Abecedarium Anomalous: the story behind photo B

Abecedarium Anomalous: the story behind photo A

Nessebur, Bulgaria 1986: arched antiquities 5th through 17th centuries—some readers find “A” shapes in the arches.

While all borders were closed, requiring a headache of visa forms and long border-crossing waits, I traveled with my spouse Stuart, son Jason, my sister and her spouse in their Volkswagen camper with tent. We five drove through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, then-Czechoslovakia, and Poland. Most nights we stayed in campgrounds. Often the campers thought we were either English [hearing us speak] or German [reading the license plates]—no Bulgarians thought Americans would sleep in their campgrounds!

Nessebur dates to the Greek colonization of 500 B.C. and is joined to the mainland by a causeway jutting into the Black Sea. A photographer’s delight: narrow cobble-stone streets winding through hilly terrain—old churches with red brick arch trim—crumbling remains alongside streets of houses in national revival period architecture, upper stories larger than lower.

In Bulgaria we visited the capital city Sofia: excavated Roman remains, old churches resplendent with richly decorative interiors and glittering religious icons, the National Archeological Museum dating to prehistoric times, National Art Gallery housing outstanding art from 1800s to contemporary, the Dimitrov Mausoleum where he lay enbalmed since his 1949 death.

We explored other sites throughout Bulgaria: Thracian tomb dating to 3rd–4th century B.C. at Kazanluk, Thracians the first Bulgarians—Pliska remains from the 7oos, first capital of Bulgaria as a unified state—Preslav 10th-century remains, second capital of Bulgaria, under archeological restoration—the colossal Horseman of Madara, carved by an unknown 8th-century artist on a sandstone cliff face, relief sculpture of a horse carrying a man with lance killing a lion underfoot and a dog running behind.

We drove through the Valley of Roses, marveled at the variety of agriculture, stopped at a lavender processing plant where we were given a heady sample of pungent lavender oil. Along the road we saw billboard signs of a peace dove, globe, and the word “peace” in several languages—also watering places that were usually fountains, one in the Valley of Roses shaped like a rosebud in stone.

We visited Etara, near Gabrovo, an architectural and ethnographic open-air museum of structures dating to the national revival period when Bulgarians rebelled against 500 years of Turkish rule in 1876—one hundred years following the American revolution.

Throughout the country we were impressed by the archeological museums and preserved remains of ancient Bulgaria juxtaposed with massive monuments to the heroes of the 1876 revolution: statuary of heroic proportions, kings and commoners and historic figures.

Abecedarium Anomalous: What’s Next???

Ruth Keil Posselt, author/publisher

I just looked at all these postings. If you continue clicking on “older posts,” you can read everything since this blog began in 2008.

I’ve described rewards won and acclaim received, what the book is about and its authors, serendipity enjoyed while selling it and where it’s being read in the world.

I’ve also given you Halloween and Yuletide A-to-Z, shown you some of my negative prints and found-materials sculptures. I described other publications from my press, RoothBooks Intl., offered packs of PuzzleArt!!! at a discount, and signed copies of my book at a special discount of $26.95 including embossed gold foil award seal and priority mail shipping.

What’s Next??? How Abecedarium Anomalous evolved—
First was collaboration with an artist to write an alphabet book—a publisher said my writing was too sophisticated for children. Then a gallery show in Los Angeles: montages of my black-and-white photographs with art papers and my poetry. The show was titled abecedarium anomalous. Then I designed a postcard line featuring my young son’s Picasso-esque drawings.

The first studio edition of Abecedarium Anomalous was a softcover square format, exhibited and sold at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. [see 2008 posting]. Then came desktop publishing and the revised design in hardcover you enjoy today!

Anything else you want to know? Please email me: roothbooks@earthlink.net.

Abecedarium Anomalous: Serendipity P.S.

Here’s an addition to “Serendipity sells our book” [2009 posting]: While we were touring retirement communities in the San Francisco Bay Area, two managers bought books—and one wants to plan a book event for the residents!

Abecedarium Anomalous leaps into Leap Year!

We are offering a Leap Year special for all of you who have copies of Abecedarium Anomalous: PuzzleArt!!!

Designed for young children, the 14 drawings from the book are packaged together in a reclosable archival envelope.

They are printed on 8.5 x 11 white bristol cover stock—color with crayons, pens, pencils, then cut with scissors along the grey lines into six interlocking puzzle pieces.

