Ebon et Noir Antiquarian Books Magazine Issue {02}

ISSUE 02

A LITERARY SPRING SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHORS, INDIE BOOKSTORES AND MORE

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Ebon et Noir / Issue 02

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INSIDE

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Obidos, Portugal, A Bibliophile’s Dream

A Selection of First Editions

A passion for books is alive and well in the Medieval town of Obidos.

The tiny walled town of 3000 inhabitants boasts not one, but ten bookstores!

04_ On the Cover 05_ Editor’s Note: Intro to Issue 02 24_ Don’t Miss These Indie Authors 25_ Springtime Gifts for Book Lovers

10_ Self Publishing Is Not a Modern Idea

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The Unseen Hand A Self -Publishing Odyssey

16_ A Spotlight on Frederick Simpson Coburn

Š Copyright 2020

By Ebon et Noir. All pieces reproduced in this issue are under prior copyright of the creators

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and publisher by the contractual arrangements.

Literary Cocktails From Yesteryear

without obtaining the permission of the publish-

Nothing shown may be reproduced in any form er and any other person or company who may have copyright ownership.

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Livraria Lello Porto, Portugal

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Recently, I visited Livraria Lello, one of the world’s most famous bookstores. Rumored to have inspired J. K. Rowling’s Hogwarts. Livraria Lello in the heart of Porto is so popular, visitors must pay admission at the door. This bustling bookstore is not known for its peace and quiet, but its sensuous architectural beauty.

The bookstore opened in its current location at the Rua das Carmelitas in 1906 with great fanfare. Literary figures such as famous writer Guerra Junqueiro and Júlio Brandão were present and media coverage extended all the way to Brazil.

ON THE COVER Staircase, Livraria Lello Photos by Narcisse Navarre

Designed by Xavier Esteves, Lello’s Neo-gothic interior has a lot in common with ancient cathedrals. The bookstore’s art nouveau façade conceals a gothic interior with stained glass ceiling, soaring arches, and a breathtaking curvaceous staircase.

Livraria Lellow is a must see attraction in Porto.

Right Behind the staircase of Livraria Lello

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Books are my life.

Last December I quit my 9-5 Creative Director position to run my antiquarian book business full time. 2019 tested my mettle. I’ve had ups and downs and moments of self-doubt, but mostly, I’ve made progress.

Selling books in an era of eBooks and POD printed books is rewarding but not necessarily easy. Regardless, I’m determined to forge ahead. Books are in my blood. Did I mention I’m also a writer?

Between juggling crates of old books, managing several businesses, and design work, I stole time to pen an epic fantasy tale set in an exciting new world. My debut novel The Unseen Hand is available on Kickstarter.

Ebon et Noir Issue 02.

Issue 02 is a celebration of independent bookstores and indie authors.

Narcisse Navarre Founder

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Ebon et Noir / Issue 02

EDITOR’S NOTE

make it creative / novermber 2015

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TRAVEL_

OBIDOS, PORTUGAL:

A BIBLIOPHILE’S DREAM

by Narcisse Navarre

View from the castle over the town Photo by Narcisse Navarre

A

few years back, my husband and I embarked on a wonderful road trip along Portugal’s East Coast. We arrived in Lisbon and headed north. Along the way, we stopped at many wonderful destinations, including the walled Medieval town of Obidos.

We arrived at that magical hour, just before sunset and took a stroll.

Gradually, the streets grew dark and quiet, and shops began to close. Along the main drag, we stopped at a street stall and purchased a shot of Ginjinha (Ginja), a local liqueur made from sour cherries steeped in alcohol. The sweet concoction served in dainty chocolate cups provided a much-needed second wind.

Determined to not leave a stone unturned in this 700-year-old town, we explored each street. We were rewarded with spectacular views of the lit castle ramparts and something else as well–books!

