Going public: Marketing 301

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I very much like this blog post by Robin Black on book promotion, especially:

Whatever your natural inclinations, as an author with a book to sell, you are going to have to become (or fake being) outgoing, highly sociable and downright thrilled to be stared at by—if you’re very, very lucky—a crowd. Not to mention grateful, which is actually very important.   

Related posts: 

Net marketing for Ludites: Part 1

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 2 (Cracking the Social Net)

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 3 (Blog? Website? Both?)

Net Marketing for Ludites: Part 4 (Friends & Followers)

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 5 (The Book Trailer)

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 6 (Your Fans)

*****
Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/

Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://bit.ly/sgullandFacebook

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sandra_Gulland

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Hola, Hello, Bonjour!

Here is my latest newsletter: 

http://bit.ly/SGnewsletter

And here is the correction I immediately had to send out regarding the date of my Paris reading. (I've also added some details about it.): 

http://bit.ly/Parisreading

Come join me in Paris -- why not? 

Contract love

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I love my Canadian publisher, HarperCollins Canada. After a winter away, I came home to a pile of mail, including the contract for The Next Novel. I don't get a new book out that often, so I forget how striking the first page of their contracts is. It reads:

We believe that a book's most precious element is its creator; that the publisher's role is to produce a work of lasting value and offer it to the public with confidence and commitment; that the author's opinions on publication matters are relevant and should be heard; and that quality should be as much of the essence as timeliness in this agreement. Our contract expresses these beliefs. 

See?

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 6 (Your Fans)

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This is the last in this basic Net-Marketing series. There is, I'm afraid, more and more that one can do. (Blog tours, for one: see the link below.) But all that can evolve later, and only if you wish. Basically, what you've done, is set up a way to catch people's attention, and, hopefully, in the process, attracted them to your book. You've got fans. 

"Fans" is kind of a blown-up way to say that you've got enthusiastic readers: and they are a precious bunch. They are your core support. Treat them well. Thank them when they re-blog a post or a tweet, answer every email. 

Set up a Google Search so that any time your book is mentioned, you will be notified, and, should you wish, you can respond. (Signing off, of course, with links: to your book, to your website, etc.) 

Make it easy for people to reach out to you. Put your website address on your next book. Gather their emails and send out newsletters. 

Everyone in publishing talks about the importance of platform. You have to build it, bit by bit. I don't know who said it, but platform, in essence, is the place from where you speak to your readers. "Build it, and they will come."

Related links:

How to set up a Blog Tour

Net marketing for Ludites: Part 1

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 2 (Cracking the Social Net)

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 3 (Blog? Website? Both?)

Net Marketing for Ludites: Part 4 (Friends & Followers)

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 5 (The Book Trailer)

How to promote your book without giving up writing

A wonderful article by Margaret Atwood on discovering the Twitterverse and other foreign realms: How I learned to Love Twitter.

*****
Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/
Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://bit.ly/sgullandFacebook
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sandra_Gulland

Tumblr: http://sandragulland.tumblr.com/ 

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 5 (The Book Trailer)

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Writers these days make (or have made) "trailers" for their books. These are put up on YouTube and on web sites. Here are a few examples:

Claude & Camile; A Novel of Monet by Stephanie Cowell


The Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Series


Mary Sharratt's, Daughters of the Witching Hill

 Some authors get a lot of Net attention by creating a funny video. This one continues to get quite a lot of "buzz":

This emotional author video got over 1.5 million viewers and created a bestseller for author Kelly Corrigan:

Videos don't have to be expensive. With George's knowledge of film, his natural wit and Hollywood background, I imagine that he could come up with something catchy and off-the-wall.

Related posts:

Net marketing for Ludites: Part 1

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 2 (Cracking the Social Net)

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 3 (Blog? Website? Both?)

Net Marketing for Ludites: Part 4 (Friends & Followers)

How to promote your book without giving up writing

A wonderful article by Margaret Atwood on discovering the Twitterverse and other foreign realms: How I learned to Love Twitter.

