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« September 2005 | Main | November 2005 »

Men of FTM International, cats of Savannah, etc.

The latest in a sporadic series of Lulu samplers - titles plucked at random from the Lulu publishing torrent. And I owe the humorless lugheads at the Christian Science Monitor a post, too. Look for it later today.
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Men of FTM International

by Martin Rawlings-Fein
Diverse images of FTMs, and their lives. We FTMs are parents, brother, fathers and uncles. We are mechanics, rabbis, ministers, students, surfers, skateboarders, translators, construction workers and every other role you can imagine. We are every ethnic identity and cultural background, and represent every flavor of sexuality gay, bisexual, straight and everything else in between. This calendar is not definitive of FTM diversity, yet it is a start to show the world that we FTMs are here and are not invisible.
About the Editor: Martin Rawlings-Fein is a bisexual transsexual activist, full time student, volunteer, publications director, editor of the FTM International Newsletter, Co-Chair of San Francisco Transgender, Empowerment, Advocacy and Mentorship, all around mensch, and a new daddy to boot.

A Light Blazes in the Darkness: Advent Devotionals from an Intentional Online Community
by Theresa Coleman [Editor: Blook alert!]
This advent devotional book comes from an unusual source -- a group of women who keep Web Logs -- discerning women, clergywomen and their friends who call themselves the RevGalBlogPals webring (http://revgalblogpals.blogspot.com). The RevGalBlogPals webring is a circle of friends who span across denominations and countries to form an intentional community. We laugh, pray and grow together as clergy, as Christians and as women. These are our reflections on the season of Advent and are based loosely on Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary. The proceeds for this book will go to hurricane relief efforts along the US gulf coast.

Cipe Pineles: Two Remembrances; Graphic Design Archives Series: Two

by Estelle Ellis
Seventeen and Glamour, Mademoiselle and Charm—Cipe Pineles (1908-91), strengthened the visual appeal of each of these magazines with her award-winning design and art direction. Her groundbreaking work in the 1940s and 50s set the standard for the appearance of women's magazines in ensuing decades. Now Pineles, whose archive is held at Rochester Institute of Technology Special Collections, is the subject of this second publication in the RIT Graphic Design Archives Chapbook Series. This volume's vibrant reproductions of pen-and-ink sketches, fashion layouts, and gouache illustrations will orient readers to RIT's extensive Pineles Collection. The book also introduces Pineles's personal history through essays by Estelle Ellis, and Carol Burtin Fripp.

Introduction to International Humanitarian Law
by Curtis FJ Doebbler
This book provides a basic introduction to the study of international humanitarian law for students and practitioners. It is written by an expert in international law who has had to depend on the functioning of the law in the heat of ongoing armed conflicts for his own protection and to protect other civilian victims of war. It does this through tools that include a basic summary of the history of international humanitarian law; a concise and easy to understand description of the most important principles of international humanitarian law; and exercises to help you understand the law and to assist teachers in conveying the meaning of the law in practice.

The Mis-Adventures of Frissue the Tissue
by Julianne Weinmann
Meet George and his Tissue, Frissue. They are unlikely "friends" who depend on each other. A skiing adventure separates them, and they learn about safe skiing, the constancy of friendship, and the courage to start again despite all difficulties!

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY BACK TO MARINELAND OF THE PACIFIC
by Jim Patryla
Marineland of the Pacific opened in 1954 and during its reign as one of the premier tourist attractions in Southern California it managed to educate and entertain the world. 33 years later Marineland’s controversial closing outraged a community and the world lost a truly remarkable institution. This beautifully illustrated book chronicles the history of world famous Marineland of the Pacific and features over 200 rare color and black & white photographs. A number of these historic Marineland images were selected from the author’s own personal archive of original photographs, including the only known full color photographs taken of the actual birth of the world's very first killer whale ever to be conceived and born in captivity. This one-of-a-kind collector's edition of facts and photographs will help to preserve Marineland’s legacy of compassion, education and discovery.

Savannah-Rama Calendar 2006
by Brigitte Cowell
Savannah Cats.

>Pithed -- Desert Peach #31
by Donna Barr
Based on the long-running drawn-book series, The Desert Peach. "There’s nothing innocent in Pithed. It is a nihilistic nightmare, a bad LSD-trip into human failure, guilt and resignation. The future, along with (the Desert Peach)Pfirisch’s descendents, is portrayed as a climax of darkness and senselessness. A place with a destroyed nature, where pure air is dealt like drugs are today and where babies are sharp-toothed monsters. Evolution’s response to centuries-long child-abuse! The Peach finds himself as a terrifying zombie in a bizarre hell. The Peach a doomed soul - who would have guessed? A self-made hell, because Pfirsich couldn’t forgive himself for having once called the Gypsies 'those people.' And yes, Hell probably is always self-made. A place of one’s own unforgiveness."

Poets Gone Wild, et al.

Teaching Photography, Notes Assembled
by Philip Perkis
Philip Perkis, accomplished photographer and educator, presents the long-awaited second edition of "Teaching Photography, Notes Assembled"—the slim, unassuming book that has been an unexpected hit in photography circles. This edition features an additional chapter and is co-published by OB Press and RIT Cary Graphic Arts Press, both affiliated with Rochester Institute of Technology.
 
The Sound of Meaning: Comparative Linguistics of Ancient Egyptian, Maya and Nahuatl
by Charles William Johnson
When similar kinds of linguistic correspondences were perceived by William Jones in the latter part of the eighteenth century, between Sanskrit and other languages, such examples were sufficient to convince scholars that all of those languages probably came from a mother tongue, the Indo-European language. Today, scholars seem unwilling or hesitant to accept the idea that the same laws of comparative linguistics may apply to ancient Egyptian, Maya and Nahuatl.
 
