A Self-Published TOPSY-TURVY book is on the way!

I've envisioned a book of my TOPSY-TURVY series for quite some time now. Over the past year, I've toyed with different book designs and ordered prototypes from several different print and publishing companies to see what I liked. My two volumes of poetry are very nicely bound by Lulu Press, a print-on-demand press (and I've sung their praises for years). They just haven't done me justice with color reproductions of artwork for the price though leaving me to venture around for the right look and finished product.

This morning I received THE ONE... the final final draft copy! I'm so proud of her, I took pictures and now she's under my pillow, awaiting my slumber. The first twenty copies are sent to press and will be a reality by the end of next week.

The book includes nearly 60 full color reproductions of illustrations from my TOPSY-TURVY series from 2005-2010. Each book opens from either side with inverted covers so you may run through either side up. I went with a coil binding because of the paper I wanted for the works. I chose something durable and thick that stayed true to my colors and is the same stock I get my PRINTS run on. You can add one to your library next week for a meager twenty spot(that's around 35 cents per mind-blowing image... I even did the math for ya!)

*pee-pee dance*

Episodes (Selected Poem-Prose: 2008-2010) by Zach Matteson

Zach Matteson will be self-publishing a volume of written work this weekend for his Master's Thesis at APSU. I had the pleasure of talking with him about his work and designing and illustrating a cover for the collection this week. Zach has a fine grasp on his voice and has harnessed some wonderful situations onto paper for his audience. I'll take the liberty of giving audience to a sample with you here...


Zach's Thesis:

One cannot disinherit narrative,

neither the number

nor the pronoun.

Ask a mathematician, a linguist.

Sequence equals consequence.



PLASTIC MENAGERIE: 1989


You learn early that fireflies don’t bite, that insects that can’t make their own are attracted to light. My mother drowns a plastic, peanut butter jar in dishwater. With her nails, she flays the wolfish visage of its flakey fish-scale label. No bowl molds before soaking in her sink, though macaroni grows occasionally hairy, forgotten in the fridge. She slits the lid with squinty-eyes.


Zach, I also had a poem with Erato as the subject in my first volume of poety, entitled Sun Twist. My brow went wAY uP when I saw the title in your final draft. Keep the translation of your voice tuned and sound; it's a fine instrument which you've mastered.