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BOOK EDITIONS: Short Fiction, Autobiographical & Life Writing, Long Stories, Short-Short Stories, Creative Non-Fiction, Narrative Journalism & Writing For Cinema.
Most edition books are very writing-based and appropriate for conventional bookshops. Occasionally, they are sold at bookfairs. They appear at specially selected stockists and fairs in Europe, North America and beyond, and occasionally at creative writing programmes.
Books can also be bought directly from this 'cornershop'.
SOME SELECTED STOCKISTS -
SHOPS, BOOKFAIRS & LIBRARIES:
GENERAL:
Foyles (Charing Cross Road, London)
OTHER:
New Museum (New York)
BOOKFAIRS:
New York Art Book Fair (MoMA PS1)
LIBRARIES:
Several books have been selected at bookfairs for the permanent collection libraries of arts institutions in North America, and a major British library
NEW STOCKISTS (from 2016):
Shakespeare & Company Bookshop (Paris, France)
and a bookfair in Europe
Book editions are also available to buy online directly from this cornershop.
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FAQs:
WHAT KIND OF WAYS CAN I USE TO BUY EDITION BOOKS DIRECTLY?
You can pay in one of four ways:
1) Using various cheques by post (email for PO address)
2) Via paypal*
3) Via direct or online bank transfer*
4) Via international IBAN transfer*
* 2), 3) and 4) will transfer direct to the 'Books Editions' account
Email: [email protected]
DO YOU HAVE A MAILING LIST FOR BOOK EDITIONS?
Yes: just email [email protected] to be added
WHAT IS THE GENERAL ENQUIRY EMAIL?
[email protected]
I WANT TO BUY A NUMBER OF COPIES OF ONE BOOK EDITION.
IS THERE A DISCOUNT?
If you are buying more than more than four copies of one book, there are purchase discounts available.
Email: [email protected]
HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND TO CREATE AND WRITE EDITIONS?
Forever.
I always intend to release book editions occasionally, as an adjunct to publishing with large independent and more major publishers. It’s a brilliant outlet for ideas development and creative connection.
CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION FOR A STOCKIST?
Stockists are chosen for many special reasons. If you have a suggestion for a new stockist in Europe, North America or beyond, just email [email protected]
WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF THE EDITION PRESS?
Amy: On several visits to North America over quite a few years, I chanced on three or four very inspiring independent bookstores and independent presses for the first time. They all seemed to be run by people who also worked in other independent culture, or who had started out in this way, moving into print because they loved books & writing so much. The publications & books were innovative in terms of writing content. I took them back to the UK and read them. Around the same time I also visited the ‘Center For The Book’ in California (San Francisco), and picked up a huge catalogue of programmes relating to a few areas of book production I had never encountered when publishing my own writing with larger publishers, mainly relating to binding and print. It seemed to be a very Californian thing from my perspective – but later I realised this culture is very embedded into book culture in places like Italy and Japan, and that there is also a similar center in New York, and a few other locations in North America. I brought the huge paper catalogue back home and stored it, thinking I would explore a few of these techniques at a later date (there was nothing similar in London). At the same time I had been given quite a lot of responsibility publishing writing with both independent & major presses at a young age, and generally wanted more control in relation to the visual, aesthetic and writing content of books. I’ve always naturally been unusually sensitive to colour, fonts and object design: even as a child I was collecting vintage tins for the typography, for example. Another small trigger relates to finding an old abandoned Adana letterpress in the shed of a building: I started actually collecting vintage type as a result of this chance discovery. There is also another strong writing-driven aspect: I had recently finished my MA in Creative & Life Writing, and wanted to have freedom to pursue writing and also creative ideas – before publishing on a larger scale. I was also interested in connecting with other creative people and creative institutions, and learning more about the way books are actually made on a craft-level. Conventional bookshop readings can also be quite limited as a form of sharing work with a wider audience. You’re not in there for long, maybe only one hour, so can’t really build up friendships with people properly. It’s not like music or film, in that way. Things like bookfairs seem to be more successful at creating connections & friendships (and, as a chance by-product, sales) for certain types of print. When I am an exhibitor at certain bookfairs (art bookfairs) I am called an ‘artist’ in the catalogue because it’s an ‘artist’-driven press – where ‘artist’ in that description means ‘artist’ in the widest sense, as in ‘someone who creates things’. In addition to bookfairs, I also always love the excuse to visit very special, historically significant or unusual bookshops in a slightly geek-like, book-tourism way. There are also some very unique curated bookshops