Edible Landscaping in the Desert Southwest: Wheelbarrow to Plate
by Catherine Crowley
You can have a totally edible garden in the Desert Southwest (and other similar year-round climates). Edible fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers can be as decorative in the garden as they are on the dinner table. Change your ornamental garden into a treasure for the eye, a safe environment for family and pets -- and you can eat it too!
 
Peace With Honour: Blackburn Operatives, the Cotton Famine and the American Civil War, 1861-65
by Andrew H. Gregson
This book evaluates the response of Blackburn's workers to the Cotton Famine and the American Civil War of 1861-65. The book reveals the popular attitudes of ordinary folk during a time when they were reduced to the most painful levels of destitution. Set in the historical context of working-class violence, the author explores whether the cotton-starved operatives of Lancashire's largest weaving town remained peacefully stoic or whether their distress resulted in a campaign of violence.

Brimstone: A Morgan & McCoy Chronicle
by Dakota Kincaid
Brimstone paves a butcher’s path. Hellfire lights the way to a ring of stagecoach bandits. One by one, they die spectacularly. Retribution served chilled. Delivered with a keen blade. Justice the old-fashioned way. This Morgan and McCoy chronicle is the fifth in a series. The first four, Genesis, Hard Bargain, Lazarus, and Hand of Justice, are available through all fine bookstores. The sixth, Trigger, is expected November 2005.

The Life and Times of Ruth Inez Brewer (Lemons)
by Bob Brewer
This is a biography about my Mother, Ruth Inez Brewer (Lemons). It contains all sorts of interesting anecdotes about my Mother and her life with a professional entertainer. This book is a must read for all family members and anyone interested in life from the early 1900s to present. Editing began March 10, 1996. 10,296 words, 277 paragraphs, 1,877 lines, and 67 pages later, editing ended. There are close to fifty (50) color photographs in the book, all inserted where the photographs are being discussed.

Poets Gone Wild
by Jim Doss, Lisa Janice Cohen, Carole Barley, Lisa Megraw
Wild Poetry Forum, established in 1998, is a remarkable internet community where poets representing many countries from around the world converge to create, critique, and share poetry. This collection, Poets Gone Wild, showcases over 30 of the most talented and diverse voices that make Wild such a unique global experience. Wild Poetry Press is pleased to introduce readers to this virtuoso group of poets whose work illustrates a shared passion for the precision and beauty of language, and whose hearts are infused in everything they write. Readers who wish to interact with these authors can find them at www.wildpoetryforum.com.

Roach Infested Walls, Table Scraps & Dogs
by Tony Coffey
Description: Not funny - ha ha, funny as in holy crap. Totally off the chart. Very dark, very bizarre. "Keeps you up at night", and "crawls up your spine". A head trip with real humanity. Leaves you begging for more. Brought to you by prolific author & artist Tony Coffey.

WOOFERS
by Paul Treacy
Much doggie hilarity for people who enjoy fine photography, humor, and dogs.

Medicare Part D: Prescription Benefit--Operational Implementation Guide for Community Behavioral Health
On January 1, 2006 the new drug benefit provisions, Medicare Part D, will affect an estimated 42 million beneficiaries of Medicare. Many of these covered persons, especially those eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, have complex mental health needs and rely on the community behavioral health system to support their recovery process. Medicare Part D: Prescription Benefit—Operational Implementation Guide for Community Behavioral Health is available to help your organization understand the significant impact this provision will have on your most vulnerable consumers, and how you can minimize disruption to their recovery—and your bottom line. The authors bring their extensive experience in the community behavioral health environment to bear on translating this complex program into real-world, operationally specific impact on community behavioral health agencies, staff, and consumers.

Raising a pint to Pinter

Well, I must say it's a relief to have a Nobel Prize winner in literature I actually like to read. Harold Pinter, described by the UK Telegraph as "our grandest and grouchiest playwright," is a writer that has the virtue not only of having been read by a fair number of people, but of being liked by at least some of them. From the Indian Express:

... Pinter is renowned for turning silence into an art form with brooding dramas packed with enigmatic characters who never said what they meant or meant what they said. The dramas exuded menace and were spiced with erotic fantasies and obsession, jealousy and hatred. Critics dubbed Pinter’s chilling masterpieces “the theatre of insecurity”.

While the BBC implies  (see "Pinter's Politics") that Pinter's (leftist) politics may have had a role in his selection, nevertheless the choice must be greeted with relief by those of us who love books that are actually capable of giving pleasure. It's a far cry from other recent choices for the prize. [Not that I rate myself as a notably well-read individual (the most well-read individual I know is Sanders of the River). The best that can be said of me at this point is that I'm reasonably Internet-literate, whatever that's worth.]

Get Laid: The Manual, et al.

Tenure Track to Mommyville [Xerox contest winner!]
by Barbara Grosh
Description: Elaine Barlow has lost her job and her way. What should she do with the second half of her life, now that the vision that drove the first half is gone? Will she pull herself together before her marriage falls apart? Elaine discovers what so many  professionals discovered in the era of corporate downsizing—you are more than what you do.