We were delighted to find not one, but several bibliophile hotspots and the world’s largest literary hotel! At a time when opening an independent bookstore is among the riskiest of businesses, Óbidos makes it look easy. Ten bookstores cram the tiny streets of this 3,000 person town. Here are the top five:

Literary Man Hotel Restaurant Photo ©Literary Man Hotel

Livraria do Santiago Photo by Narcisse Navarre

THE LITERARY MAN HOTEL Once you’re ready to put your feet up, look no further than The Literary Man Hotel, where every room is a library. The restaurant (pictured top right) boasts a vaulted room with bookcases filled with treasures. In their Gin Bar, you can order cocktails inspired by famous authors. Ernest Hemingway Livraria do Mercado Photo by Narcisse Navarre

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TRAVEL_

brings the Mojito and Death in the Afternoon to the table, F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Gin Rickey, you get the idea. The Literary Man’s book collection is 45K books strong and grows weekly. The books can be found in every language and every subject.

LIVRARIA DO MERCADO Not far from the Literary Man is Livraria do Mercado. This lofty organic marketplace is a great place to grab fresh fruit, vegetables, coffee, and of course, books.

The walls of this massive building are lined with floor to ceiling shelves made from old wooden market crates. The market is filled with both new and second-hand books in a variety of languages.

There are tables and couches too for catching up on your Portuguese literature.

LIVRARIA DE SANTIAGO Near the castle entrance stands Livraria de Santiago. The bookstore is housed inside a beautiful old church dating back to the 12th Century. To preserve the structure, the proprietors have built sinu-

Photo Š2009 Joaquim Alves Gaspar, Lisboa, Portugal

ous wooden shelves and multiple levels connected by curving stairs.

This is the largest bookshop in the area with books in every language and genre.

LIVRARIA DA ADEGA This bookstore is in a wine cellar and is a great space for working, grabbing a coffee or a glass of wine in the patio. Wine crates form part of the laid back and spacious decor. The bookstore is generally only open during the summer, so call ahead.

LIVRARIA DOS BONS MALANDROS This charming bookstore combines two great passions: books and booze. Ancient and rare wine bottles share the shelves with books. Classics vie for attention next to more prurient selections.

Portuguese erotica anyone? Worth

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a visit if only to enjoy pleasant conversation with the gregarious owner who may treat you to a shot of Ginjinha.

OTHER BOOKSTORES OF NOTE Óbidos is a literary destination, unlike any other, and you are bound to find books just about everywhere. Livraria Labirinto, housed in a large warehouse, has irregular opening hours, but its offerings are substantial.

Livraria Bichinho do Conto is a publisher of children’s literature as well as a bookshop. If you’re traveling with little ones, the interior doubles as a magical playroom.

Even the Óbidos Post Office has joined the fray. Books line the staircases of the building, many written by local authors. Various museums have bookshops as well, like the Livraria do Museu Municipal and Livraria do Museu Abilio.

So remember, when in Óbidos, spare time for the book hunt.

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Colorful Medieval Streets Photo by Narcisse Navarre

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SELF PUBLISHING IS NOT A MODERN IDEA

by NARCISSE NAVARRE

W

riters have been self-publishing since the written word was invented. Authors determined to make a mark carved their works on clay tablets and temple walls as far back as 11,000 years ago, as evidenced by the recent discovery of Gobekli Tepe in Turkey.

The Egyptians penned their stories on papyrus scrolls and so on. The Chinese and Koreans were printing with movable type way before Johannes Gutenberg invented his printing press in 1450.

With the invention of the printing press, books entered an era of mass production, and demand multiplied. Enterprising authors turned entrepreneurs like Benjamin Franklin took advantage of society’s hunger for the printed word and established themselves as publishers.

Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack, a compendium of essays, weather forecasts, household tips, aphorisms, and proverbs

became a huge sensation in 1730.

In the 1780s, English poet, painter, and engraver William Blake epitomized the indie spirit and self-published Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience, and The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Not only did he write the text, but he also designed the illustrations, etched them onto copper plates, then printed and hand-colored the pages to create his illuminated manuscripts.

