Indie Spotlight: CCLaP

I've always been fascinated by independent publishing. What's even more fascinating to me is the story of how they each came into being. Each one is conceived differently, born out of different motivation, and performs a unique service to the literary community. But the most fascinating thing of all are the stories of their successes.

As it approaches it's 4 year anniversary, I share with you the success story of CCLaP - Chicago Center for Literature and Photography.

The Starting Point

Owner Jason Pettus shares how middle-age can be a man's best friend, too: "Plans for CCLaP started way back in 2004, when I found myself entering middle-age for the first time and becoming increasingly unhappy with pursuing a career as an artist myself, but wanting to do something next with my life that would still let me use the skills and resources I had put together in my youth.

The main motivation, frankly, was to try to start an organization that would do many of the things I desperately needed a group to do for me back when I was a writer, the things that mostly influenced my quitting writing in the first place -- help independent writers edit and hone their work, help them lick the stamps and fold the envelopes and all the other drudgery that artists themselves never want to take on, just basically act not like a traditional patron but more like an equal partner with these artists, where they do the fun half of the work and CCLaP does the boring half, and we then split whatever money is made from it all."

First Things First

Knowing what you want to do is one thing. Actually being able to DO it it quite another. Jason explains: "The first thing I did when deciding to start CCLaP was to give myself a "self-taught MBA," essentially by reading several hundred books on small business, marketing, entrepreneurialism, time management, and a bunch of other subjects along those lines, by bugging a bunch of small-business bloggers, and by signing up for a mentor with a group called SCORE, an organization of retired senior corporate executives who team up with the Small Business Administration in many cities to provide advice and guidance to beginning entrepreneurs like myself.

It was in these years as well that I wrote CCLaP's first business plan, which originally called for the center to open all at once in this really big way (including a physical space in the city, a gallery, classes and workshops, live events seven nights a week, books, merchandise, and a lot of other stuff), and that needed a business loan of $50,000 to execute; but needless to say, I wasn't able to find anyone willing to loan me that kind of money, nor even $5,000 when I severely shrank the plan in 2006."

Not one to let money stop him from achieving this new vision, Jason changed his tactic: "In 2007, tired of having endlessly discussed CCLaP in theoretical terms only for the last three years, I finally decided to open with a plan that required no upfront money at all, and to just start only with things I could do literally for free (like a podcast, book reviews, electronic publishing, live events at other people's existing venues, etc), and to slowly build from that point using whatever money these no-budget projects brought in. It's safe to say that it means a lot to me personally that CCLaP is celebrating its fourth anniversary this summer."

Reminiscing and Celebrating

Looking back, Jason shares the ever-present doubt of making it last: "There's been a pretty serious question over whether the center was going to survive at all, and even with its successes I've mostly had to wade these four years through an endless series of people wanting to tell me all the ways CCLaP was bound to fail. And that's what makes it so nice professionally as well, because the center is a literal working example, something people can literally point to, when wanting to argue, "Look, here's a person who started literally only with a donated website and $30 in business cards, and he's now published six original books that have been collectively downloaded several thousand times, and has interviewed Pulitzer nominees, and has been featured on Boing Boing twice, and once so rattled a mainstream publisher that they changed the very way they do business."

"You don't have to start with a lot of money or connections to make a big splash; that's something that I and others have been arguing for years, but it's really nice now with CCLaP to have something to literally point to and say, "And this proves it in indisputable black-and-white terms!"

From Digital to Handmade Hardbacks

As publishing company that primarily deals with eBooks, Jason discusses CCLaP's recent addition of bound books: "It's been part of the plan all along; and for those who don't know, I should explain that I'm taking a cue off how a lot of musicians do things now as well, and have decided to completely skip the trade-paperback level of small publishing altogether, and to only have either the electronic version that people can download for free, or the fancy handmade hardback edition that costs a little more than normal.

It was always my contention to use these handmade paper versions to financially offset all the free ebooks we were giving away, just so that author would have as big an audience as possible, so it's gratifying to actually have that aspect of it all up and running now, and to get several more thousands of dollars directly into artists' hands each year than I was before (although to be clear, even the free ebooks tend to generate several hundred dollars apiece in revenue themselves, because of CCLaP's "pay what you want" donation system)."