Sacred ~ New Orleans Funerary Grounds
by Elizabeth Huston
Description: Sacred ~ New Orleans Funerary Grounds features over 100 original photographs from award winning photographer Elizabeth Huston. The historical cemeteries in New Orleans will enthrall you, as this city is home to some of the most amazing tributes, tombs and artifacts of any burial ground in the United States . The sheer beauty of these unique cemeteries, brilliantly captured by Mrs. Huston, will not only inspire you, but they promise to move you to think differently on the subject of death itself.  Due to the tragedy of Hurrican Katrina, all proceeds from this book will be donated to the American Red Cross, for recovery efforts. In the comming moths, as the city begins to heal, all proceeds will be also donated to Habitat For Humanity as well as the  New Orleans based Charity, Save Our Cemeteries.

Sinfully Twisted Magazine. Issue 1.
by Various
Description: From the community of www.purpleverse.com, we offer you the first issue of Sinfully Twisted magazine. A mix of horror and macabre fiction, poetry and artwork from the latest up and coming writers and artists. Take a journey through the minds of these unique people and open your imagination to a darker world. Featuring the works of noted writers; Darren Randle, David Tamarin, Velondra, Caleb Mabry, Carrie Stewart, Apythia Morges, Lanaia Lee and the art of Tieko, Ropey George and Grant Fuhst. The first issue will be a treat for those who like a slightly more “interesting” twist in their read! All profits from the magazine go directly to funding Purpleverse.com and all future issues. Issue one has a FREE CD offer featuring DENOUNCE, to claim your free CD, visit www.sinfully-twisted.com for details.

So You Want to be a Travel Writer?
by Mike Gerrard
Description: Award-winning travel writer Mike Gerrard, who has written on travel for The Times in London and The Washington Post in America, provides a 27,000-word tutorial on how to break into the British travel market. As the author of hundreds of published travel pieces, and over 30 guidebooks, he's talking from experience and sharing some of his secrets.

Nuclear Rocket Propulsion: A Metal Dumbo Rocket Reactor
Description: This was once a TOP SECRETE document at Los Alamos. Now Declassified, this is excellent material to learn from. Very mathematical, it’s more of a principles document than a straightforward engineering document – something to which you refer for your engineering, laid out in the language of science and engineering – mathematics. If you don’t like integral and differential equations, you may want to run and hide. Appropriate for an advanced engineering or physics undergraduate in their final year, a precocious graduate student, or practicing professional this material is definitely worth the study. (392 pages). Note: Two very great minds in mathematics were consulted when this text was originally being put together --John von Neumann and S. Chandrasekhar. Not only is it interesting historically, you can “bet your bottom dollar” that you're getting some good material.

Get Laid: The Manual
by Callum Macdonald
The Step-by-Step Manual to Meeting Women and Getting Laid.

Out of Time
by G. L. Deets
Description: LT. MACKENZIE O’BRIEN, better known as “MAC”, thought her day had gotten as bad as it possibly could get. A pending lawsuit, a deadbeat step-brother demanding money, her fiancé dumping her from another woman’s bed, and all of it occurring prior to the discovery that she was out of coffee. Then a rescue goes drastically wrong and she is pulled into a savage river. Unconscious, seriously injured, and caught up in a failed experiment from two thousand years in the future, Mac is ripped out of her time and deposited on an Earth where aliens rule and the Human race has de-evolved. COMMANDER DUNCAN MCTIERNAN knows that the injured female found in the forest is their best hope to return the Eldrace to the ancient humans that thrived before devastating chemical warfare. He also knows he must keep her true nature a closely held secret. If the Legion found out about her, they would be sure to destroy her. Yet, even with the secret painstakingly guarded, someone has been trying to see her dead.

A Navy Soldier on Omaha Beach
by Alan Dube
Description: U.S. Army troops weren't the only ones storming  Omaha Beach on D-Day; many Navy sailors were called upon to be foot soldiers as well in this decisive and pivotal battle. "A Navy Soldier on Omaha Beach" is the personal account in words, pictures, and illustrations of the D-Day and World War II experiences of Gilbert H. Dube, USN, 7th Naval Beach Battalion (NBB), Company B-6, as told to and written by his son. It includes a detailed history of the formation, training, and use of NBBs in  Normandy , as well as the combat experiences of several NBB members on June 6, 1944, on  Omaha Beach and in the Normandy campaign that followed. The book also describes the veteran's poignant return to

Omaha Beach for the first and only time some 55 years later.

A Story About My Life
by Matthew T. Malette
Description: My children, this is the story of my life told in images and captions. It not fit for people with hernias. Grandpa Gruten
 
Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa - Last Chances
by Martheus Wade
Description: JETTA: TALES OF THE TOSHIGAWA- LAST CHANCES vol.0 The Toshigawa clan has long guarded and ruled  Japan from the shadows. Now, one of the clan’s former members has become emperor of Japan and wants to destroy the remaining members of the Toshigawa clan, including his own daughter, Shianndrea! But before she can flee to America , she has to deal with the formidable Desai - and rumors that her sensei is a traitor! Don’t miss this hard to find 80 page first issue of the TOSHIGAWA SAGA. Order now!!

2006 Vintage Fire Trucks Calendar
by Rob Papp
Description: 16 Month Calendar (September 2005 through to December 2006) featuring 16 quality photographs of Vintage Fire Trucks from 1900-1955 taken at Fire Museums in North America and Europe; plus one bonus month with photo collage. Preview here. American and Canadian holidays included. A portion of the proceeds will go to War Child. Please feel free to print and post the cover or preview page. Priced on this website in U.S. Dollars.