Next up: Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 6 (Your Fans)

 *****
Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/
Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://bit.ly/sgullandFacebook
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sandra_Gulland
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Net Marketing for Ludites: Part 4 (Friends & Followers)

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You've got your sites set up and you're sending out pithy thoughts. You're cooking! But who is reading them? Your "followers" (on Tumblr), your "friends" on Facebook and MySpace. With luck, maybe some of your followers and friends will re-blog your posts, in which case they go out to all their friends and followers, etc. etc. etc.


But basically, you need to have some friends and followers of your own ... and there's nothing more humiliating or infantile than having to send out "Will you be my friend?" messages hither and yon.


What you can do: follow and befriend others, and then maybe they'll follow you back. Troll the friends and followers of the hip and famous (or simply like-minded) for possibilities. Some sites allow you to upload your email contacts to see who might be on the sites: this is a good way to create a base. MySpace allows you to find people on-site by age, sex, marital status (creeps!)...but also by interests. You might be able to hone in on people who might be interested in your subject.


One word of caution: only go looking for friends and followers after you've posted some interesting posts and all your sites look inviting.


Also: limit it to 20 minutes at a time. It's too demeaning!

Related posts:

Net marketing for Ludites: Part 1

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 2 (Cracking the Social Net)

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 3 (Blog? Website? Both?)

How to promote your book without giving up writing

A wonderful article by Margaret Atwood on discovering the Twitterverse and other foreign realms: How I learned to Love Twitter.

Next up: Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 5 (The Book Trailer) 


*****
Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/
Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://bit.ly/sgullandFacebook
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sandra_Gulland
Tumblr:  http://sandragulland.tumblr.com/

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 3 (Blog? Website? Both?)

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Does an author really have to have a website and/or a blog? Websites can be expensive to set up, and even more expensive to maintain. I suggest setting up a simple blog that serves as a website. I use Blogger, but WordPress is another good one (possibly better). Both are free.


If you don't want to set it up yourself, I know that there are people trained to quickly set up WordPress websites, and no doubt on Blogger as well. Once set up, you can easily maintain it on your own.


The advantage of a website/blog is that it serves as a place for all your information. It's where media will go if they want to contact you. It's were readers first go when they want to know more about you, or to email you. It's where you announce your events, post your videos, your reviews, your stuff. 


Here's an example of a WordPress Blog-style Website:

http://andyremic.wordpress.com/

The other important function of a website is that it can serve as a fan e-mail collector: the basis of a newsletter mailing list. These are your core fans, your core support.


While a website is fairly static, a blog is active. One page in the website might be a blog. If you write a blog, you should blog at least once a week. The blog written on the website can be automatically posted to your page on Amazon as well as to your Facebook Fan Page, and links to the blog can be posted on Twitter, MySpace, Tumblr.

I can see George blogging about his work in progress, or posting random paragraphs from his published work.

One important thing about blogs: they should be short, and the title should be catchy.

The only way that I have found to have blog posts automatically sent to ping.fm (and then to all your sites) is to use TwitterFeed.com. This can be tricky to set up: tech nerd recommended! You can always simply make a bit.ly link and post your blog to ping.fm yourself.


Related posts:

Net marketing for Ludites: Part 1

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 2 (Cracking the Social Net)

How to promote your book without giving up writing

A wonderful article by Margaret Atwood on discovering the Twitterverse and other foreign realms: How I learned to Love Twitter.

Next up: Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 4 (Friends & Followers)




*****
Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/
Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://bit.ly/sgullandFacebook
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sandra_Gulland
Tumblr:  http://sandragulland.tumblr.com/

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 2 (Cracking the Social Net)

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Today, it's essential for an author to have a presence on the Web. The key is to do it efficiently and effectively so that one can continue writing and not go crazy.

I suggest that George (my Luddite student victim) should have:

a Facebook Fan Page
a Twitter page
a MySpace page (because George's subject would appeal to musicians)
a Tumbr page (because that's where the hip and groovy hang out; I suggest George call it Bad Ass)

Overwhelming, right?