The Future's So Bright....

"As far as CCLaP's near-future, it's essentially more of what you're seeing these days, which is one of the most important lessons I learned during my self-taught MBA; that it really behooves a small business to first become an expert at everything they're currently offering their customers, before deciding to add something new.

The center's now doing something like seven or eight things on a regular basis, some of which (like the book reviews and podcast) I can do almost in my sleep by now, and some (like the paper books) I'd like to get more experience at before moving on to something else. So, another four original books will be coming from CCLaP in 2012, another two dozen podcast episodes, another 150 book reviews at the blog, and another handful of live events and other get-togethers here in Chicago, although I think it's likely that you'll see a significant increase in retail exposure for CCLaP's stuff in the next year, both in traditional bookstores and in quirky independent giftstore-type boutiques around the country, which frankly I'm more interested in than the bookstores themselves.

In general, I expect most of the growth at CCLaP in 2012 to be behind the scenes (more money, stronger local relationships, etc), so that we'll be ready to launch something brand-new and truly impressive in 2013."

It's a Release-Slash-Anniversary Party

...and everyone's invited! CCLaP is celebrating it's 4th anniversary in style with a quadruple release party on August 10th. The gathering will be held at the popular Beauty Bar in the Bucktown neighborhood in Chicago for drinks, free food, and a half-hour reading from all four featured authors - Mark R Brand, Jason Fisk, Sally Weigel, and TNBBC favorite Ben Tanzer.

The free event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m., the reading itself from 8:00 to 8:30.

All four authors' books will be for sale individually for $20 apiece; or for one night only, attendees can purchase all four in a bundle for only $50.

If you go, be sure to take pictures so I live vicariously through them! And give Ben a hug for me.....

A First Time, Part Time, Small Press Professional

Through an incredibly happy accident, you are now looking at Chicago Center for Literature and Photography's new Marketing Director!

This announcement has me grinning from ear to ear for a few reasons.

For those of you who have been friends of TNBBC since the blog first began, you know how passionate I am about small press literature and how desperately I've wanted to be a part of the independent publishing process. My focus as a blogger and book lover has always been one of connecting readers with authors, and giving those authors and their publishers a platform for their books.

You may also know that one of the first books I ever reviewed here was a CCLaP book - Ben Tanzer's Repetition Patterns. That book caused me to fall hard and fast for CCLaP Publishing (and Ben, let's be honest!). Jason Pettus and his unique book designs, edgy fiction, and pay-you-what-want electronic books kept drawing me back in, year after year... Their books and events have appeared numerous times here on the blog, and now, I am thrilled to play an official role in what they do!

So you're probably wondering how this new position with CCLaP will affect TNBBC, right? 

Well, since I am now working for them, I will no longer review their books. Even though I've positively reviewed them in the past, and have been border-line mushy-gushy about everything they do, it would now be seen as a conflict of interest. I still plan on promoting their titles and blog events, but everything I say and do about them from here on out is absolutely tainted by my professional affiliation with them. So now, every time you see me post about a new CCLaP title or shindig, you will be tortured by the uncertainty of whether I am truly over the moon about it or just doing my obligatory duties. Mwahahahaa!

I am going to love toying with your emotions! 

Sadly, the total number of reviews on the site will start slowing down as well. With most of my free time redirected towards my new job responsibilities, I won't be pleasure-reading as much as I used to. Acceptance of review copies won't come to a screeching halt but I will now be even more picky as far as the titles I choose to review. No worries, though. Those books that I can't devote time to for review will have even more opportunity to appear in one of my never-ending, always-amazing blog series and features!
(Don't roll those eyes, mister!)

Other than that, TNBBC as you know it will remain the same. I love you guys too much to ever let you go. I hope you know that. And I promise to keep bringing the awesome every which way I can.

So what exactly will I be doing as Marketing Director for CCLaP?

Well, Jason is ensuring I am mondo-busy right from the start. As I type this, I am creating a database of independent bookshops across the country - in the hopes that we can get CCLaP's books placed into their hands on consignment. This database is being built from the ground up, since up 'til now, Jason's only ever sold his books on CCLaP's website and at live reading events.

