New poetry chapbook "GHOST" by David Barker available - Rubber Letterpress (1 Viewer)

Rekrab

Usually wrong.
Rumba Train Press (that's me) is proud to announce the publication of a limited edition chapbook of short poems on spooks and spirits by David Barker.

I'd love to claim I planned this to be out just in time for Halloween, but it's pure coincidence. Ever since I first conceived of this book, back around 2005, I thought I'd like to release it at Halloween, but I knew it was impossible for me to actually pull that off, given all the other demands on my time. So instead I began it in April and figured it would be ready in the summer. But here it is, finally completed after innumerable delays. You can read about the history of this project in another thread here: https://bukowskiforum.com/showthread.php?7116-rubber-letterpress-teaser.

The book is entirely printed by hand. It consists of eight very short poems printed one to a page on a 1960s toy Superior Ace Rotary Press, using rubber type set by hand and printed one page at a time. The edition is limited to 50 numbered and signed copies -- 20 copies are hardbound and 30 are softbound. Hardbound copies number 1 through 20 have sewn bindings and are hand-bound by the author in cloth covered boards using various colors of book cloth, with a hand-printed label on the front cover. The label decoration is an original linoleum block print of an ancient New England headstone by the author. The title on the label is hand-printed one letter at a time using rubber stamps that date to the 1960s. Softbound copies number 21 through 50 are staple-bound in stiff paper wrappers bearing the same original linoleum block print and hand-printed title as used on the hardcover labels. The hardcovers have green Mango Paper end sheets. As a bonus, all hardbound copies come with a loose signed proof poem. After I set the type for each poem, I printed proofs to check the spelling and alignment of the type. The first few proofs are on different odd scraps of art paper because I hadn't yet selected the stock for the text and wanted to see how various colors and thicknesses of paper would look. After that, the proofs were made on white bond.

This is an entirely hand-made small press book, painstaking created. All paper was folded and cut by hand, all printing was done by hand, all binding done by hand. There won't be a second printing like this first edition.

Hardcover Edition: 9 copies are already spoken four, with 11 copies remaining for sale at $25 each. Shipping is free in the U.S. Add $3 for shipping to Europe. Order soon, as I don't expect the hardbacks to last long.

Paperback Edition: 4 copies are spoken for, 26 copies remain for sale at $7 each, with free shipping in the U.S. Add $3 for shipping to Europe.

Whether you order a hardcover or paperback, the sooner I get your payment, the lower number copy you'll get.

Please PM me to order. You can Paypal me at [email protected], or pay by check or money order; I'll provide a mailing address for checks by PM. Thanks for your interest, and a big thanks to Bill Roberts of Bottle of Smoke Press for his generous donation of fine book cloth for this project.

I'll post photos of the completed hardcovers later today.
 
Here are festive holiday photos mostly of the hardcovers, with a glimpse of paperbacks. Better photos of the paperbacks are in the other thread. I've been watching too much MAD MEN.

100_8569.jpg


100_8570.jpg


100_8574.jpg


100_8576.jpg


100_8577.jpg


100_8578.jpg
 
Thanks to everyone who bought copies of "ghost." Orders were shipped today so you should have them soon.

The hardcover and softcover editions are still available.
 
Thanks, Purple Stickpin. These are easily the best hardcover bindings I've every done. My earlier hardcovers were crude in comparison. I had the ruler out at every step on these. I also did some reading on the correct way to do certain details. Bill has set the standard for us all to live up to, and in this case, he even provided much of the book cloth.
 
Thanks Lick The Star. Do you want a hardcover or softcover? Not that you need to decide now, but I can hold a hardcover if that's your goal. They could sell out in the near future but the softcovers will be available for a while. If you can't pay me during November, please wait until January. That applies to anyone. Due to complicated reasons, I need to not make any extra money in the month of December. So, please, no orders in December. Thanks.
 
I like the off-settting of the G-H-O-S-T letters on the cover. Very "ghosty" and "floaty".

And I will spirit some PayPal money to you soon for a paperback copy.

Nice work.
 
To anyone thinking of ordering a copy of "ghost", please do so soon and be sure you pay me before the end of November, or wait until January to order. Due to Social Security rules, in December I need to not do any work that would bring in extra income, beyond what I make at my part time job. Thanks.

And you thought being semi-retired was a carefree life.
 
My copy arrived Tuesday and I just now got the time to look at it. Nice work, David. And I appreciate the handwritten insert about Chicago. It will make my copy that much more valuable to the Newberry Library when they acquire my personal papers. (What's that laughing noise I hear ?)

I like all the poems, but for me "tonight" rattles the loudest ;)
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top