Wow! Lord Byron, one of the most revered figures of Romantic Poetry, bankrolled his book after receiving scathing criticism. In 1809 he printed 1,000 copies of his work, which flew off the shelves in three weeks.

In 1811, after years of rejection, Jane Austen paid London-based Thomas Egerton to publish Sense and Sensibility. Her works were published anonymously under the name “By A Lady.” She received few accolades in her lifetime, but went on to become

Edgar Allan Poe by Pratt, 1849

an international bestseller after her death.

In 1827 Edgar Allan Poe self-published his first book, a collection of poetry entitled Tamerlane and Other Poems under the pseudonym of a “Bostonian.” Only 50 copies were printed, and the book flopped. A couple of years later, he published his second book Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems in Baltimore. His third volume of poems, titled Poem, was financed (crowdsourced) with help from his fellow cadets at West Point, many of whom donated 75 cents to the cause, raising a total of $170 ($4,400 in today’s money). Elam Bliss of New York printed 250 copies of the 71 page book.

In the 1850s, American poet Walt Whitman wrote and designed the first edition of Leaves of Grass. Whitman’s critics called the work obscene, and as a result, he was fired from his job. Undeterred, Whitman kept writing, giving us some of the most beloved verses extolling love, nature, and freedom.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (aka Mark Twain) turned to self-publishing out of dissatisfaction with publishers Charles H. Webb, Elisha Bliss, and James R. Osgood.

Twain founded Charles L. Webster & Co. and went on to publish Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) and the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant (1885). Both books were highly successful.

Fed up with rejection letters, Beatrix Potter took matters into her own hands and self-published 250 copies of Peter Rabbit in 1901. The tale of the naughty rabbit went on to sell 20,000. Ironically, the success led her to F. Warne & Co, a publishing house that previously rejected her.

Novelist Marcel Proust believed in his work and didn’t let rejection get in his way.

In 1913 he paid for the publication of Du

Ebon et Noir / Issue 02

Côté de Chez Swann (Swann’s Way), the first volume of his seven-volume masterwork À la Recherche du Temps Perdu (Remembrance of Things Past).

Brilliant Virginia Woolf founded Hogarth Press in 1917 to publish her works, and others who she felt were worthy and relatively unknown. What started as a hobby in her living room turned into a fullscale commercial enterprise after the 1919 success of Woolf’s Kew Gardens. Hogarth Press was instrumental in the success of Katherine Mansfield, T.S. Eliot, Clive Bell, C. Day Lewis, Robert Graves, E.M. Forster, Christopher Isherwood, John Maynard Keynes, William Plomer, and Vita Sackville-West.

Budding authors have always faced difficulties breaking into the publishing field. After tiresome years of writing a book, authors face rejection from agents and publishers, essentially rendering their writing years a waste. In light of this fear, many authors turn to self-publishing as a viable alternative.

The self-published notables list is long and includes iconic writers such as E. E. Cummings, Ezra Pound, Anaïs Nin, Henry David Thoreau, Gertrude Stein, Rudyard Kipling, Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Locke, Edward Rice Burroughs, Oscar Wilde, Margaret Atwood, Upton Sinclair, and a hundred others.

In recent years, authors have harnessed the incredible power of technology and social media to become overnight bestsellers. Amanda Hocking’s Switched sold 1.5 million books on Amazon Kindle and earned her a whopping $2.5m. Similarly, E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey became an erotica blockbuster. Lisa Genova’s Still Alice, Andy Weir’s The Martian, Sergio De La Pava’s A Naked Singularity, Melissa Leong’s What Kills Me, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon, Jamie McGuire’s Beautiful Disaster, and thousands of other books all came from the well-trodden path borne by frustration, desperation, and rejection.

So long as there are stories to be told, authors will find ways novel ways to disseminate their work. POD presses have made physical books affordable and accessible to the masses. eBooks have liberated authors from the overhead, and serialized storytelling on mobile phones continues to evolve.