I'll also be searching the web high and low for literary awards to submit our titles to throughout the year, and looking for the support of awesome bloggers like you, and top notch lit magazines, to help spread the word about our books.

I could REALLY use your help here, TNBBCer's! You're a fantabulously bookish bunch and I would love you and hug you and kiss you forever if you could share your favorite indie book stores with me here by leaving a comment - DOUBLE BONUS POINTS if you link me to their website - QUADRUPLE BONUS POINTS if you know that they accept books on consignment.


Oh, and I hope you won't mind much if I post from time to time about my adventures as a first time, part time, small press professional..... and begging for your help from time to time?

*Update: my official welcome at CCLaP!

CCLaP: História, História

Well folks, it's March 11th and do you know what that means? We have a book birthday to celebrate!

História, História: Two Years in the Cape Verde Islands begins its journey out into the big bad world today. This collection of creative non-fiction personal essays by Eleanor Stanford will break your heart while it lifts your spirits. It's an intimate peek into the life of twenty-something year old Ellie, a Peace Corps Volunteer who is stationed in the Cape Verde Islands - a cluster of islands off the coast of West Africa - with her husband. Ellie shares her struggles acclimating to the island lifestyle and the stress it puts on her young marriage; the nuisances of the Creole language; the eating disorder that she develops during her stay; and the students she teaches, who pull at her heartstrings. 

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The book is already pulling in some very thoughtful and lovely reviews:

Rebecca, over at Love at First Book, felt a personal connection to História, História - her cousin volunteered out of Peru for the Peace Corps and one of his sisters is currently with the Peace Corps in Madagascar. Rebecca had this to say about the book:

"Her writing was beautiful....It reminded me of ‘The Sex Lives of Cannibals.’”

Jennifer of The Relentless Reader felt Eleanor's struggles pulling her straight into the story, and a strong desire to travel to Cape Verde to explore the island for herself. She says:

“[A] small book that leaves a big impression....Melancholy and luscious.” 


Heather, at Between the Covers, wished the book had been longer. Of Eleanor's writing, she says:

“...she does a great job of writing about ... the people and culture of Cape Verde (and how an American woman fit or did not fit within that culture)...”


Ash of Bitches with Books created a specialty drink for the book's release and had this to say about  História, História:

"... It’s engaging, cultural and thoughtful, and in some ways very haunting..."

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Eleanor was interviewed about traveling on Ralf Pott's website Vagabonding:

"... living and traveling as a Peace Corps volunteer gave me a clearer understanding of the sort of travel I was interested in doing: that is, not so much traveling, as living in a place long enough to have an inside view of what it was like."

And she appears in a guest post, about why she wrote her book, in Superstition Review:

“...as I cast about for what to do next with my life, Cape Verde’s landscape and people and the intensity of my experiences there haunted me.”

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I'm really excited to be promoting Eleanor's book as first my "marketing director" project with CCLaP. It's certainly opened my eyes to a whole new world of writing - creative non-fiction is new territory for me as a reader. Though her collection is short, it packs such a powerful punch and will force you to take stock of your own life and your #firstworldproblems (as they say on twitter). Through História, História, Eleanor teaches her readers about the intricacies of Creole and the cultural nuances of small island life that we take for granted here. She also openly discusses the toll her experiences took on her, her body, and her marriage. 

Ellie and I met for the first time this week, grabbing a quick bite of breakfast with fellow CCLaP author Kevin Haworth, during the AWP conference. Incredibly sweet and lovely, I couldn't help but think to myself that I was sitting across the table from a woman who had experienced so many life-changing things, seen so many beautiful and heart-wrenching things, who had selflessly given her time and energy to another country... who was so wonderfully worldly... that at times it just blew me away. 

You can now purchase a gorgeous, hand-made hard cover edition of História, História on CCLaP's website. The book is also available for Kindle on Amazon.com. 

Look at those lovelies! I cannot wait to get my hands on one of those things! 

If you read it (whether in print or digital) and decide to share your thoughts, please link me to it so I can share it with the world! It'd also be cool to start a História, História meme, where, if you bought a hardcover copy, you take a photo of it out in the world somewhere and send it on over to us... I'll post every picture I get on CCLaP's facebook page!