We recommend covering the drawing with clear contact paper after coloring, and gluing the drawing to cardboard before cutting apart.

We have only a dozen packs left. You may order PuzzleArt!!! for $6.00 per pack to cover the cost of priority mail shipping.

Order from us by Email: roothbooks@earthlink.net -- offer good until the end of Leap Year 2012!

Abecedarium Anomalous and November-December

November is Pomegranate Month—readers would agree that Abecedarium Anomalous is unique like this fruit.

December is Safe Toys and Gifts Month—Abecedarium Anomalous: Alphabet Book Irregular, extraordinary gift for the universe of adventurous readers, sells to teachers and professionals in visual and performing arts who buy gifts of quality.

Please look in archived posts for our Yuletide abecedarium—enjoy!

See you next year!

Abecedarium Anomalous and Halloween

Please look in archived posts for our Halloween abecedarium—enjoy!

October is also Photographer Appreciation Month. Abecedarium Anomalous premieres diverse, rich black duotone photographs: Bulgarian and Turkish antiquities, Prague rooftops, Australian wallaby, Masai giraffe, African cheetah, leopard, elephant, Library of Congress lobby—to name some of the subjects in this eclectic collection.

To order a copy signed by both authors and decorated with an embossed gold foil award seal, email roothbooks@earthlink.net and ask for our publishers discount.

Abecedarium Anomalous and August: Inventors Month

Abecedarium Anomalous ignites outside-the-box creativity in adults and children alike, an inspirational benefit and gift for valued clients or employees. Take a look at previous postings for more information.

Abecedarium Anomalous and July: National Make a Difference to Children Month

In addition to its art book audience, Abecedarium Anomalous is for parents and grandparents personally involved with their children’s education, and stimulating fresh ideas through play.

More about Limited Edition A to Z, its companion playbook, page 2 shown above: this is a versatile teaching tool that can be tailored to suit grade and skill level, year-end subject review, independent study projects and class books.

Sherry Knight, sixth/seventh/eighth grade: “This was a great way to end the year … an alphabet book of ancient civilizations or geography or famous people of the past would be a painless review.”

MaryJo McKown, fifth grade: “Fifth graders needed to be assured that alphabet books could be sophisticated … these children walked away proudly with a piece of success.”

Carol Berman, fourth grade: “All of the class scored exceptionally high in language expression when tested at year’s end following this project.”

Brita Bautin, third grade: “Our class alphabet book on the town’s history, now in its second printing, is selling in the local museum—it is part of the third grade curriculum for learning local history.”

Patty Harrington, first/second grade: “My students remained excited throughout this project.”

If you want more information and to order a review copy of Limited Edition A to Z, please email the publisher, RoothBooks Intl: roothbooks@earthlink.net

Meanwhile, Happy Saint Swithin’s Day for July 15!

Abecedarium Anomalous used in classroom

50 Years on the Road: Travel Journals of Ruth Keil Posselt, begun in January 2010, was completed in June 2011—213 pages for now. It will be added to as more roadtrips or cruises occur, and her grandchildren will be its ultimate readers.

The playbook [front cover above] Limited Edition A to Z: How to Produce Your Own Book is a product of the 10 years she volunteered as classroom author-in-residence in elementary and middle schools to teach the process of book publishing. This updated outside-the-box playbook is adapted from her classroom kit, and it relies on Abecedarium Anomalous as a creative thinking resource with student artwork and writing.

Teachers enthusiastically endorse this alphabet format as a nontraditional approach to writing in any subject area. They’ve used this playbook for a wide range of imaginative projects in grades 1 through 8.

Regardless of their age or level of sophistication, students are universally intrigued by book production, delighted when they see their own work in print at their authors party. Ruth Posselt enjoyed playing in the classroom, telling the students that book publishing for her is play instead of work.

Stay tuned for more about Limited Edition A to Z!

Abecedarium Anomalous author’s new book

This is the working cover for a book that Ruth Keil Posselt has been composing since January, which is the main reason why blog posts are sporadic. While on the road she writes travel journals and films black-and-white photographs—this cover photo of shoes for sale is from the Camden Locks market in London, England.

Usually with her husband Stuart, often including their son Jason, they explored some 30 countries in Europe, three countries in Africa, one in Asia—also Australia and New Zealand, Canada and Mexico—and extensively in the United States. One of their goals is to see something fascinating in each of the 50 states plus Washington D.C. Their upcoming September-October roadtrip will cover the last six states to accomplish their goal.