SaucyVox Review
by Feithline Stuart
Description: The July/August edition of SaucyVox Review, featuring Scott Holstad and Donna Gagnon. 63 pages, perfect bound, full color cover. ISSN 1715-4499

My Homeschool Planner
by Vicki Bentley
Description: Homeschool planner designed by a mom who has homeschooled 17 kids! Includes virtually all records that could be requested by state authorities. Sections for weekly lessons plans, reading lists, projects & achievements, unit study planning sheets, field trips, curriculum planning, goal setting, certificate of progress, and more. Appropriate Scripture verses on the bottom of many pages. Includes helpful hints for use. Our most-requested resource since the mid-90's! 118 pages, spiral bound, full color glossy cover.

Xevicom Forever
by Darren Reid
Description: A unique blend of cutting edge graphics and story telling comes together in one of the most unique graphic novels ever to be be printed. Set in the darkly futuristic city of Xevicom , three seperate stories unfold as the stories three protagonists begin their journey to save the city from its self. Critically acclaimed, Wizard magazine had this to say about Xevicom "Darren Reid's writing has an intense simplicity to it that gives a fresh take on a familiar dynamic." With stunning art work by Alex Cowles, George Williams and Mike Bushnell

<? - An Introduction To Computer Science Using PHP
by Robert Curtis
Description: An introduction to computer science using PHP. Intented for "CS0" introductory level computer science for liberal arts collegiate students.

This So Called Life: the anthology
Poems by members of This So Called Life, a writing workshop. Contributing Editors: C. E. Laine and Kathy Kubik, with poetry by Sherry Deanne Adams, Andrew Analore, Aaron Brauer, Pris Campbell, Corvin, David Curtis, David Durham, Deidre Elizabeth, Jason Fraley, Fulicasenia, Todd Heldt, Robert Kidd, Donna Hill, Poppy Hullings, Lisa Michelle Maloney, McGrittle, Dorothy Doyle Mienko, Mothdust, Nathan Novikoff, Nyktipolos, Rae Pater, Kari Rabarison, Redkat, J. Reed-Meeks, Heidi L. Nordberg, Sirrus Poe, Christopher R. Robbins, Don Schaeffer, D. K. Sterling, Melanie M. Stevenson, B. A. Stites, The Lost Lost Boy, Valerie Thomas, Paul Trombley, and Wintersong.

NPR's Fresh Air Profiles Blook Author

Jason Christopher Hartley, the blogger behind Just Another Soldier--one of the blogs the military did not want you to read--appeared today on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross to talk about his new blook: Just Another Soldier: A Year on the Ground in Iraq. [See Wired's article "The Blogs of War" from August.] You cannot tell me that the blook's time has not come.

Blook city

Apart from the nice BBC piece today on the Blooker Prize, more and more blooks are coming to light as the blogosphere lights up on the topic. One post from the blog Paved.ca pointed me to several new blogs (with blooks), one of which Kim is certainly going to enjoy: You Grow Girl.

The number of blooks is greater than has been estimated up until now, and the reason is that so many of them are independently published. Many may be sold only via the authors' blogs, which means that they have remained below the radar of the likes of R.R. Bowker.

Interesting blook titles recently brought to my attention include:

The Booker Goes to Banville

The news is official: the illustrious Man Booker Prize goes to John Banville's novel, The Sea, described in the official press release as "a novel of loss, identity and remembrance. It is written in beautifully crafted prose and has led to Banville being heralded as ‘a master at the top of his game’ and ‘one of the great fictional stylists of our time.’" Lit blogger Mark Sarvas, of The Elegant Variation, is beside himself. Also noted in the blog of the (soon-to-be-illustrious) Blooker Prize.

The Lulu Blooker Prize

So, here's the big news: Today Lulu is announcing the the creation of a new, independent literary prize specifically for , or books based on blogs (or similar web sites). The categories will be fiction, nonfiction, and web comics.

The annual competition will be called The Lulu Blooker Prize. The chair of the judges the first year will be who among many other things is the author of  Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom (first published independently on the web) as well as the recent Someone Comes to Town. Someone Leaves Town.

The prize is open to books from ALL quarters, whether published independently (through Lulu or iUniverse or whoever) or published conventionally (Random House, Tor, etc.). The books have to have been written in English, have had their origins in material posted on a web site (see my previous post on blooks), and each entrant will have to send three hard copies, along with the entry form, to the contest address. Prizes? $2,000 to the overall winner, and $1,000 to the winner in each of the other two categories.

Oh yes, and there will also be a Blooker blog. Full details of the announcement appear below. Should be lots of fun.

Announcing “The Blooker Prize,” the World’s First Literary Prize for “Blooks,” alias Books Based On Blogs or Websites

October 10, 2005 (London, UK and Raleigh, NC) – The world’s first literary prize for books based on blogs or websites – known for short as “blooks” – is announced Monday by its sponsor, Lulu (www.lulu.com), a website that enables anyone to publish and sell their own books.

The Lulu Blooker Prize (www.LuluBlookerPrize.com) will be a global competition honoring the hybrid literary form of blooks, a new form of an old media and one of the hottest new publishing and online trends.

The prize will honor blooks in three categories: fiction, non-fiction, and web-comics. The overall winner will receive $2,000, and winners in the other two categories $1,000 each, in addition to a small piece of literary immortality and something approaching glory in the expanding realm known as the blogosphere.

The contest, which is open to books published by conventional publishing houses as well as independent (self) publishers, will be judged by a panel of figures prominent in both the online and offline publishing worlds, chaired by Cory Doctorow (www.craphound.com), the noted, London-based science-fiction author, blogger co-editor of BoingBoing (www.boingboing.net) the world’s most linked-to blog.