It's free to set up these sites, and not too hard to do: it just takes time and patience. For George, I suggest that he find a bright tech-kid (on elance.com, for example) who could set all this up in a day. Perhaps George's publisher could suggest someone, as well.

But then, how to manage all these sites?  Easy: Ping.fm, or, my current favorite, HootSuite.com

After all these pages have been set up, have the tech-kid set up an account with Ping.fm or HootSuite.com so that one post gets sent to all of the above. (Alas, HootSuite does not connect to Tumbr, however.) All George has to do is type a sentence or two into Ping and press send. Voilá.

One reason I think this marketing strategy might work for George is that he writes wonderfully quotable sentences. I think if he started sending those sentences out into the stratosphere (with a bit.ly.com short link to his Amazon book page, of course), he's bound to start building an audience. For example:

I am never late. Not that I'm anal or anything like that; I just have this quirk, possibly the only straight arrow in my quiver of Flecher rejects... [pg. 1, http://amzn.to/Freshman1

Wouldn't you want to click on that link and read more?

Related posts:

Net marketing for Luddites: Part 1

How to promote your book without giving up writing

A wonderful article by Margaret Atwood on discovering the Twitterverse and other foreign realms: How I learned to Love Twitter.

Next up: Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 3 (Blog? Website? Both?)

*****
Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/
Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://bit.ly/sgullandFacebook
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sandra_Gulland
Tumblr:  http://sandragulland.tumblr.com/

Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 1

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I always knew my good friend George Whiteman was talented: his paintings are amazing; his CV includes album cover designs for the (now) classically famous. But now he has published a memoir (the first in a trilogy) — The Perennial Freshman — and it turns out he's also an amazing writer.

But now that he has a book out, he needs to know how to promote it. He's never seen a Facebook page, thinks Twitter is what birds do, and doesn't know what a blog is. Where to begin?

First, I would say: the old-fashioned way, by pitching his book face-to-face with bookstores. No successful author hasn't set out on that humiliating road without a box of books in the trunk of their car (John Grisham, Margaret Atwood ... ). Independent bookstores are best (although harder to find). Put together a flyer on the book so that you have something to leave with the clerk and make a dignified exit. (The book has rave Amazon reviews, so he should be sure to quote them in the flyer.)

He should give readings: it's good practice, even to an audience of two (his wife and the bored store clerk). This, too, is part of every writer's experience. If he is in a particular area, his publicist should be able to contact bookstores and set it up. Remember, with readings, it's about practice performing, and about having something to hang promotion on — a reason to put up posters and contact local media, etc. It's not about turn-out (but nice when it happens).

One idea is to film these readings, edit them and put out a short clip on YouTube. George is a natural comic, and this could be a home-run way for him to find his audience. Heck, splice in hecklers and a laugh track!

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An excellent book on the practical side of from-the-ground-up promotion is How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead: Your Words in Print and Your Name in Lights, by Ariel Gore. She also discusses putting together a book tour, which many authors do, although the trend now is toward a "blog tour" (more on that later).

Next up: Net Marketing for Luddites: Part 2 (Cracking the Social Net). Watch this space.

*****

Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/
Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://bit.ly/sgullandFacebook
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A writer at work: Agatha Christie's messy notebooks

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"The Mystery of the Messy Notebooks" in Slate Magazine is a wonderful article on Agatha Christie's notebooks: so messy! (So creative.) It gives us all hope!

I'm not so keen on the family notes, however:

Even Christie's second husband, the archeologist Sir Max Mallowan, used her notebooks. He jotted down calculations. Christie's daughter Rosalind practiced penmanship, and the whole family kept track of their bridge scores alongside notes like, "Possibilities of poison … cyanide in strawberry … coniine—in capsule?"

Personal up-date (a bit overdue): I've sent the 2nd draft to an editor I work with. Already I'm throwing notes about scene changes hither and yon (Christie-style). Going through my books, deciding which ones to take back with me to Canada — which ones I'm going to need writing Draft 3. The piles are big! Making travel arrangements for my research trip to France, which is coming up sooner than I think!