Book collectors, take note: Indie authors are a motivated bunch destined to change the book world forever. Don’t pass up the opportunity to grab some of these soon-to-be collectibles.

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_FEATURE

Benjamin Franklin by David Martin, 1767

Virginia Stephen (Woolf) in 1902., Photo: George Charles Beresford.

Blake in a portrait

by Thomas Phillips, 1807

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$1,250

RURAL SPORTS

by Rev. William Barker Daniel A New Edition Complete in 3 Volumes (1812) With a Supplement to the Rural Sports (1813)

by Rev. William B. Daniel FIRST EDITION, RARE Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, London Copyright: 1812 /1813 Daniel, William Barker’s notoriety stemmed principally from his authorship of Rural Sports, published in 1801.

Proving very popular among contemporary sportsmen and even naturalists, the volumes describe in detail hunting, coursing, and fishing and contain many impressive plates

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A SELECTION OF FIRST EDITIONS California Coast Trails

by J. Smeaton Chase with Photographs by the Author FIRST EDITION, 1913

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White Gumbo

by Dorothy De St. Clement Personalized by the author on the flyleaf, “To the Webers, memories of the happy hours spent in your home with Bobby. Dorothy, 1951 FIRST EDITION, 1951

interspersed with occasional references to Daniel’s own exploits. They were reissued as a three-volume set in 1812, with a supplementary fourth volume, dedicated to the marquess of Blandford, published in 1813.

The latter, though written in a more casual style, contained a miscellany of anecdotes and receipts. Rural Sports provided the basis of many more modern texts and constitutes an early historical record of shooting before the introduction of the revolutionary breach-loading guns in the mid-nineteenth century. The significance of Daniel’s text was still being eulogized as late as 1886 on the grounds that it contained: “one of the earliest, if not the earliest authentic accounts of wild-fowl shooting with punt and gun, beside many incidents connected with fowling, that are of great interest as records of the sport of catching and shooting ducks in past days.”  BUY ON ETSY 

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Country Colic by by Robert Lawson, Esq., Richly Illustrated Being Sundry Remarks and Observations Concerning the Joys, Perils & Vexations of Rustic Residence FIRST EDITION, 1944

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The Magic Ring and Other Stories Edited by Andrew Lang, Illustrated by H. J. Ford

FIRST EDITION, 1912

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A Russian Beauty and Other Stories

by Vladimir Nabokov

FIRST EDITION, 1973

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$65

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$4,000

RARE CIVIL WAR HANDWRITTEN JOURNAL Civil War Era Notebook Handwritten in 1883 by M. B. Cook of Friendship, Maine detailing the distinguished company he served with: Company, B, First Maine Cavalry.

M. B. Cook was an American Captain during the Civil War. He is the author of: Japan. A Sailor’s Visit to the Island Empire.

He served during the Civil War with Company B First Maine Cavalry and reenlisted as a veteran to continue the fight. He led the first squad of men, twenty-six in number, that arrived in Augusta to form the regiment. He was wounded and had his horse shot under him in a most daring charge at Louisa Court House, May 2d, 1863. He served for the entire and won a reputation for bravery in his company, B, First Maine Cavalry, that was second to none in a regiment well known in the State and nation.  BUY ON ETSY 

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PAIR OF ORIGINAL ANTIQUE ENGRAVINGS OF SEA MONSTERS FROM A 1615 ITALIAN BOOK OF MYTHICAL CREATURES One print features an image of a lamia, a harpy, and a witch, and the other a capricorn-like sea-goat with a human torso. Both prints are authenticated by Libreria Magnanet of Montepulciano, Italy.

Condition: Very good condition; light age toning. Strong, clear image printed on hand laid paper. Please study the photographs carefully to fully appreciate the condition.