Doctorow, who develops his own books from notes and ideas posted on his weblog, believes that blooks are distinct from traditional books:

“Blogs encourage their authors to publish in small, partially formed chunks,” says Doctorow. “Previously, they might have been kept in the author’s notebook, but something amazing happens when you post them online: readers help you connect them, flesh them out and grow them into fully-fledged books or blooks.”

Other judges include Robin “Roblimo” Miller (www.roblimo.com) of Slashdot (www.slashdot.org) and Paul Jones (www.ibiblio.org/pjones/wordpress/), founder of iBiblio.org. All judging will be independent of the contest sponsor and no favor will be shown to blooks published on Lulu.

The Lulu Blooker Prize, whose title is an affectionate nod to another important literary prize, will take place annually. Winners will be announced April 3, 2006. Details for submitting blooks for consideration appear at www.LuluBlookerPrize.com.

About Lulu (www.lulu.com): Lulu is the world's fastest growing source of print-on-demand book publishing. Founded by Bob Young, who previously co-founded Red Hat, the open source software company, Lulu provides independent publishers with free access to on-demand publishing tools for books, e-books, music, DVDs, images and calendars.

More blooks in the news

More in the news:

"Secret blogger wants readers to free him from mortal toil" (Times Online), about a by anti-corporate French Max. [who interestingly, on a search of French Google, still comes up below Tucker Max.]

"Knit-wits" (Christian Science Monitor), a story about the Yarn Harlot, her new book, and the gangs of knitters who roam cyberspace. [I wonder if she knows Lulu author The Crochet Dude?]

Lots of stories about the blook "Julie & Julia," from the blogger who tried to cook every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. A sample:

'Julie and Julia': The Servantless American Cook
New York Times, United States - Oct 1, 2005
... To Powell's surprise, her blog, which she called the Julie/Julia Project, struck a chord with legions of readers who followed her triumphs and travails as she ...

Books: Jeff Salamon
Austin American-Statesman (subscription), TX - 6 hours ago
... What was surprising was that "The Julie/Julia Project" became something of a phenomenon: Powell developed a devoted readership and was profiled on "The CBS ...

Julie & Julia 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen
San Francisco Chronicle, United States - Sep 24, 2005
At the beginning of the memoir "Julie & Julia," we find Julie Powell on the verge of an emotional meltdown. ... Did "Julie & Julia" need to be written? No. ...

Look for more on blooks tomorrow.

Blooks!

What's a blook? A blook is defined as a book based on material and/or ideas first published in a blog.*

A blook is the marriage of the best features of web publishing -- feedback from readers, speed, serialization, freedom from the influence of sponsors -- with the staid virtues of the traditional book -- thoughtfulness, depth, dramatic arc and reader-friendly design -- delivered on deliciously permanent, portable paper leaves.

The word may be new, but the phenomenon is real. Pundits write about Generation C, young people who have grown up with the Internet at hand as a publishing tool of first resort, not only for writing, but for art, music, film, and POD-casts. Publishing independently--a practice previously referred to derisively as self-publishing--has become the standard rather than the exception, especially for new writers. Even some established writers and journalists, people like Andrew Sullivan, have set  out to become their own publishers.

And the publishing business itself has taken notice. Editors and agents whose lips first curled at the notion of lone bloggers tapping away in the Internet wilderness now regularly mine the search engines for writers with voice, with audiences, whose content has value.

The Friday Project, a publishing house in England recently launched with the backing of Random House, has its first three titles scheduled for release this fall--all developed from blogs. The Washingtonienne, Jessica Cutler's scandalous account of a call girl in the nation's capital, began as a blog. In fact, in recent times we have seen more and more authors that straddle the worlds of web and print publishing:

Small Pieces Loosely Joined, David Weinberger
Just A Geek - Wil Wheaton
Salam Pax: The Clandestine Diary of an Ordinary Iraqi - Salam Pax
Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog from Iraq - Riverbend
Dog Days - Ana Marie Cox
Belle de Jour: The Intimate Adventures Of A London Call Girl, by Anonymous

And Lulu, not surprisingly, finds itself host to an increasing number of books based on blogs, or blooks. It's worth noting, while we're on the subject, that since a blog is really just an easily updated web site, a large number of the best-selling books on Lulu qualify as blooks, from web comics like Boy on a Stick and Slither - Vol. One, to The Hardball Times Baseball Annual.  

All of which is to say, what with this being the season for literary prizes and all, that it may be time for a new literary prize to celebrate the newest incarnation of one of the oldest forms of media. Stay tuned for an announcement on Monday, October 11!
___________________________

* It's the literary equivalent of the collision in the famous Reese's candy commercial, where one person shouts, "Hey! You got your chocolate in my peanut butter," and the other, "You got your peanut butter in my chocolate." After a moment, they both look up--"Hey, this tastes great!"

And an update: Hard to tell the exact moment the term came into being, but I suspect it is here to stay.

Dog calendars!

Today’s theme: Dog calendars!
(plus one Burrowing Owl calendar and more brain-bending diversity from Lulu.com's independent publishing marketplace.)

Oh that Beau!
by Spike Danger 
Oh that Beau! Beau Danger Lulu's favorite Bichon Frise dog is always getting into some sort of adventure. Here in this fine 2006 calendar are some of his escapades. What will Beau do next? It's anybodys guess, but one thing for sure, he always has fun! Be sure to check out my other Beau Danger & Fifi his girlfriends pictures and products here on Lulu.com or check out Beau's Dads web site at www.michaelledray.com and e mail him for special request and questions.