Notes from the Cheering Section

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A number of books are coming out right now by writers I know and admire. Two of these I gave a glowing blurb, so I'm especially thrilled to see them getting such great reviews. 

Here's a charming one for Mary Sharratt's Daughters of the Witching Hill, from Passages to the Past:

"Don't you love it when you start a book and immediately get sucked in just from the first few sentences? Well, that's what happened when I began to read Daughters of the Witching Hill. This book seriously had me from hello!"

And also this morning, Stephanie Cowell's novel on Monet, Claude & Camille, got this rave in the Boston Globe:

"Stephanie Cowell is nothing short of masterful in writing about Claude Monet’s life and love... Claude & Camille is both a historical novel and a romance, but Cowell’s graceful, moving treatment of Claude and Camille Monet’s turbulent love defies categorization. It’s an enthralling story, beautifully told. ... She writes in language that is simple, elegant, and extraordinarily evocative."

Bravo! 

Check out Mary Sharratt's book trailer and her website: http://www.marysharratt.com

Stephanie Cowell's website is at http://www.stephaniecowell.com. She also has a wonderful book trailer for her novel (click here).

 *****

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Donald Maass on The Elements of Awe

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Agent Donald Maass is always worth reading. These two essays on Writer Unboxed are thought-provoking:

The Elements of Awe ...

"What is the strongest emotion you want your reader to feel? Search and delete that word everywhere it occurs in your manuscript. Now, how will you provoke that emotion through action alone? Got it? Good. Next write down three ways to heighten that action." 

And The Elements of Awe, Part II:

"High story impact does not come from length alone. It occurs when every character in a novel embarks on a profound journey and every plot layer and sub-plot becomes a novel unto itself."

"Literary" is not a four-letter word

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Whenever the word "literary" pops up in a discussion of historical fiction, someone is bound to get ruffled. It's almost not PC, as if there's something exclusive about it, something condescending.

I beg to differ. "Literary historical fiction" is simply a genre. It's a descriptive term for a certain type of writing, and I think it's time to raise the flag and not be apologetic about using the term.

It's the genre I read, and the genre I aspire to write (although I don't feel worthy).

But defining literary historical fiction —or literary fiction in general—is tricky. I know it by the swoon that comes over me when reading. I know it by the lingering afterglow. In literary historical fiction, every sentence is a joy to read, and rarely do things evolve as expected (much less "happily"). There's a profound complexity to the characters and the story. In terms of craft, a work of literary historical fiction takes longer to write than mainstream fiction—usually three to six years.

It's at this point that I begin to imagine hackles rising because there's an implicit sense of "better" and the consequent "not as worthy." But that really is irrelevant. Whatever one enjoys reading is the best for that individual, and whatever one writes, as well.

This is too long a rant for a blog, but I do want to mention the works that inspired it.

First, Coventry by Helen Humphreys. This is a wonderful novel. I love the spare, lyrical quality of Humphreys' prose. She's high on my list of favorite writers of literary historical fiction.

(An intriguing work is mentioned in Coventry: The Nomenclature of Colours. I found a book about it on Google Books and was able to download it. It doesn't have the colour samples, but it does have some of the enchanting decriptions: White: new-fallen snow; Azure Blue: a burning colour.)

Second, a novel I read just recently: The Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick. (Do not be misled by the cover and negative reviews.) This writer has a breathtaking style: sultry, haunting!

Third, a novel I  began just last night, and which I know, simply from the craft of the prose, I'm going to enjoy: Curiosity by Joan Thomas. (It's available in bookstores in Canada and in a Kindle edition in the U.S.)

Awesome: podcast interview technology

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I recently had a telephone interview with charming Marjorie of MyInnerFrenchGirl.com, which she recorded as an MP3 file and posted on-line as a podcast.

I've not had a podcast interview before. What's nice is that I can post it, too.

http://bit.ly/SGpodcastinterview

Tra la!

I dare not listen to it myself: too painful!