The book is a longterm project intended as a gift for her grandchildren, and is already 200 pages. Most of her studio time is spent editing the journals and scanning the photos on her Mac.

Stay tuned!

Where in the world is Abecedarium Anomalous: Alphabet Book Irregular being read ???

Australia
Canada
Germany
Mexico
United States of America:
Alabama — Missouri
Arizona — Montana
California — Nevada
Colorado — New Jersey
Connecticut — New Mexico
Delaware — New York
Hawaii — North Carolina
Idaho — Ohio
Illinois — Oregon
Indiana — Pennsylvania
Iowa — Texas
Louisiana — Virginia
Massachusetts — Washington
Michigan — Washington D.C.

We delivered Abecedarium Anomalous to readers in these countries—is your state or country on this list? Here’s your chance! Order your signed copy at a special discount of $26.95 [the book retails for $32.95]—price includes priority mailing direct from the publisher, RoothBooks Intl. You can order from one book up to a carton of 30, and discounts increase with quantity.

Abecedarium Anomalous: new hardcover, opened only to sign both authors’ names—embossed gold foil award seal on front cover, bookmark and information sheet inside—packed in a clear archival reclosable bag.

Yes, you can order online for a higher price and used copy—or you can e-mail us:
roothbooks@earthlink.net and get a beautiful bargain! We reply promptly.

Or send us your personal check or mail order payable to RoothBooks Intl. —to 1611 Downs Drive, Minden, Nevada 89423.

Abecedarium Anomalous is a unique gift for every occasion:
•all holidays, including St. Swithin’s Day July 15
•birthdays and anniversaries
•mothers & fathers & grandparents days
•graduations and scholastic awards
•equinox & solstice festivals
•housewarmings
—to name a few!

For more information about the book, just scroll down to earlier postings on this blog.

Christmastide Celebration by Rooth

•Artistic and Aromatic
•Brilliant Bronze Bells
•Candlelit Caroling
•Dazzling Decorations
•Electric Embroidery
•Festive Feasting
•Greeting Gifts
•Heartfelt Holiday
•Icicle Icing
•Joyful Jingling
•Kris Kringle Kaleidoscope
•Luminary Lighting
•Marzipan Marvels
•Nostalgic Narratives
•Ornament Orbs
•Pageants & Parades
•Quite Quintessential
•Red Ribbon Rhythms
•Solstice Season
•Tree Trimming Tinsel
•Utterly Universal
•Vivid Velvet Vests
•Wildwood Wreaths
•Xmas marks the calendar
•Yuletide Yore
•Zodiacal Zenith
Copyright © 2009 Ruth Keil Posselt

From RoothBooks Intl, here’s to twelve days of yuletide miracles for all of you -- back at you in 2010 with fresh intention to blog more often -- meanwhile, enjoy our author’s alliteration talents!

More negative prints

From Tanzania and Kenya, East Africa: my portraits of a cheetah [also on blog title and Abecedarium Anomalous cover, positive print page 35], leopard in a tree [page 37 in book], and a Masai giraffe mother with baby. I’m off on a road trip to Maine, back at you toward the end of October -- stay tuned!

Photo portfolios of Ruth Keil Posselt

My best black-and-white photographs are housed in 15 [so far] archival boxes and matted with black museum board. Most of them are from my travels worldwide since 1963. My newest portfolio is experimental, negative prints from my photographs scanned into my Macintosh computer and played with in PhotoShop.

This one is of a country cemetery on the road from Paris to Calais in France. It looks much more dramatic as a negative print.

Serendipity sells our book

We thought we knew our book’s audience. Serendipity came later.

We launched Abecedarium Anomalous at an independent bookstore, authors signing party: celebration of animated reading, harp playing, tasty treats, selling a carton of 30 books.

We designed our bookmark business card and brochure mailed to family, friends, business associates. Orders were encouraging—one, two, three or more signed books—reordering continues. One friend bought more than a carton, another ordered nine as gifts, yet another ordered five to be sent to Canada and Australia.

We contacted professionals to hire for marketing, distribution and representation. The initial print run was 1,500 and we could go back to press as demand grew. We learned the print run had to be at least 10,000 to attract anyone’s interest.

The softcover studio edition of Abecedarium Anomalous: Alphabet Book Irregular came out of earlier writing projects, gallery shows, and a postcard line featuring childhood drawings. It sold in an art book fair at The Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.

