EXAMINING SMALL PRESSES OUTSIDE OF CANADA
This issue, our correspondent visits the zany and enterprising duo behind Chicago’s
FEATHERPROOF BOOKS
There’s a bit of work to reading a Featherproof book. Literally. First, you download a title from its website. Next, you print it off. After that, you follow the step-by-step instructions: fold here, fold there and staple here. Et voila! An intricately designed chapbook-style “mini-book” — that is to say, a self-bound short story. Or you might have chosen to create your own “storigami,” a poem folded into an origami creature that you read in sequence as you unfold.
If this all seems like a little too much work, you could choose instead to download one of the press’ full-length short story collections or novels — no folding, cutting or stapling required. Except for one title, Patrick Somerville’s The Universe in Miniature in Miniature, a collection of science fiction stories which, with a little elbow grease, turns into a hanging mobile of planets.
Featherproof may be zany, particularly for those who like to read a book start to finish, no crafting involved. But, while every publication is trying to figure out where the industry is going (DRM! E-books!) the Featherproof founders, Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Messinger and Creative Director Zach Dodson, are experimenting with ideas they think are cool. They’re having fun, but also outstripping those that continue to think exclusively between two covers.
In the spring of 2005, Messinger and Dodson were working together at Time Out Chicago, Dodson as a designer and Messinger as the books editor (where he is still employed today). Together, they dreamt up a vision for an innovative publisher that would be modeled after indie music labels they admired, such as Flameshovel and Dischord.
“We saw a sea change in the publishing industry that was similar to the music industry,” says Dodson. As big record companies merged with big publishing houses, more and more indies began popping up in protest. Today even the writer contracts at Featherproof are modeled after Dischord’s fair treatment of its artists, with profits split right down the middle. “Esthetically,” says Dodson, “we also wanted who and what we’re choosing to be exciting.” To date, Featherproof has published 12 short story collections and novels, not to mention several dozen mini-books and four “storigami” products.
Another unique aspect of Featherproof is its genre-jumping roster. There is no one type of Featherproof book, but a healthy amount of the off-kilter is required. “Generally, we say that we like idiosyncratic stuff; stuff that seems like it could have only come from one person,” says Dodson. “[Messinger] tends to like things that are very well-written, and I tend to like things that have weird subject matter. It’s a Venn diagram: we publish stuff that’s weird, but well-written.”
So far, this includes Christian TeBordo’s surreal short story collection The Awful Possibilities, described as absurd and subversive by reviewers. There’s also Lindsay Hunter’s flash-fiction collection Daddy’s that earned the following description from Bitch Media: “wicked little works of fiction with sharp edges and unpleasantly squishy middles… These stories, despite their brevity, have texture.” Most recently, Featherproof just released the “weird mid-western” paperback The Karaoke Singer’s Guide to Self-Defense from musician Tim Kinsella, which the author began selling during his band Joan of Arc’s summer tour in advance of its official release.
Over the next year, the pair is working on promoting its lower-profile roster of e-books. These, say Messinger, sometimes get lost behind the glitz of origami poetry and story mobiles. After that, they claim to have a whole roster of genuinely cool design gimmicks in development for both print and digital formats. But, you won’t find Featherproof leaking any future off-the-wall projects here. “Everything else,” says Dodson, “I’ve got to keep close to my chest.”
I truly wanted to jot down a message in order to appreciate you for these lovely concepts you are writing on this site. My time consuming internet look up has finally been paid with useful strategies to write about with my family and friends. I ‘d declare that we visitors actually are truly lucky to be in a wonderful network with very many wonderful professionals with very helpful points. I feel pretty fortunate to have seen your entire site and look forward to so many more awesome moments reading here. Thanks a lot once more for a lot of things.
Im extremely impressed with all your ability as a copywriter as well as using the layout on your own weblog. Are these claims a paid theme or do you modify it yourself? Either way maintain outstanding quality writing, it is rare to discover an incredible blog just like it today..
There is obviously a bunch to identify about this. I feel you made various good points in features also.
Just wanna comment on few general things, The website pattern is perfect, the subject material is very superb : D.
I’d have to check with you here. Which is not something I usually do! I enjoy reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
I’d have to check with you here. Which is not something I usually do! I enjoy reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
Thanks for some other fantastic post. Where else could just anyone get that type of information in such an ideal indicates of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I’m at the search for such information.
I am typically to blogging and i actually appreciate your content material regularly. The content has actually peaks my interest. My goal is to bookmark your web weblog and keep checking for 1st time information.
This web site is really a walk-through for all of the info you wanted about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you’ll definitely discover it.
I’ve recently started a blog, and the information you provide on this site has helped me greatly. Thanx for all of your time & work.
I am not sure where you are getting your info, but great topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for magnificent info I was looking for this information for my mission.
Great blog I have bookmarked it and can return soon!
Simply, admirable what you might have accomplished here. It’s pleasing to look you categorical from the center and your readability on this significant content material could be simply looked. Exceptional submit and can look forward to your future update.
Some truly nice and useful information on this internet site, as well I believe the style holds excellent features.
Hey very cool blog!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds also…I am satisfied to find so many helpful info here in the publish, we’d like develop more techniques in this regard, thank you for sharing.
I was just looking for this info for a while. After six hours of continuous Googleing, finally I got it in your site. I wonder what is the lack of Google strategy that don’t rank this kind of informative websites in top of the list. Generally the top web sites are full of garbage.
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! However, how could we communicate?
I gotta favorite this web site it seems very beneficial handy
Normally I don’t learn post on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to take a look at and do so! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thanks, very nice post.
Wow, incredible weblog format! How lengthy have you ever been running a blog for? you make blogging glance easy. The full glance of your web site is excellent, let alone the content material!
You are my inspiration, I have few blogs and very sporadically run out from brand :). “Never mistake motion for action.” by Ernest Hemingway.
of course like your website but you have to test the spelling on quite a few of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very bothersome to inform the truth nevertheless I will definitely come back again.