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 by Susan, on September 1st, 2009
No, this post isn’t about peace, racial equality, and other laud-worthy goals. It’s more pedestrian—it’s about a real dream.
Last night I dreamt that America had a new reality show, called The First Family. In this episode, Papa Obama was trying to bolt together the frame of a bunk bed. As the girls bounced around him, he struggled along. But the bed kept collapsing. And I kept yelling at the screen, “get your staff to do it!”
It seems the pressure of self-imposed deadlines for my Grand Adventure—and fear about letting down my partners—was on my mind at bedtime yesterday. Usually I’m in the editor’s seat, badgering designers to complete projects and send me the written instructions. Maybe I need a staff…
by Susan, on July 6th, 2009
About ten years ago I quit working. Wait—let me rephrase that because it’s something that only my mother-in-law says. Let’s try this: Since the fateful day that the division I worked in at a large publishing house was eliminated, I’ve rarely worked harder. I just don’t work for The Man anymore.
These days I freelance. Shifting in this direction after the layoff was a huge leap into the unknown. My family wasn’t surprised because they’re used to watching me make sudden, often monumental, changes in my life.
For example, in my mid-30s I moved to another country. Decamping from Canada was the result of a job offer. My recall of the plane trip home after accepting the job is vague: hazy hours with my head between my knees, a damp towel held to my forehead by a steward while another fed me ice chips.
Change is scary, yet I’m doing it again because the consequences can be exciting. And that’s what this blog … and the alternaCrafts website … is all about. It’s giving you an entirely new way to explore craft: topnotch instructions , dynamic and up-to-date projects, access to the designers and authors you love, and more … with or without getting a book that you actually hold in your hands.
At alternaCrafts you’re in control. You decide if you want instructions loaded to your smart phone, printed by your computer, or sent to you as a traditional book. You decide to order all of the content or just some of it.
Me and my partners Katherine Prawl and Suzanne Tourtillot believe that alternaCrafts.com is an emerging model for publishing houses. We’re staking our careers on it.
As we move toward the release of our first product we’re going to talk about it here. The first part of this Grand New Adventure puts me in the “author/designer” hot seat, so you’ll hear a lot about designing projects and writing instructions. I’m also going to share free instructions if I create something you might like and point you to websites that showcase cutting edge crafting.
I’m strapping myself into a shoulder harness because it’s going to be quite a ride.
by Suzanne, on July 5th, 2009
AlternaCrafts.com is the bright, shiny face of a new approach to the craft book. To us, the word suggests fresh alternatives for authors and readers alike. Of course craft has always been about exploration, inspiration, and expression, but as a new-media publisher, alternaCrafts can help the crafter-author bring her unique voice to a dynamic new medium: call it ebook 2.0. Within our new-media model, original craft designs, photography, and writing are supplemented with video elements and best-of-the-Web resources—even related smartphone apps. With our guidance, the author’s passion and creative vision can speak to readers on every possible reading platform, whether personal ereader, online, smartphone, download-able file, and even the durable, tech-free bound hard copy otherwise known as the book.
The alternaCraft staff has long experience and a deep love for non-fiction writing, real-world editing, creative marketing, digital and Internet-commerce savvy, and design know-how (whew!). And, just so you know, we even do a bit of crafting ourselves.
Being geeky as well as crafty, alternaCrafts publishes and promotes in the language of the now. You can follow our own craft-meets-tech blog here, hang out with like-minded friends on our FaceBook page, and catch the latest wave—whether freebie project or craft-a-long—via Twitter @alternacrafts. We’ll share links of our favorite bloggers, sites, and even links to what’s spinning on our iPods.
Our first publication will be alternaCrochet, a nifty bit of craft upcycling by Susan Huxley. She’s blogging her way through the writing and designing, so look for her frequent posts.
We hope you, early adopters and craft-geeks, become alternaCrafts fans and contributors, and share in this celebration of what modern craft has become: daring, curious, and a little bit cheeky.
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eBooks Coming soon: alternaCrochet, by Susan Huxley. Watch this space for updates!
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