To-Do-List Disaster

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This is just a quick post to 1) apologize for being so long between posts, and 2) to observe that "write the book" wrecks havoc with a To-Do-List. Everything gets pushed off the list until "after"--and that after can be a Very Long Time.

I'm closing in on the final second draft (officially draft 2.3). Soon I'll send it off to one of the editors I work with—the amazing Dan Smetanka—and then I'll dive into all the other things on my To Do List, which includes: organizing a research trip to France in May, getting my Facebook readers going on the Google Lit Trip project again, and trying to get out a newsletter.

All this in addition to the not-so-minor task of closing up my Mexico office and moving it up north! I've over two weeks, but I'm already suffering book anxiety: which to take back, which to leave behind.

But first: the final, final, final changes to Draft 2.3...

Note: the illustration above is from the New York Public Library, as posted on Of Goose Quills, Gloves, and Writing Booths—"A Succinct Survey of Authors' Accessories and Accoutrements"—on one of my favorite blogs, A Journey Round My Skull.

*****
Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/
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Come on board our Google Lit Trip!

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I've been excited about the Google Lit Trip developing on my Facebook Page for The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. We now have basic instructions and a streadsheet for collecting the data. Once that is done, we'll create a Google Lit Trip map for the book that will be of educational use to students in High School and University classes.

We have a good core team, but we need more hands on deck, so if you are at all interested, or simply curious, please join in. You can take on as much or as little as you please.

Check it out!

Our Google Lit Trip Discussion Groups:
http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=6284613175

What's a Google Lit Trip?
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6284613175&topic=13270

Anyone interested, just join in. It's the first time a Lit Trip has been made by a Facebook team, so we're all of us learning as we go. Plus, it's fun. All you need is a copy of The Many Lives & Secret Sorrow of Josephine B.

*****
Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/
Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/
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Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sandra_Gulland

Book cover design in 55 seconds (NOT!)

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Click HERE for a wonderful short video on the process of designing a book cover. (I love the cover!)

On YouTube: http://bit.ly/BookCoverDesign
Blog on the design process: http://bit.ly/BookCoverDesignBlog


*****
Website: http://www.sandragulland.com/
Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/
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Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sandra_Gulland

Street vendor wanted

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A street vendor plays a part in the novel I'm writing, but I haven't settled on what that something might have been in 17th century Paris. A quick Google search reveals street vendors of:

penny ices
blank verses
kindling wood
ink
neckties
yams
straw
oranges
grilled chicken
boot laces

I have yet to find what I'm looking for. I'd like it to be something tasty, so for now I may settle on yams.

Suggestions welcome!

Barbara Kingsolver: Turning on the lights

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I have piles of notes from my weekend at the wonderful San Miguel Writers' Conference. Very briefly, from Barbara Kingsolver's keynote address on how The Lacuna evolved:

1. She first asked: what are the big questions? 
2. She wrote pages and pages on what the novel would be about.
3. As she was doing this, scenes begin to "pop up" and characters appeared.
4. She asked: Who will tell the story? To find the voice, she did a lot of practice-writing.
5. She started, but in bits, not chronologically.
6. Then, when she could see the shape of it, she felt ready to start a proper draft. From this point on (she made it very clear), she was in control — of the story, and of the characters.
7. During all this time she was doing research.

The first draft, she said, was like "hoeing a row of corn." It hurt, like giving birth.

Revision is "where the art happens," making everything fit, "pulling the meaning up." (Again, beautiful.)

Her husband is her first reader, then trusted others.

A problem with early drafts is failing to visualize scenes. She goes through the manuscript, "turning on the lights." (I love this image as well.)

She likes to hold a balance between mystery and revelation —but tends, she confessed, to mystery.

She quoted Chagall: "Great art begins where life leaves off."

I wanted to know more about her work at the sentence level. It is, no doubt, intense. She uses a thesaurus constantly (which interested me).

Right now, I'm reading through the second draft of The Next Novel,  editing it. With each pass, I get closer to the meaning. Soon, I'll be going through the scenes, "turning on the lights."

