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.