5.5” x 7.5”  BUY ON ETSY 

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Ebon et Noir / Issue 02

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MATERIA MEDICA Or, A Series of Prescriptions Adapted to the Sections of His Practical Aphorisms Concerning the Knowledge and Cure of Diseases

by Herman Boerhaave Printed for W. Innys at the West End of St. Paul, London, 1741

ORIGINAL LEATHER BINDING FIRST EDITION RARE MEDICAL TEXT The Dutch physician Herman Boerhaave was one of the most influential medical scientists and teachers of the early modern period.

He introduced bedside, or clinical, teaching for medical students and argued that medicine should be based on a sound knowledge of the physical sciences and mathematics. Though not the first person to teach at the bedside, Herman Boerhaave did much to popularize this method of medical instruction, while teaching at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. Like many scientists and doctors of the 1600s and 1700s he understood the body as a mechanical object, made up of joints, pipes and pumps. Boerhaave’s lectures and publications provided his students with a synthesis of the body’s mechanisms and the way it functioned.  BUY ON ETSY 

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ART_

FREDERICK S. COBURN

Ebon et Noir / Issue 02

ILLUSTRATOR SPOTLIGHT

F

rederick Simpson Coburn was born in Melbourne, Québec in 1871. Coburn began his artistic career as a book illustrator and illustrated works by Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens. Early in his career he traveled to New York, Berlin, Paris, London, and Antwerp. While in Paris, he enrolled at the École des BeauxArts and studied in Jean-Léon Gérome’s studio. Gérome taught Coburn the artistic style of Academicism which reflected the Neoclassical and Romantic artistic styles.

While abroad, Coburn not only mastered a variety of art techniques, he also became fluent in the French, German, Dutch and Flemish languages. Though travelling frequently he was still able to maintain a close connection with Quebec. In 1896, at the age of 25, he teamed up with the Quebec poet, Dr. William Henry Drummond, to illustrate Drummond’s first volume of poetry on rural Quebec society, The Habitant (1897). For this, Coburn spent weeks living with habitant families, sketching his subject matter in intimate detail. His subsequent illustrations reflected the soul of the habitant society. He went

The Green Necklace oil on canvas, 31 x 25in 1938

Bringing Out the Logs oil on canvas 1871

The Oval Portrait Tales of Mystery & Imagination” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1902

The Sea Fairies Illustration for Tennyson’s Works 1909

Frontispiece The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving 1899

Landscape With Horses Drawing Logs oil on canvas 1946

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on to illustrate all of Drummond’s works.

Coburn eventually settled in Antwerp where he met his future wife, the talented Belgian artist, Malvina Scheepers. They returned to Canada 20 years later and established a studio in Upper Melbourne and a pied-àterre in Montreal.

Coburn`s international success allowed him the fortune of being one of the few successful Canadian artists to consistently sell their art throughout the First World War and the Depression.

In addition to four other volumes of Drummond’s poetry, Coburn illustrated literature by such well-known authors as Louis-Honoré Fréchette, Washington Irving, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Robert Browning.

Frederick Simpson Coburn died in his hometown of Melbourne in 1960 at the age of 89. He continues to be best known for his paintings of winter landscapes of Québec which primary feature images of horse drawn sleighs.

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_ART

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Jarle and Avaren Art by Narcisse Navarre

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_FEATURE

The Unseen Hand Limited First Edition Signed and Numbered

THE UNSEEN HAND: A SELF-PUBLISHING ODYSSEY

BY NARCISSE NAVARRE •

T

he Unseen Hand began as a vivid dream after a day of technical diving.

In July 2012, I was vacationing in Turks & Caicos and attempting to shed the pressures of New York life. I was also feeling defeated by my first attempt at writing a novel. I had decided to put aside the manuscript and promised myself I would kick back and relax.

Easier said than done.

My husband and I were diving off the reef wall at Northwest Point in about 80’ of water with a 120’ of visibility when I veered off to see a lobster. This lobster was impressive, probably the biggest I have ever seen.