Rules for writing fiction, from writers and one reader

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The UK Guardian recently asked a number of well-known novelists to give their top tips for writing fiction. The results range from the quirky to the deadly serious. Wonderful!

In response, Laura Miller at Salon.com, posted her list of what she, as a reader, advises writers of fiction. Excellent, and to the point.

Links:
The Guardian survey: http://bit.ly/10rulesforwriting
Laura Miller's article at Salon.com: http://bit.ly/bTKS7J

*****
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Google Lit Trip: student guides wanted!

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I just found out about Google Lit Trip and suddenly I'm thinking (with a bit of fatigue, I confess) that I could make a "Lit Trip" for each of my books.

I already have a Google map for all the places mentioned in Mistress of the Sun. It probably wouldn't take too much to turn it into a Lit Trip.

My imagination takes off: embedded photos, both old and new. Passages from the novel. Travel notes!

It's meant to be a great tool for educators — and it is, clearly — but I think the general reader would enjoy it as well. 

Sigh! I have a novel to write. I'm hoping perhaps some students will take this on. There are several wonderful student-created Lit Trips on the Google site. One of my young readers created a website for Mistress of the Sun as part of a computer class. Imagine an English or History teacher assigning the creation of a Google Lit Map of a historical novel ... mine, for example. I'd be delighted to help.

Link for Google Lit Trips:
http://www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/Downloads_etc..html

Link for the Google map of Mistress of the Sun:
http://bit.ly/MistressoftheSunMap

*****
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Writers' conference high

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This is going to be a short post, because I've had a long and very stimulating day at the San Miguel Writers' Conference, and another one tomorrow to come.

Tonight, at Barbara Kingsolver's speech (fantastic!!!), I sat next to a young woman, who told me that she had young children at home in L.A. She was working on a novel, and this was her first time away.

"It's an important step," I told her, remembering the first writers' conference I had gone to in Kingston, Ontario, the kids at home in the care of my hard-working husband. She was making an "investment" (of both time and money) in her desire to be a writer. "You are proclaiming your serious intention to the world."

Kingsolver's speech had us both in awe. When it was over, and everyone was standing, gathering their belongings, the young woman was busy, feverishly writing down Kingsolver's wisdoms. "I am a writer," she explained to the man sitting next to her.

Following her out through the throngs (of over 800 people!), I thought: Yes, and she's going to be a good one.


*****
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Blog: http://sandragulland.blogspot.com/
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Bookplate fun!

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Readers write asking for signed bookplates, and I've long been meaning to make something special. I'm pleased with this one!

To make it, I scanned an old bookplate image, cleaned it up with Photoshop and printed it out on a 4x6 self-stick label.

For a signed bookmark, readers may email me through the contacts link on my blog:

http://sandragulland.com/contacts/index.html

Charting the writing process

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I love this chart on the writing process, posted by Sarah Eve Kelly on Twitter:

Right now, I'm making the editorial changes I scribbled onto the 1st draft a few weeks ago. It's a tedious mechanical process, but it suits me right now: lots to do, lots coming up, a persistent cold (life!).

Books: Miss you already

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I'm already feeling nostalgic about books, now that the ebook is so fully upon us. When reading, I often pause, and regard the book itself: the lovely ragged edges, the cover, the author photo. I love a book-lined room, love glancing over the books on my shelves, reveling in the memories that the books evoke. I love book clutter. And now I'm loving all this even more, with advance-longing against a time when all this might change.

Consider all the social aspects that have to do with books! When I love a book, I look forward to loaning it to friends. How will I get to know someone if I can't browse the books on their shelves? How will I know what people in lines, on airplanes, beaches, buses and subways are reading, if I can't see the cover? (Yes, I'm a snoop.)

I know, however, that I will love my ebook reader, once I take the plunge.

In defense, I tell myself that the time has come. We can't squander trees endlessly in the production of paper. I tell myself: the book will become more of an art-object, a treasure.

But already, facing a quickly-approaching future, I'm longing for the age that was, the age of books.