DogAddicts.com Beautiful Dogs
by David Braun
2006 Calendar featuring the Dogs of DogAddicts.com See dogs having fun, dressed for the Holidays, and playing. This edition features many breeds. All the Dogs are from the pages of DogAddicts.com

Dog Days: 2006 Calendar
by Meghan Meyers
A fundraising calendar. 100% of profits go to the Humane Society to benefit relief efforts on the gulf coast.

Sussex Spaniel 2006
by Rosemary Cushman
Sussex Spaniel Calander for 2006. Features photo contest winners from the National Speciality as well as Agility, Obedience, Therapy, Rally, and Field.

The Frezza Bassets Calendar
by Christopher Frezza
Calendar of the Frezza Family Bassets. Included is Cammy (AKC Cammy ZDog Frezza) and the award winning Vegas (AKC Renaissance Cezanne).

Adventure K9 Border Collie Crew
by Jordan Gooderham
Beautifully illustrated 2006 border collie calendar featuring the amazing border collies of Adventure K9. Each month enhanced with one of Adventure K9's 12 'Golden Rules' training tip.

Mirror Mirror
by Chloe Mercer
In Memory of Calendar of Wire Haired Fox Terrier Mrs. Asta Pet Dog of Sexy French Lingerie Model, Actress, Author & Artist Chloe Mercer. Color photos from recent past of Asta.

Tender Moments With Pugs and French Bulldogs
by Tammy Denton
The new 2006 calendar with pictures capturing loving moments between pugs and French Bulldogs and children done in black and white. well done dog photos.

Pugs
by Tammy Denton
The new 2006 Pug calendar has Pugs and flowers blended together for nice subtle pictures. This project was photographed in Virginia. Well done dog pictures.

Colorado's Burrowing Owls
by Stephen Gilmartin
Burrowing Owls of the Colorado Prairie.
_________________________________

The Incredible Sheaffer Snorkel Fountain Pen
by Jim Mamoulides
UPDATED for 2006! In 1952 Sheaffer introduced the Snorkel pen line, equipped with a unique extensible filling tube that allowed the pen to be filled without immersing the tip in ink. The first truly "no wipe" pen that filled from a bottle. The Snorkel is recognized today as one of the most complex filling mechanisms ever made and is prized by collectors. Snorkels were among the most popular pens of the 1960s and have an ardent following today. This calendar celebrates some of the most sought after and popular models.

USO Show Troupe Sponsorship
by Tad Emptage
Information on sponsorship of the USO of Metropolitan New York Show Troupe.

A Welsh Song In Patagonia
by William Casnodyn Rhys
William Casnodyn Rhys, a young theology student, dreamed of establishing a Welsh colony where the Welsh language and culture could be preserved. A few years later, the Baptist congregation of the Chubut Valley Colony offered this young pastor of the Baptist Congregation of Swansea, Wales, an invitation to pastor the chapel they were building. Rhys accepted the offer, and with his young wife and baby daughter Myfanwy, sailed in 1876 to Patagonian shores where they began their new home in the lower valley of the Chubut river, called Chupat by the Tehuelche Indians, and Camwy by the Welsh. For over 70 years, Rhys' manuscript about life on the Welsh Colony in Patagonia, Pioneers in Patagonia, together with the talks "15 Years in Patagonia", lay dormant in the archives of The National Library of Wales. The manuscripts were finally discovered and for the first time are available in English, as compiled in 2005 by Rhys' grandson, David H. Rhys Ph.D.

Fear and Loathing in Bat Country: Hunter S Thompson Versus Dracula
by Jason Andrew
Kidnapped by the colossal Hell’s Angel biker known as Rooster Brown, gonzo journalist Hunter. S Thompson fears that his dead body will be picked apart in the California desert by vultures. Instead, Rooster drags Thompson into a strange quest to save his hippy girlfriend that seems to have been turned into a vampire. This adventure draws Thompson into a conflict with the legendary lord of the vampires, Dracula.

My Love Affair With David Lynch and Peachy Like Nietzsche: Dark Clown Porn Snuff for Terrorists and Gorefiends
by Jason Rogers, David L. Tamarin
This is the novella My Love Affair with David Lynch by Jason Rogers and Peachy Like Nietzsche: Dark Clown Porn Snuff for Terrorists and Gorefiends, the short story collection by David Tamarin. This is absurd, surreal, dark, demented, and bizzaro literature at its...well...most screwed up.

Twisted Dreams Magazine - The Magazine For Those Whose Blood Runs a Darker Shade of Red
by Various Authors
This is the second edition of the wildly popular "Twisted Dreams Magazine." More short stories in this issue from your favorite authors and some new blood as well, more dark poetry to wrap you in its chilly embrace, interviews with the band Atomic Blonde, Lisa Mannetti of the world famous Chancery House, reviews of the band Adipocere and mega musician James D. Stark, articles on the strange and unusual and much, much more! NEXT ISSUE JANUARY 2006

Illustration Magazine #2 Digital Reprint
by Daniel Zimmer
This new version of Illustration #2 is an identical reprint of the original issue, only created using "print on demand" technology. The issue features articles on Norman Saunders, Frank Frazetta, Perry Peterson, Russ Cochran, Vargas, and more. For page previews and more information, please see my website at www.illustration-magazine.com.

The Poems of Margaret Challis
by Margaret Challis
Edited by James Munro: the poems of his sister, Margaret Anne Challis (1942-1967).