When I peered down into the darkness of the wall, I saw a massive shark below my feet. My heart leaped into my throat, and I instinctively froze.

Sharks are the Ferraris of the deep, and at that moment, I realized that if sharks enjoyed eating us none of us would have a chance in hell of getting away. I kept my eyes on him as he circled me for a second look. That moment was glorious, frightening, and probably one of the most memorable of my life.

The experience must have affected me because that night I had a powerful underwater dream of a mermaid. The mermaid

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in my dream had twin tails and a gorgeous mane of pure white hair. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

I woke up at 4 am, grabbed my laptop, and started writing. By 10 am I had written 10,000 words, a new record for me, and I knew I was onto something. As I wrote, I found myself in the port city of Reyza–a den of villainy where lives were as short as a gossip’s silence. I followed a jewel thief as he snuck into the bedroom of a noblewoman and began to steal her dowry gifts. Unbeknownst to my thief, the young woman hid a terrible secret, one he would discover several chapters later when his heist took a disastrous turn.

At 11 am I called my co-author Marzio and told him of my dream and this strange new tale pulling at my heartstrings. To his credit, he encouraged me to keep writing instead of lamenting our unfinished mess of a manuscript. Marzio’s excitement fueled my own, and in the span of my two-week holiday, I had written a good portion of the exposition. Little did I know that this sirenic tale would take another eight years to complete.

Yes, you heard right; I said eight years.

Veteran writers claim that the first novel is the hardest, and Marzio and I are

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Illustration for “The Baths” Art by Agata Fiszer

inclined to agree. We fumbled through the first few drafts as we massaged our outline and divided the work. A slew of surprising character arcs and subplots emerged from our collaboration, which wasn’t always peachy. I’m an Aries, and Marzio is a Capricorn, so the horns butted often and painfully. Two brains aren’t necessarily better than one!

It would be disingenuous to make the process sound effortless. We have different writing voices, ideas, tastes, and influences, and this created collaborative challenges.

We each took charge of different chapters, but we were always in discussion. We shared ideas and thoughts; sanity checked each other and, on more than one occasion, took over a particularly frustrating chapter from the other. There were arguments, debates, false starts, and many, many deletions. Our guiding principle, however, never wavered. We were determined to write the fantasy story we wanted to read.

In 2015 I wrote the coveted words “The End,” but little did I know that was just the beginning. We hired a professional editor, beta readers, and rearranged a good portion of the work during the next year and a half.

Both of us hate cheats, Deus-Ex Machina, Mary Sues, and tropey stories. We love beautiful language, characters that stay with us long after the last page is turned,

and romances that don’t always end well.

We like flawed characters who are real and plotlines that are earned. We aren’t crazy about saving the world plots or know it all characters who breeze through everything life throws at them.

Marzio and I went back to the drawing board until the prose sang, and our continuity proved airtight. We began querying in early 2018 and collected fifty or more rejection letters. Some agents replied, saying they were looking for YA or Mid-Grade manuscripts, others outright ignored us.

As the months wore on, we started feeling defeated by the process.

Perhaps another query might have done it, or the one after, or the one after that. Who knows? But after banging our heads on the barred gates of traditional publishing, we needed a different direction.

That’s when we decided to publish serially on Wattpad, a free reading platform on the web. Overnight we went from having three beta readers to several hundred.

We stared in awe as the read counts went up daily. With each new chapter, more readers discovered the book. In a month, we racked up 20K reads, which equates to several hundred unique users. As each new reader fell in love with our world and our characters, we realized we had something special on our hands. By the time we

Illustration for “The Grinding Wheel” Art by Agata Fiszer

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decided to self publish, our read count on Wattpad was close to 350K reads and tens of thousands of enthusiastic comments from readers around the world.

That’s when I had the crazy idea of producing a traditional, offset-printed, luxury edition of our novel delivered directly into the hands of our fans.