Happy reading, everyone! 

CCLaP: Mountainfit

Holy cow, CCLaP is at it again! 

We've gone and released another non fiction collection out into the world. 

This week, we celebrate the re-birth of Meera Lee Sethi's non fiction, memoir-ish collection  Mountainfit. Meera self published this book through a successful kickstarter campaign as a personal project, with no real intentions of seeing it make a splash in the literary world. One fateful day, however, after reading a few of CCLaP's critical book reviews, Meera submitted the book for our publisher Jason's consideration. Jason, rather than accepting the book for review, read it, fell in love with it, and asked Meera to sign it with CCLaP!

Mountainfit is an ecological field notebook, a keenly observed natural history of the life that sings from the birches, wheels under the clouds, and scuttles over the peat bogs of the Swedish highlands. And it is a letter, in 21 jewel-like parts, from a well-read and funny friend. 

In 2011, a tiny bird observatory in far western Sweden found itself hosting its first American volunteer, and Meera Lee Sethi found herself exactly where she wanted to be: watching great snipe court each other under the midnight sun and disturbing lemmings on her way to find a gyrfalcon nest. Meera’s vigorous, graceful prose communicates a wry understanding of how utterly ordinary it is to long for more out of life—and how extraordinary it can feel to trust that longing. Meera's intent was to create a book small enough to fit in your pocket and read on the train to work in the morning. It is that. But it's also large enough to contain a mountain or two.

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We are actively seeking reviews for Mountainfit, so raise your hand if you're interested! 

We've got Mobi, EPub, and PDF copies for the picking. 

We are also selling Mountainfit in a hand-made, hardback hypermodern edition - which you can order here if you like that sort of thing! Who wouldn't a copy of that beauty?!

You can also add it to your goodreads shelves here. 

Meera is also available for interviews, guest posts, and audio excerpts! Comment here, or send me an email at mescorn@ptd.net if you'd like to get your Mountainfit on....

CCLaP: Long Live Us

It's Monday and you know what that means...

Another CCLaP book is born!

Today, Mark R Brand's speculative short story collection Long Live Us made its way out into the world. Be kind to it, world. Its very curious about you. Mark's stories reshape events and give them a strange and eerie bent. They grab you and shake you and some stick with you long after you've read them. 

A family tensely waits out a meningitis scare in a quarantined home during the Great Recession. Small-town farmers in pre-war America battle a tree the size of a skyscraper. In a day-after-tomorrow dystopia, the new naughty contraband among rebellious teenagers is starchy carbohydrates. And in a barely recognizable far future, enlightened humanoids debate the implications of a mother who has smothered her child. These are just some of the speculative visions collected in the new "Long Live Us" by Chicago writer Mark R. Brand, author of the previous CCLaP hit "Life After Sleep." Known primarily as a science-fiction author, this new collection will certainly not disappoint Brand's existing fans, with pieces set among lunar colonists and blue-collar astronauts among other fanciful situations; but this is also Brand expanding his scope and vision for the first time, treating us with more down-to-earth stories set among contemporary families and even offering up a Great Depression tall tale. 

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Reviews are coming in and everyone's got something sweet to say:

Angel from goodreads wasn't much of  short story fan until Long Live Us. He gave it 5 Stars!

Ninian "really enjoyed this quirky collection". 

Rebecca from Love at First Book wants to know which story is your favorite.

Dr. Lamb called it "an interesting, entertaining, and thought provoking read".

and Odd Engine compares Mark's writing to that of Roald Dahl, Joe Hill, and Chuck Palahniuk!

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I really fell hard for the stories in this collection. Mark has such an interesting way of looking at the world, and he's not afraid to twist it up for you. An alternative future where fatty foods are like drugs and only skinny kids get ahead, a family in lockdown sweat out a quarantine, and a young boy is picked on for believing his father is on a special mission on the moon...

You can now purchase a lovely, hand-made hard cover edition of Long Live Us on CCLaP's website. 

(or download a free pdf there, too)

Whether you fancy yourself a fan of short stories or not, this collection will make you one for sure!

CCLaP; Sad Robot Stories

It's time for another celebration! 