that also exist permanently as more of a general event space, which are interesting. When I started making edition books I was also partly inspired by an amazing ‘corner shop’ that housed books with writing (and sometimes drawings) run by an Italian gay man in London, which also hosted music events on a separate floor. I became friends with him, and the shop became quite important in relation to certain book and binding influences; for example I first discovered ‘The Booklyn Artists Alliance’ binding and craft books in that shop. They had very international, niche stock. The shop owner had a history of being involved in some quite interesting spaces in North America that involved creativity and community. I knew he had that connection, so I organised one of my book events there – which also included some artists, musicians and writers from LA; he was actually part of their ‘family’, just older than them. He had worked in similar kinds of environments to them that mixed writing, art, music, sometimes fashion (often with a context). The shop had to close for financial reasons, but there are other similar bookshops; they just need nurturing by investors so they can be sustained permanently. Bookshops like Shakespeare & Co in Paris are also quite interesting in relation to events, in a completely different context. Another influence was a couple (both editors and writers) who produced a little magazine of writing called ‘Between C & D’ in New York in the 80s or 90s. I have never seen a copy: apparently, it was very simply photocopied, and distributed in a zip-locked case, but they printed a lot of amazing writers who later were very influential in the mainstream, and still are today. That kind of aesthetic is much more reminiscent of the beat writers. Finally, I would never have pursued it had there not been a number of writer role models in the mainstream who were also doing this same kind of thing: people like Paul Auster, who also publish certain fiction or life writing books in edition form and distribute in the same way, or via distributors like D.A.P. So the origins are diverse and multi-faceted.
WOULD YOU EVER DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS AN ARTIST?
I occasionally show and sell book editions at bookfairs based in galleries or art-based institutions in Europe or America, and am described as an ‘artist’ in the catalogue. I am called an ‘artist’ in the catalogue because it’s an ‘artist’-driven edition press – where ‘artist’ in that description means ‘artist’ in the widest sense, as in ‘someone who creates things.’ I love doing bookfairs because it’s a brilliant and fun way of connecting with readers, other creators and makers, and also people like librarians and bookstore owners; in certain ways it’s also more effective than conventional readings or a booktour, which I’ve also done. The first proper bookfair I exhibited at, and sold my edition books at, was at MoMA PS1 (New York Art Bookfair).
ANY COMMENTS ABOUT CREATIVITY?
As I grew up reading a lot and seeing a lot of cinema those are just the areas I naturally gravitate towards; I like narrative, language and strong images (I have an MA degree in Creative & Life Writing and a BA in Cinema). I also like the visual and craft side of books, as well as the written side, which is partly why I occasionally make and write book editions. I also love inventing general concepts behind books in relation to content, writing, design or visuals. Books can be amazing objects: I once made a book with a record in it, for example, an edition book partly inspired by vintage Disney book-and-record sets I have from childhood. I’ve also always loved antique typography, for example, and collect vintage objects solely for their aesthetics; I see it as a natural extension of these interests. Whenever I make and write book editions I work with many different people, such as printers and paper merchants; I’m a little like a ‘creative director,’ as well as a ‘writer’ and ‘artist’, taking control of the overall creative process, as well as the production process: I have very particular aesthetics. I really wanted to learn more about bookbinding after making a few editions; I wanted to know more about all aspects of bookmaking. I remember having several conversations with a printer and binder, and him mentioning technical terms I did not know: I wanted to be more informed. Now I occasionally develop bookbinding skills with a professional mentor in a local studio; I really enjoy the process, and sometimes run simple bookbinding programmes alongside creative writing programmes. I want these kinds of things to feed into books I make and write with large independent and more corporate presses, where possible: I would really like more control in relation to the overall aesthetics of the product.
IS IT A SMALL BUSINESS, CREATIVE-DRIVEN OR COMMUNITY-BASED?
All three at the same time!
WHAT KIND OF PRINTING & BINDING DO YOU USE?
It depends on what is right for the exact book - all kinds are possible. Each book or publication is unique.
CAN EDITIONS BE RE-PRINTED?
Yes, but they would have to be slightly different. Parts or all of editions can also be reprinted with larger independent or more major publishers.
ARE EDITIONS ALWAYS BOOKS?
Books are the heart of things, but there can be all kinds of related additions.
More: www.amyprior.org
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