Some people just get off on details, knowing all about obscure things that the rest of us simply take for granted. Take, for instance, that punctuation mark known as “ellipsis.” I recently came across an article that looks at when the ellipsis began being used and what its purpose is. It appeared in Slate magazine […]
Archive | Writing
Why write? Because you never know where it will take you!
In life often we find doors opening to us that we never considered would be there. Such was the case when I wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper. The letter was never published, but the editor kept it in his file and years later called me because he was writing a book about […]
The lurking danger of the internet
Several months ago I published a pamphlet titled St. Gutenberg Pray For Us which warned of the dangers inherent in electronic communication. The other day I came across a column by Paul Rosenberg which voices many of the concerns I have. Perhaps it will give you something to think about, as it has done for me. […]
Cowboy and horse shoer–real life experiences
It ain’t no picnic! The life of the modern-day cowboy is no glamour shoot, and neither is that of the horse shoer, but despite the grit and grime involved in both, there remains a certain romance to them. In short, I would say that’s what a new book by Pat Coughlin, who lived both lives […]
A woman’s search to publish her poetry book
A commissioned work by Elva Cowdery Her bucket list book When Elva Cowdery contacted me a few years back, she had a bucket list of projects to complete, one of which was to publish a poetry book she had written. As with many projects on our bucket lists, her book rested there for sometime until […]
Are E-books Dying? The resurgence of printed books
Obituary of the printed book premature Now comes yet another story, this time in the New York Times about the impressive rebound of the printed book. With e-book sales soaring just four years ago, the prognosticators of doom declared printed books a vanishing breed. Indeed, at the time with book stores closing and printed book sales […]
How to publish your letterpress poetry book and some things to avoid doing
Why letterpress works so well with poetry book publishing Poetry books and letterpress printing are meant for each other. I have learned that through the work I have done to typeset, letterpress print and hand bind books for people across the United States. When my customers approached me they had two primary concerns: letterpress printing will […]
Letterpress isn’t just for wedding stationery: how hot metal typesetting can improve all letterpress printing
Unique, distinctive beauty drives revival of interest in letterpress printing The revival of interest in letterpress printing, after the market for letterpress work nearly vanished a few decades ago, can be attributed primarily to couples recognizing the beauty and distinction letterpress printing adds to wedding invitations. This has been well and good for the old black […]
Is Today A Good Day To Die? Thoughts on mortality and life’s lessons.
Letterpress printed pamphlet dealing with mortality and living life right Mortality began to loom before me While I won’t go into the contents of my pamphlet Is Today A Good Day To Die–at least not today–I can explain how it came to be. I was working in the maintenance department at St. Paul Academy and […]