Another CCLaP book is born and I am so happy to share it with you!

Today, Mason Johnson's Sad Robot Stories is released into the world for the first time ever as an honest-to-goodness novella, and I cannot tell you how excited I am about it. A long while ago, I stumbled across Mason and the original self published, crayon illustrated, and totally self-navigable version of this book. I dug on it super hard core then, and I have to tell you, I didn't think it was possible, but I love it one hundred times more now that CCLaP got their hands all in it (although I do really miss those adorably horrendous illustrations!).

The general consensus was that the apocalypse had made everything considerably quieter.

Robot disagreed.

It tells the story of Robot, who is one of millions of androids on an Earth that recently saw the extinction of human life. While Robot's mechanical brothers and sisters seem happy, Robot finds himself lost and missing the only friend he had, a human named Mike whose family accepted Robot as a piece of their personal puzzle. Without both the mistakes and the capacity for miracles that define human civilization, is civilization even worth having? Explore this question in the hilarious yet heartbreaking full-length debut of popular Chicago performer Mason Johnson. A Kurt Vonnegut for the 21st century, his answers are simultaneously droll, surprising and touching, and will make you rethink the limits of what a storyteller can accomplish within science fiction. 

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Early reviewers were falling in love with Robot, check it out:

Gaspers Block  says “Sad Robot Stories … reads more like fable and allegory than campy science fiction. It may playfully explore a host of complex, timely issues, such as the mechanization of the workforce, gender nonconformity, and the looming threat of extinction... at its core it's about the magic of storytelling, a celebration of how the best stories, the "honest" stories, can make us feel whole, sustain us, connect us, and give us hope--even in our darkest hour.”

Beach Sloth wants you to know that “Mason Johnson understands what it means to be human... ‘Sad Robot Stories’ is a story about faith, love, and finding one’s inner humanity.”

Digital Sextant calls it “ ...a beautiful little gem...”

Silent Lucidity admits that “Not since R. Daneel Olivaw, first introduced in Asimov’s The Caves of Steel, have I fallen in love with a robot...”

Chicago Literati made this comparison “If David Lynch were to develop a dystopian retelling of Pinocchio, it would be like Mason Johnson’s Sad Robot Stories.”

Love at First Book laughed and cried... “The book opens up with (a) how-can-you-not-be-hooked first line..”

And goodreads users Paula Swafford says “Johnson’s description of Robot’s siblings in the post-catastrophe world was entertaining.” and Dr. Lamb calls it “..a story about growth and about what it means to be a human...”

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Just in case these amazing reviews don't convince you, we were lucky enough to have the following websites post excerpts. You know, so you could read the awesome for yourself:

Little Fiction excerpts Cats and creates this awesome fan art poster

and 

This Blog Will Save Your Life excerpts Dream

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I've really enjoyed pitching around Sad Robot Stories for a variety of reasons. It's the best apocalypse-novella-with-heart I've ever read, it's got one of the coolest and saddest robots I've ever met, and its author is made of awesome-sauce. Mason makes everything funner. (Yes I just used a non-word. Shuddup.) If you are anywhere near the Chicago area this month, you should totally find your way to one of his readings. And if you do, be sure to tell me about it, and know that I will be most jealous of you!

You can now purchase a gorgeous, hand-made hard cover edition of Sad Robot Stories on CCLaP's website. 

What are you waiting for? Go and get it now. You can thank me later! 

Where Writers Write: Katherine Scott Nelson - The "Have You Seen Me" Blog Tour

Welcome to the last stop in Katherine Scott Nelson's Have You Seen Me blog tour. 

I thought it would be fun to act as the caboose this time, bringing up the rear of this tour with a special installment of my new blog series "Where Writers Write". A TNBBC newbie, Katherine Scott Nelson is celebrating the release of hir new novella Have You Seen Me, published through CCLaP - a Chicago based small press that specializes in handmade books and electronic "pay what you want" downloads for all of their titles. The book is currently a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. 

Most of the blog tour consists of interviews, and while there is nothing wrong with author interviews, they can get a bit long in the tooth and repetitive for me. So I've asked Katherine to show us where the inspiration to write hits. Where does the writing happen? Why does it happen there? Give us a look behind the book. And what follows is...