A novel, one sentence at a time

Discovered via the always interesting Robert Nagle, of IdiotProgrammer, I look forward to following an experiment by blogger Tao Lin (reader of depressing books), who is writing a novel online at a rate of one sentence a day. The entries are iterative, as you can see from her first posts:

8/24/2005
People got impatient that year. They wanted things now. They wanted to learn Japanese without having to do any work—and without any accent at all.    
posted by reader of depressing books at 8/24/2005 0 comments

8/23/2005
People got impatient that year.  They wanted things now.             
posted by reader of depressing books at 8/23/2005 0 comments

8/22/2005
People got impatient that year.
posted by reader of depressing books at 8/22/2005 2 comments

 

Writing a novel one sentence at a time strikes me as a more practical undertaking, at least for someone like me, than National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)--which commences in November--in which thousands of people take a run at writing an entire novel in the space of a month. As always, I hope to see the products of these labors available on Lulu at some point.

Instant publishing as a force for good

As many pundits observed with some wonder in the wake of the recent spate of hurricanes, the web offers an astonishingly fast means of responding to current events. Within days and hours of the hurricane, in addition to the amazing blog reporting of events on the ground, sites like CraigsList and KatrinaFinder organized essential information even as the agencies in charge were still reeling.

Powerful fund raising  for hurricane relief efforts on the Internet arose overnight, as they had after the tsunami in December, and as they had the year before during the upstart candidacy of Howard Dean. But just as musicians rushed to assemble concerts to raise money for hurricane victims, so too were the scribblers of the Internet hard at work considering the contributions they might make to the collective effort both to help -- and to help process -- the tragedies.

With a speed to press that conventional publishers could never hope to match, bloggers, Internet journalists, RPG gamers, and assorted online types used Lulu to publish three books that act as  fundraisers and, in one case, also as a meditative response to the events.

         
Katrina and the Lost City of New Orleans was written in less than ten days by Rod Amis

Katrina and the Lost City of New Orleans was written in less than ten days by Rod Amis, a former resident. Written in a swaggering gonzo neo-noir, the reader can literally smell,feel, and taste the real city. From the intro:

There were two New Orleans, Louisiana's before Hurricane Katrina. The was the real Nawlins, where most of us who lived there spent our days. And there was the fantasy New Orleans the only included the high rise hotels on Canal Street, whose heart was Bourbon Street and whose soul peeked out for the tourists from between the souvenir shops in the rest of the French Quarter.

That New Orleans, the New Orleans I mean to tell you about, that will never, ever, exist again; that city of love, lust, death and sex, will never exist again.

New Orleans, by my own avowal and that of many, was the American Haiti.

Being a former Nawlins bartender, Amis is donating a portion of his proceeds to the New Orleans Hospitality Relief Fund--which benefits displaced service industry workers.

       
The Webcomic Hurricane Relief Telethon Book

The Webcomic Hurricane Relief Telethon Book is the result of a 2-day webcomic telethon sponsored by Blank Label Comics--which raised nearly $30k. You can continue to support relief aid by purchasing this compilation. All proceeds to benefit the American Red Cross.

       
Beyond the Storm: Shadows of the Big Easy

"Beyond the Storm: Shadows of the Big Easy" is a diverse collection of stories, essays and art submitted from around the world and capture the essence of the city that was. All proceeds benefit the American Red Cross. From the intro:

What will you find inside? I asked the contributors to take us to their vision of the Big Easy, and that's what they've done. Th ey've provided role-playing game settings and scenarios, mini-rpgs, short stories, essays and a poem inspired by the city, its environs and its culture. We start out in the swamps outside of the city. Traveling through them, we meet beings that might have been.

We spend most of our time in the city itself. We explore the worlds of magic and horror, meet superheroes from NOLA, travel to the future, and end where any good traveler eventually ends up—in a restaurant and, ultimately, a hotel. I hope you enjoyed this journey as much as we enjoyed mapping it out for you.
 
  And remember—we have traveled beyond the storm together—and together we can re-build Big Easy so it can continue to cast its bright light on future generations.

Just give him his privacy for godssake!

This is neither here nor there in terms of my usual topics, but a friend in the media just passed this along. In the please-just-let-me-suffer-alone department we get the following message from the web site of country music star Chris Cagle (also sent out to entertainment media under the subject line Media Bulletin: A special message from Chris Cagle... )

To All My Loyal Music Fans:    

"As many of you are aware, I had been anxiously awaiting the addition of a new baby to my life. The baby has been born and both mother and child are in good health. Since the birth, however, we have discovered that biologically, the child is not mine.    

As excited as I was about becoming a new father, my disappointment is equally as strong. So out of respect for all that are involved, please allow this situation to remain private and know that I will not be commenting further on this very personal matter. I'm thanking you in advance for your kind cooperation and understanding."

Wiping away the sting of rejection

Chalk up another one for the headline writers of the world: "Special TP wipes away sting of rejection" from the Des Moines Register. On the same topic, I'll be talking about author rejection on Canberra's talk radio station 2CC am Wednesday afternoon (here--Thursday morning in Australia).
[There are some who have suggested that this is simply a smear job against conventional publishing, but that's simply not true.]

The Poop Calendar et al.

I am doing a bit of clean-up on the old blog today, including fixing a longstanding problem with the display of archived posts. And I've decided to make the 'Lulu Sampler' a regular item, since the storefront of the day has more or less disappeared, and because I assemble something similar for the office each day. There will be redundancies, I am sure, as well as a number of links that will change as the authors update to new editions of their books. I tend to catch these items in the early stage of publication, and generally I don't look at them very closely before adding them to the list. But hopefully the samplers will provide a nice sense of the spectrum of content pouring through the Lulu site.