I had spent years designing for print and felt that I could do the book justice, but I had never created something as elaborate as a 584 page illustrated hardcover. Believe me when I tell you that the pre-press process and the costs involved tested my mettle. Our book is as satisfying to behold as it is to read.

In an era of eBooks and POD presses, I felt that producing a hardcover limited first edition could differentiate us from a market glutted with outrageously priced POD paperbacks and millions of eBooks.

The biggest challenge facing self-published writers today is marketing. Being seen and capturing a readers’ attention is akin to trying to get someone to consider a single leaf amid a windstorm.

Fortunately, technology offers many ways to connect with readers. Enter Kickstarter. The Kickstarter.com platform was created as a way for creative endeavors and prototype technologies to find traction and funding. Think of it as a more democratic approach to venture capitalism. If Poe could crowdfund his second book of poems among his West Point cadets in 1827, why couldn’t we harness our grassroots following in 2020?

In short, we can, and we have!

The book launched on Kickstarter on February 20th, and we hit our target of $1,800 within 36 hours. In the next seven days, we raised $3,100. We have a ways to

go before we are profitable, but with 50+ days left in the campaign, we’re positive we can prove that there is room in the market place for high quality, self-published hardcover fiction.

The first edition of The Unseen Hand is a 584 page, 6” x 9” (15.24cm x 22.86cm) hardcover book bound in black cloth with gilt titles on the spine. The book has a full-color embossed dust jacket and full-color endpapers. Inside, you will find seven beautiful illustrations by fantasy artist Agata Fiszer as well as maps, calendars, and graphics designed by yours truly. Each copy will be hand-numbered and signed by both Marzio and I. I promise that this book reads as well as it looks. Don’t miss out, head over to Kickstarter and reserve your copy now.

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Above The World of Laremlis Map by Narcisse Navarre

make it creative / novermber 2015

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FOOD_

LITERARY COCKTAILS _From Yesteryear G

in, Whiskey or Brandy are the spirits used in almost every well-known cocktail made today (says a book from 1901). The addition of Vermouth was the first move toward the blending of cocktails and was the first feature that led to their popularity. The following cocktails, new and old, celebrate classic literature. Cheers!

LALLA ROOKH Lalla Rookh is an Oriental romance by Irish poet Thomas Moore, published in 1817. The title comes from the name of the heroine of the frame tale, the daughter of the 17th-century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The work consists of four narrative poems with a connecting story in prose.

• • • • • • • •

A mixing-glass half-full fine ice Add one pony vanilla cordial One-half jigger brandy Half a jigger Jamaican rum A small spoonful fine sugar A whiskey-glass full cream Shake well Strain into a long thin bar-glass

SALOME Oscar Wilde’s play Salome is a twist on the execution of John the Baptist, fuelled by motives of lust and slaughter.

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Two dashes Absinthe One-half Italian Vermouth One-half Dubonnet Ice, stir, strain

TRILBY Trilby is a novel by George du Maurier and one of the most popular novels of its time. Published serially in Harper’s Monthly from January to August 1894, it

was published in book form on 8 September 1895 and sold 200,000 copies in the United States alone. Trilby O’Ferrall, the novel’s heroine, is a half-Irish girl working in bohemian Paris as an artists’ model and laundress; all the men in the book are in love with her. The relationship between Trilby and Svengali forms only a small, though a crucial portion of the story, which is mainly an evocation of a milieu.

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Dash of Orange Bitters One-third French Vermouth Two-thirds Old Torn Gin One dash of Creme Yvette Ice, stir, strain

ROB ROY Rob Roy (1817) is a historical novel by Walter Scott and one of the Waverley novels. Frank Osbaldistone narrates the story. He is the son of an English merchant who parted from his family home in the north of England near the border with Scotland.

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One-half jigger Italian Vermouth One-half jigger Scotch Whiskey One dash Orange Bitters Ice, shake well Ice, shake well, strain

POET’S DREAM Throughout history, writers and poets have sought the bottle for inspiration (and at times consolation). This tasty recipe won’t disappoint!