Where Katherine Writes

Where I write: coffee shop

I’ve spent a lot of time fantasizing about my dream office. It would look a lot like Hemingway’s studio in Key West – panoramic views, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and ridiculous furniture like chaise lounges and secretary desks. It would have a built-in espresso bar in one corner and a single-malt scotch bar in another. There would be NO wi-fi.

But right now, I live in a 295 square foot apartment. The massive oak desk and the potted palms are going to have to wait.

When I moved to my current place, I discovered a nearby coffee shop with a real “study hall” atmosphere. It has a brick-lined back room that feels like stepping into a monk’s cell – cool and silent. What’s interesting is that everyone seems to respect this atmosphere, whether they’re regulars or not. If someone’s phone rings, they’ll either answer it in a hushed tone, or turn off the ringer and step outside.

The décor and the layout of the space changes regularly, lending it all a kind of subtle unpredictability that I’ve found really conducive to creative writing. A lot like the low-level conversations that take place all around me, infusing the room with life and energy.

I go to work at the coffee shop regularly enough that I’ve started referring to it as “the office.” I’ve trudged to the office through sub-zero temperatures, three feet of snow, thunderstorms, and scorching heat. It’s taught me to always show up for my writing, no matter what.

Do I have any pre-writing rituals? Obtaining caffeine, mostly.

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 You can catch up on the blog tour and see all that came before by clicking on the links below:

Day 7: Curbside Press sports an outdoor recorded excerpt of Katherine reading from Have You Seen Me. 

Day 6: Another Chicago Blog plays host to a print excerpt from the book. 

Day 5: Interview at The Orange Alert. 

Day 4: This Podcast Will Change Your Life from the always excellent Ben "Tanz the manz" Tanzer.

Day 3: Interviewed by fellow CCLaP author Jason Fisk. 

Day 2: Interviewed by Sassafrass Lowery. 

Day 1: The Thang Blog interviews Katherine. 

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The book: 

Chris and Vyv have always been close -- as the only two 'weird' kids in their small Midwestern town, they've often depended on each other to survive. But their friendship will be put to the test when Vyv runs away and continues to communicate with Chris in secret. All summer, as the search for Vyv mounts, Chris tries to avoid the pressure by working for Albert, an off-the-grid survivalist writer building an anarchist compound from an abandoned house and barn. But as Albert's plans for the future grow more apocalyptic, and Vyv's emails gradually become more terrifying, Chris will face the complete upheaval of everything he's ever known.

Don't forget to check out the novella Have You Seen Me and download it here via CCLaP's "pay what you want" set up. For real. 

AND.. Even though the virtual blog tour has come to an end, Katherine's (and a handful of other CCLaPer's) real book tour kicks off in NYC this week! Don't miss the grand finale at the KGB bar on Sunday, 6/3, at 7pm. I'll be there so if you do stop by, be sure to hunt me down and congratulate Katherine on the book's release!

(Many thanks to Jason Pettus, the brains and brawn behind CCLaP, for inviting me to be a part of the tour.)

CCLaP: Turtle and Dam

On Monday, CCLaP celebrated the birth of another book!

Say hello to Scott Abraham's Turtle and Dam

Turtle and Dam is Scott's literary debut, and if you enjoy literature that elbows cultural references and differences in the ribs, you'll find a lot to love in here. It pokes fun at so much and yet it tells such a serious story about going after what you believe in. 

Turtle - a twenty something year old American educated Chinese man and recent college graduate - is desperately hunting for a job. He is also incredibly full of himself. Hilarity and head-biffs ensue as the reader follows him into the unexpected and incredibly awkward career of newspaper journalism. 

Like millions of other only-child Chinese twenty-somethings, Turtle Chen is graduating college and vicariously desperate (via parental pressure) to find a job, though he would probably settle for a girlfriend. He speaks English. He studied abroad in America. Employers, ladies, what's not to love? With a bit of bravado and some hometown luck, this engineering grad lands himself an entry level position working for the state news agency; not that he particularly cares about politics or journalism, not that they particularly want him to. Through a class assignment, Turtle learns that his grandmother's village will soon be inundated to make way for a dam construction project. His parents tell him not to worry about it. His bosses tell him not to worry about it. He would be only too happy to oblige, and yet despite his best efforts not to care he finds himself on the front lines fighting bulldozers, next to what some villagers claim to be the ghost of Chairman Mao. There's bribery, corruption, computer games, and text messages imbued with uncertainty. Air pollution, censorship, and a job fair where students attack employers with paper basketballs. And it's all told through the eyes of a young man with impeccable English ('impeccable English,' that's correct, yes?), who's right there in the middle of it all. 

