I'm pleased to announce the launch of Bronwyn Lloyd's new series of single-volume novellas, in our back garden in Mairangi Bay, on Sunday 3rd December, from 2 pm onwards:
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Paper Table Novellas Launch:
When: Sunday 3rd December, 2-4 pm
Where: 6 Hastings Rd, Mairangi Bay, Auckland
What: Books by Leicester Kyle & Jack Ross
Who: All Welcome! (but please don't forget your wallet)
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For a long time now Bronwyn and I have been lamenting the lack of attention paid to the novella form in New Zealand. Now, as the publisher of Paper Table Novellas, she's finally decided to do something about it.
The first of her titles, Letters to a Psychiatrist, is the strange tale of a West Coast spiritual odyssey by distinguished eco-poet Leicester Kyle.
The second, The Annotated Tree Worship, is a story told in two novella-length portions, relating the sordid adventures of a disgraced, self-pitying Academic, caught in the grip of his own psychic crisis:
- Letters to a Psychiatrist, by Leicester Kyle
[$NZ 25] - The Annotated Tree Worship, by Jack Ross
[$NZ 40 the pair]
(not available separately]
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Leicester's book will be launched by award-winning poet Stu Bagby. My book will be launched by award-winning fiction writer Tracey Slaughter.
There will also be a range of artworks on sale both by Bronwyn and by Paper Table's brilliant designer, Lisa Baudry.
The wine will flow and a range of culinary treats will be provided. Please do come and spend the afternoon with us.
If you have any further questions about either the books or the imprint, check out our new Paper Table website.
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Brand design: Lisa Baudry
Good to see this!
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in getting a "proper" copy of Leicester's book. When I saw it is to be re-published (I think he self published it years ago, about 1960 I think) I wondered if I still had my copy, the only book of Leicester's that I have that I didn't get from Leicester himself. As it happens I do but I haven't read it (in full). He took up that slightly 'paranoid' theme with God looking over your shoulder and I think that tone influenced some of my attempts to write (as well as the docus and books of Oliver Sacks). But looking at it again I like the style (perhaps like Poe's, H.G.Wells, or even Hawthorne's; but it is a well known method and still very effective). He liked horror / fantasy stories among other things or at least I know he liked Algernon Blackwood. There was a copy in Ron Riddell's shop The Dead Poet's Book Shop in Balmoral where I worked a bit and Leicester also helped out as did Miriel sometimes. I read a story by Blackwood and it was indeed quite strange and interesting. Something of that I see in his story, in that classic genre of the story sent to me etc, the story inside the story.
I thought I might read Leicester's book (I see he wrote other novellas as you note in 'Millerton Sequences'). His was a great loss to me. A good friend and he never pushed his religious views (on me in any case). We had the odd disagreement but nothing major. It was amazing to have known Leicester. He also had a great sense of humour. I got him to read Ashbery and he included quotes or lines or parts of lines from Ashbery in his books. Also I suggested Zukofsky and he was prodigious and read all of Z's huge book 'Bottom' and also the correspondence between Lorine Niedeker and Zukofsky.
His out put, often self published, was phenomenal given he started writing about the time he retired from his profession as an Anglican Priest.
In any case I will leave my copy of his book or manuscript unread and read the new edition. It is better to leave it to be a surprise, something not done, to be done: a pleasure postponed etc.
Of course I am interested in getting your book also Jack!