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One-third Benedictine One-third French Vermouth One-half High 81 Dry Gin Ice, shake, Lemon Peel squeezed on top

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2 oz vodka.

1/2 oz honey syrup (1:1) 1 oz freshly juiced tomato.

2 watermelon chunks for muddling.

3 basil leaves for muddling.

Couple dashes of balsamic vinegar.

Garnish with a cherry tomato and a basil leaf.

THE RAVEN The Raven is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. This recipe is from “A Simple Feast” by Author by Diana Yen. • • • • • •

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2 ounces rye or bourbon whiskey 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice Half cup pomegranate juice Black feathers, for garnish Maraschino cherries rolled in red sanding sugar, for garnish To prepare garnish, spear a sugared maraschino cherry with a black feather.

To prepare a cocktail, combine whiskey, lemon juice, and pomegranate juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, cover and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with feather.

A Simple Feast: A Year of Stories and Recipes to Savor and Share, by Diana Yen (Author), The Jewels of New York (Author) A beautiful cookbook destined to become an heirloom, A Simple Feast presents a year of life in food.

Each chapter presents a story--apple picking, snow day, tea party, date night, rooftop barbeque, etc.--and recipes inspired by the whimsy that lies therein.

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LOLITA Lolita is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The book is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, a middle-aged literature professor under the pseudonym Humbert Humbert, is obsessed with a 12-year-old girl, Dolores Haze, with whom he becomes sexually involved after he becomes her stepfather.

Salome, by Oscar Wilde, Illustrated by Aubrey Beardsley, c1950 $48

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Thomas Moore’s Complete Poetical Works, Thomas Y. Crowell, 1895 Includes Lalla Rookh $24.50

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The Raven Image ©TheJewelsofNewYork.com Recipe shown is from their beautiful cookbook “A Simple Feast” Pictured below. Grab a copy on Amazon or on their website.

READING_

Ebon et Noir / Issue 02

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DON’T MISS THESE INDIE READS

Twinned Shadow: The Shadow Series Book 1

by Candice Bundy

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Thread in the Tangle

by Sabrina Flynn

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Silver Blades: A Duel Nature

by Marc T. Morrell

When legendary Tilwen swordsman, Riposte Clasicant, finds himself dueling to defend his actions toward a woman he doesn’t love, he discovers her fiancé is a bigger monster than he is.

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All the King’s Men

by Donya Lynne

Tired of living in misery after losing his mate, ancient vampire Micah Black seeks an end to his life only to find a reason to live and love again when exotic dancer and former Army medic Samantha Garrett thwarts his death wish. Now Micah must protect his new love from those who tried to kill him.

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Sharing

The Cursewright’s Vow

by Miracle Jones

by Daniel Minucci

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_SHOPPING

Bookstore Candle

by Frostbeard Studio Lose yourself on a lazy afternoon, cup of coffee in hand, while wandering endless aisles of bookshelves. • $18

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She: 100 Literary Art Postcards Box 100 artful ways to share the brilliant words of visionary women writers. A keepsake boxed set of cards to collect, share, or frame. • $24

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Above

The Light of Asia, Sir Edwin Arnold, H. M. Caldwell, Beautiful Binding • $35

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Ex Libris Board Game by by Renegade Game Studios You are a collector of rare and valuable books in a thriving fantasy town The Mayor has just announced a new seat in the Village Council, Grand Librarian. The prestigious and lucrative position will be awarded to the citizen with the most extraordinary library. You need to outshine your competition and expand your personal library by sending your trusty assistants out into the village to find the most impressive tomes.

Sources for the finest books are scarce, so you’ll need to beat your opponents to them. • $18

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Raven Winestopper

by Dellamorte Co. Sculpted raven perched on a skull and books, evoking the poem by Edgar Allen Poe. Base sold separately. • $25

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LITERARY GIFTS

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