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Check out what people have been saying about it:

Scott Navicky, one of CCLaP's very own authors, says: 

"Turtle and Dam is a book to cherish. It’s smart, insightful, and extremely funny. In particular, Abrahams’ ability to humorously weave together the foreign and the familiar is nothing short of astounding."

Lixian, the blogger behind Word, Notes, and Fiction says: 

"Turtle and Dam was an enjoyable read ... funny and relatable."

Goodreads user Joshua Marshack says:

"[F]or ragers against the rat-race, for anyone that's struggled with life and love, I wholeheartedly recommend this book."

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Turtle and Dam is available as a traditional paperback or you can download it for free, as with all of our other titles, as a digital file. Happy reading!

CCLaP: Death to the Bullshit Artists of South Texas, Vol. 1

Today, CCLaP is celebrating the birth of another book!

Our first handmade, hardback, hypermodern title of 2014 

Death to the Bullshit Artists of South Texas, Vol.1 

is now available to the public!

Death to the Bullshit Artists of South Texas, Vol. 1 was written by artist and Austinite Fernando A. Flores. This novella length collection of short stories showcases the tumultuous highs and lows of being in punk rock bands. It's edgy and endearing and bound to please lovers of rock-lit. 

McAllen, Texas is the indie-rock capital of the world; or at least it would be, if all their bands didn't have the pesky habit of disintegrating before ever having their first big success. That's the central premise of Austinite Fernando A. Flores' literary debut, and anyone who's ever pawned their guitar to buy more beer will find much in this book to celebrate. Working from the conceit that all acts of creativity are vital to human happiness, no matter what the public reaction, Flores presents a smorgasbord of interconnected tales about artists who can't quite seem to get their act together--from the performance artist whose most important work was only ever seen by five people, to the revered punk singer who never recorded a single album, to the bar band who accidentally become pawns of a local political campaign--and shows how in all these cases, the mere existence of these artists is a magical antidote against day-to-day ennui and adversity, and that it's actually the rest of the squares who are the true bullshit artists. By turns hilarious, heartbreaking and infuriating, this compact story collection is a loving ode to small-town music scenes in all their messy glory, and a welcome slap in the face to our "Yes We Can" times.

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Check out what others think so far:

Scott Navicky, whose book Humboldt, or the Power of Positive Thinking, was released by CCLaP last month had this to say: "While Flores’ stories are primarily about music, they’re not about the glamorous side of the music industry. They’re not about fortune and fame, national tours, magazine spreads, groupies, or champagne brunches. They’re about people who live in trailer parks, work dead-end jobs, and drink too much too early in the day. Flores captures this [collective feeling of being in a band] perfectly."

Goodreads user Bradley Gamboa says: "Death to the Bullshit Artists of South Texas Vol. 1 ... is not just a collection of short stories about the indie punk scene in South Texas. It is a ode to any one who has ever seen joy in listening, watching, or creating works of art anywhere! "

Lixian of Words, Notes, and Fiction says: " The rock star life tends to be too romanticized while Flores seems to make it as gritty, sweaty, dirty, and dark as possible ... it's not cookies and milk, it's chainsaws and nails...."

Goodreads user Woodland Animal shares his thoughts: "Flores presents a smorgasbord of interconnected tales about artists who can't quite seem to get their act together...By turns hilarious, heartbreaking and infuriating, this compact story collection is a loving ode to small-town music scenes in all their messy glory..."

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Read more about the book and Fernando 

in this interview between the author and Hypertext Magazine

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Death to the Bullshit Artists of South Texas, Vol. 1 can be downloaded for free at the publisher's page.  If you prefer print, you can purchase it as a gorgeous, hardback, handmade hypermodern collectors book there too.