Years later we redesigned the book with new photographs. We’d learned about ISBN numbers, read books about publishing, formed our company, joined the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association and the then Publishers Marketing Association, taken the Stanford Professional Publishing Course, attended conferences and seminars, listened to many independent publishers sharing our passion for the tactile pleasures of the printed book.

Abecedarium Anomalous is a black-and-white art book printed on elegant stock: black duotones as rich as the original photographs, pen-and-ink drawings, alliterative verse teasing the imagination and word definitions of child perspective. It ignites creativity, invites us to be silly in a playfully inventive parent/child gallery right out of tomorrow.

My son’s first employer, I paid him book royalties and for each word definition, illuminated alphabet letter and Picasso-esque drawing he’d produced between ages six and twelve. He earned enough to buy a dirt bike.

The book was expensive to manufacture. With money saved from my publications editor day job, we worked with designers and typographers and printers, and now could design on a Macintosh computer instead of doing pasteup by hand—such a miracle!

This book has earned awards—Writers Notes Art Category book award with embossed gold foil seal for the cover—Best Children’s Book [all black ink] by the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association—a quotable critique from a Benjamin Franklin Awards judge—and praise from many readers including the renowned Ray Bradbury: “You have written what I would call an edible feast.”

Its secondary audience is a serendipitous surprise: grandparents, teachers, parents reading it with children! The vocabulary is adult, yet parents at book signings explain that their youngsters can already say and spell “supercalifragilistic-expealidocious.”

Response to Abecedarium Anomalous continues to delight. Our former tax accountant in California and new one in Nevada each boought a book—the dermatologist’s assistant and gynecologist each bought a book—the radiation doctor and assistant each bought a book—the owner and employee of a frame shop each bought a book—two real estate agents bought a total of 40 for client gifts.

People met while traveling buy the book, including a store clerk in California, passengers on an Alaska cruise and a Canadian Rockies tour, a woman in Hawaii while waiting for the airport shuttle.

The new pet sitter fell in love with the book, bought six. A friend bought 12 for school library memorials. More than a carton sold to high school classmates, many copies at a fiftieth year reunion.

The book is selling in a gift boutique that orders at wholesale, and a hair stylist sells the book in her salon—local reps receive sales commissions.

We sell at a discount, and most of the books are signed. The signed copies are appearing on the Internet—some above retail!

Here’s the newest serendipity. Publishers Weekly arrived with another copy stuck to it addressed to a local public library. When we gave them their copy along with the bookmark business card and explained I was an author/publisher, we were invited to sell at their book fair—how cool is that!

Of course we would like Abecedarium Anomalous to come out from under the radar—yet watching it travel in the universe of adventurous readers is exciting and satisfying. We may soon launch a second book based on teaching the publishing process to elementary and middle school students for 10 years. It relies on Abecedarium Anomalous as a creative resource and is titled Limited Edition A to Z: How to Produce Your Own Book. Its audience: teachers and homeschooler parents.

A third book is almost ready: Dust Bunnies On Parade—e-mail us for information, roothbooks@earthlink.net.

Abecedarium Anomalous was accepted for the Premium Book Company special-sales catalog used by reps nationwide selling in quantity to non-bookstore outlets—wish us luck! When the books are gone, we might not go back to press. This is your chance to order while stock remains—contact us for discount information at roothbooks@earthlink.net.

Holiday Wreath

Titled Holiday Wreath: pinecones and seeds, Mardi Gras beads, electronics parts, mirror signature. This ends the series of 12 mobiles and stabiles based on clear plastic type wheels once used in typesetting. More found-materials constructions by Rooth in future blog posts—next time, a serendipity story, stay tuned!

Play it Again

Titled Play it Again: turntable record, jewelry, machinery parts, ornaments, mirror signature. Found-materials type wheel construction by Rooth, see below—last one next week!

Color Wheel

Titled Color Wheel: can tops, game parts, gears, Mardi Gras beads, bubble blowers from my son’s wedding, mirror signature. Found-materials type wheel construction by Rooth, see below—another one next week!

Tradition Textures

Below Wildflower Meadow, titled Tradition Textures: Lego toy and electronics parts, CDs framing black & white photos by me [clockwise from upper right—chimney sweep, through a lens kaleidoscope, dragon in Rose Parade, wood door detail, Chief Illiniwek dancing], mirror signature. Found-materials type wheel construction, see below—another one next week!