioned the name of the artist?
Congrats! What a gorgeous cover.
I am so loving that cover :D
That is a great cover, Ann!! Congrats!
I am SO thrilled with this tweak. Woohoo! *dances*
Oh! Didn’t answer a direct question, sorry.
Karen, his name is Scott Fischer. He’s done covers for Ursula LeGuin, Charles de Lint & Anne McCaffrey, so I’m in august company.
If you want to see more of his work, he has his own site:
Scott Fischer
Ann, thanks for the artist’s name. I thought his work looked familiar. It’s quite distinctive at a time when a lot of SF/F covers are beginning to look the same. I look forward to picking up a copy in September.
I LOVE that cover, Ann! It’s very artistic – and reminiscent of “old school” covers- but of course, the genre is all new things :)
Congrats on the new book!
Awesome cover! I’m so excited for (a million years from now) Doubleblind comes out!
Ann- this is the best cover yet!!!
I love it
You truly have been blessed by the book cover fairy and I cant wait to see the beefcake cover!
[...] of upcoming releases, Ann Aguirre’s next Jax novel, Doubleblind, comes out on September 29. Click here for the blurb. I can’t [...]
Wow! I love the cover! It’s gorgeous!