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WARNING: THIS POST WILL CONTAIN TOO MANY EXCLAMATION POINTS. SORRY!!!!
Oh, there's also some (fake) blood and a pig's heart. I guess some people might be bothered by that too, in which case - look away.
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You guys!!!! The week since the launch of ALP has been crazy and wonderful and crazy! To everyone who has tweeted about the book, review it, or interviewed me - THANK YOU a million times thank you!!!!!!!
I also had a book launch party (at local children's bookstore B Is For Books) that was such fun and gained me some nice real-life experience in the art of book signing and reading aloud from my own book (both more complicated than they seem considering that I've been signing my own name and reading books for the better part of three decades!)!!!!!!!!!
I have also been super busy with revisions for my next book and planning for ALA, which has made it difficult for me to process all this really amazing, but also a bit overwhelming stuff!
But last night I had a moment clarity, courtesy of Margot Wood - the one and only fauxtographer - when she posted a pic on her blog inspired by ALP and Hannibal (the new TV show that I need to begin watching NOW!)!!!!
So the first thing you need to know about The Real Fauxtographer blog is that I first discovered it only a few months ago and it was love at first sight. And of course, I couldn't help but think how great it would be to have a picture inspired by ALP on the blog. It's possible I crossed my fingers and made a wish that it would happen.
I know this sounds like crazy fangirling, but I just fell in love with her idea of taking one photo to capture the spirit and essence of a book. To me, it was totally brilliant.
Now I know some of you are thinking, "Um, Kate, that's sort of what a cover does too." And yeah, I know that, but I see the fauxtographs as being like an alternate cover, sort of a cover song... for a cover on a book if you will.
Sounds crazy, yes, but think about it.
What a great cover song does is makes you hear the song as if listening to it for the first time BUT at the same time it's familiar. You have the comfort of something old, combined with an innovative new take that feels fresh and exciting. What's not to love?
So, after the crazy insanity of the past few weeks, seeing that fauxto brought things into focus for me. It was gross and gorgeous and horrible and just really fan-fucking-tastic.
I love love love love love it.
I constantly surround myself with words (seriously I had a Microsoft Word dream the other day). I believe in the power of words and love the experience of playing with langauge (If told I was fated to die by drowning, I'd ask the powers-that-be to at least have it be in a bowl of alphabet soup). But last night the power of a single evocative image was the only thing that could've broken through all the buzz and chatter inside my head.
This fauxto did that and then some.
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| Another Little Piece, originally uploaded by margotwood. |
Well, what do you think? Pretty amazing, right?
I urge everyone reading this to visit Margot's blog -- if you haven't already -- and check out ALL of her awesome fauxtos. And while you're there make sure to read the story behind the ALP photo... especially if you're looking at that pic and wondering, "Is that heart real?"
