Um... Yeah, so I made a book. And I'm really excited about it.
This is a project I've been working on for several months, but it's also been a long-term goal of mine for many years. So I'm really happy to have, in my sweaty little mitts, actual hard copies of my first book, Apartness.
The Cover of Apartness (Hard Cover)
I'm also really happy to report that you too can now get your own copy. Just head on over to Blurb and fork over some hard earned dough. They'll print you up a copy and in a couple weeks you'll get it in the mail. Simple as that.
Full-Color Sunday Strip
The book comes in two flavors. The hardcover version, shown here, is beautiful. The image is printed full-bleed directly onto the semi-gloss, hard cover. There is also a glossy softcover option which is nearly as nice and a bit cheaper. Both versions feature premium luster-finish paper inside and look surprisingly professional. If you've ever seen a collection of newspaper comics you'll have a good idea of the quality of this book. That's what I was going for and that's pretty much what I got.
Black and White Dalies
I used an online print-on-demand service, with a focus on photobooks, called Blurb to make these books. I've been quite pleased with them. They provide two different applications for laying out and uploading your book, and they're both powerful but easy to use. They also have tools that integrate with InDesign and other third-party applications, as well as additional tools you can use to create your book. I used their application called BookWright, which is also geared towards making photobooks, and is simple but effective. Blurb's print quality, to my eye, is very nice. I didn't use the absolute highest quality paper option, but I'm very happy with the quality nevertheless. Their prices are affordable, the product ships reasonably quickly and sales and distribution are handled directly on Blurb's website. I'm a little shocked at how easy it turned out to be, and how happy I am with the results.
Hardcover Wraparound
This whole process has been incredibly fun and rewarding. And I've learned a ton! But there's plenty more to do, and I'm already onto the next projects. While those cook, please check out — and if you're so inclined, buy a copy of — my book. I really hope you like it.