The Smartypants' Guide to the AP Environmental Science Exam
When it comes to scoring higher on the AP Environmental Science Exam, nobody prepares you better than Smartypants. This comprehensive, efficient study guide pinpoints everything you need to boost your score, from test-taking strategies to a complete review by topic. Features of this study guide include: a focused review of every topic on the AP exam, expert test-taking tips, a realistic full-length practice exam with answer key and thorough explanations, important graphs, charts, and diagrams, and a tune-up of key concepts and vocabulary terms. Compatible with virtually every slunattandard textbook or course on the subject, this invaluable tool is what you need to score your best - and get the college credits you deserve!

Syncretism: An Indo-Romuva Strategy of Integration
by ICCS WCER
Description: Syncretism: An Indo-Romuva Strategy of Integration is a collection of papers presented at the Indo Romuva cultures conference at Atlantic city New jersey, USA.

Poop, a calendar [Editor’s Note: You may wish to avoid the preview, although this would make the perfect Christmas gift for people you don't like.]
by Becky, Becky
Description: A year's worth of shit.
Start Date: January 1st, 2006

The Mexican Survival Manual
by D. Dale Thompson
Description: Travel and retirement in Mexico--residency procedures, buying property, building, renting adapting, true tales, fairy tales, scams.

Robots and Psychopaths
by Christopher Wichtendahl
Description: Murder, romance, horror and fantasy plus most any genre you can think of and some made up just for this book can be found between its covers. >From aging heroes to serial killers to angels and God and time travelers, each of them has at least one story in here somewhere. Oh, and there's robots.

FLASHSHOT: YEAR ONE
369 micro-stories (around 100 wrds. each) with a horror tint, though many are humorous, science fiction, mystery or suspense. The entire first year of FLASHSHOT from the daily flash fiction newsletter.

BrickJournal Issue 1
by BrickJournal Staff
Description: BrickJournal is a quarterly publication that will focus on the Adult Fan of LEGO (AFOL) community, with articles about people (the personalities behind the building) - building (the incredible models that have been built) - community (the places and events where AFOLs meet). BrickJournal will also invite the general public to meet and join the community. With a variety of articles on many of the aspects of the LEGO hobby, interviews with people who have impacted the hobby or community, building tips and instructions, and other fun things, BrickJournal will be an outreach to the public - introducing the LEGO hobby by showcasing the best the community has to offer!

The Emergency Teacher
by Christina Asquith
Description: When emergency-certified new teacher Christina Asquith takes on a 6th grade classroom in Philadelphia's toughest school, she learns the true meaning of 'making a difference'.

Quilting As A Business : Turning Your Passion To Profit
by Michelle Frost
Description: The best book available to help you turn your Passion for Quilting into a full time wage. It is a step by step guide to making money from quilting.

Our Island Saints
by Amy Steedman
Description: Gentle stories of saints who lived their lives of service in the British Isles during the Middle Ages.  Includes tales of St. Alban, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Cuthbert, St. Columba, St. Margaret of Scotland, and others.

A Heron Family Forest grew in Manchester
by Richard Mitchell
Description: A brief account of the arrival in Jamaica in 1790 of the Heron family from Scotland and the growth of that family until the death of Alexander Woodburn Heron in 1901.

The Revolution of Beelzebub
by Samael Aun Weor
Description: "For eternities, Beelzebub was living in the darkness of tenebrous caverns... Beelzebub ignored that he was in evil. He was furiously attacking the White Magicians and believing them to be perverse. He was feeling himself to be a saint and good and considered the White Magicians to be demons. "My intentions were in the long run to perform the greatest task in the cosmos, which was to take Beelzebub out of the Black Lodge and transform him into a disciple of the White Lodge." Herein one reads the incredible story of the Gnostic Master Samael Aun Weor and his efforts to convert the demon Beelzebub. This controversial book explains in detail the subtle distinctions between positive and negative schools of awakening, and provides a detailed description of the initiatic practices of the modern A.M.O.R.C. Rosicrucian movement. Included are many adventures in the internal worlds, Alchemy, White Magic vs. Black Magic, angels and demons, Tantrism, and all the essential foundations of positive spiritual work.

The Sexual Paraphilias - Therapy by - Hick-Farmer Sigmund Freud Wannabes
by David Todeschini
Description: The Sexual Paraphilias - Therapy by Hick-Farmer Sigmund Freud Wannabes is a concise introduction to human sexual aberrations. All of the major sexual deviations are listed, with their clinical names and descriptions. The author rails the psychiatry profession for their incompetent efforts to “cure” anomalous sexual behavior, particularly the behaviors which are criminal acts, such as rape and pedophilia. The author includes a most excellent analysis of domestic violence entitled “The Battered Spouse and The Abused Child”, based on the movie “Once Warriors”. Also included is “There IS a Way Out”, a treatise targeted to victims of domestic violence, and an essay titled “Restorative Justice” that addresses the problem of criminal rehabilitation and prison reform. Extensively footnoted, and seriously humorous in places, this book sheds a whole new light on what America and the world engages in behind closed doors.

Church Of The Antichrist 999, Vampirs of New Sodom
by Caesar 999
Description: A collection of Metal and Gothic Songs. Including Samples, Effects, Vocals, and some Instruments. These songs express my creative musical and poetic outlet. They range from eclectic, dark, mysterious sounds to industrial, death metal, and black metal symphonies. Many of thses are compositions that can be added upon, remixed, etc. 10854436 Immortal Black, 10877142 My Summer Demoness, 10899784 Vampirs of New Sodom, 10945313 Terminal Solution, 10996839 Fire Above, 11009042 Prince Vlad Remix

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