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Aether! PUBLISHED!
15 years ago
What began in the Spring of 2007 has finally come to fruition in the winter of 2010!
It has absolutely been a long haul, full of personal pitfalls and technological nightmares, but after one constant uphill battle, I am finally PROUD to present [drum roll] Aether d'Animaux, volume 1!
I have been saying this all along, but now that it's here, and complete, I cannot express the true level of my pride in this project. Time and expenses aside, this project has offered me tremendous opportunities to network with fellow furs and colleagues alike. The work contained herein is superb and deserves every ounce of its praise. Though a production milestone for me personally, Aether is a massive milestone in professionalism for the genre in general, and I could not have done any of this without the trust, the participation, and the loyalty offered to me by so many. You are all truly exceptional people, and I hope beyond all hope that Aether measures up to your expectations. I know it's surpassed mine, but I'm a bit biased ^_~
Everything has been uploaded to the printer, and I've received their electronic "proof" which looks identical to my own. Great for quality control, not so great for knowing its physical feel.
I have just ordered a personal copy of the book. Once my order comes in, I will review it to make sure everything is in place and that the physical variables are in good condition for public orders. Given the price-tag, I feel an extra-powerful need to inspect quality so as to maximize the end-user's experience and pride.
FINAL SPECS: (as seen on lulu.com's market page)
Aether d'Animaux: A Juried Collection of Anthropomorphic Art
°°°°° This item has not been rated yet
ISBN: 978-0-557-27464-2
Publisher: KAF! Studio // Intrinsik Design LLC
Copyright: ©2010 KAF! Studio LLC (Standard Copyright License)
Language: English
Country: United States
Publication Date: January 12, 2010
Page Count: 302 pages
Size: U.S. Letter (8-1/2" x 11")(21,59cm x 27,94cm)
Binding: Perfect Bound (Square)
Interior Color: Full-color
Production Time: Ships in 3–5 business days (plus delivery time)
Description:
Aether d'Animaux is a juried collection of many different forms of anthropomorphic artwork, comprised of pieces from the past decade. A new focus delivered in a familiar way, Aether aims to recapture some of the original spirit of this often misunderstood genre.
Price: $97.00 USD
I was able to bring the price down just a little, from $107 to $97 USD... more about this below.
Availability:
Currently, Aether is private, and available by direct link only. I can supply this link here, if desired, or by private message, but until I verify that the book is in final condition, I don't feel comfortable opening the gates for orders. If I do link you to the book, or if you somehow find it on your own, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND WAITING UNTIL YOU HEAR FROM ME. I would feel awful if you order a beta and something comes out weird.
I have registered an ISBN number (above). Aether is poised to be a global seller. Once I approve the final copy, I will open sales to the public. At that time, it can be expected at places like Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Borders etc online shops, as well as order-able through the "brick and mortar" shops, as well as lulu.com's own marketplace.
A little bit about the price:
Many of us are familiar with similarly-themed artbooks like Spectrum, Exposé, etc which cost between $30 and $75, so why is Aetherso much more? The short answer is because Aether is being printed "for free". Art competitions like Spectrum require an Entry Fee in order to submit; every piece of artwork you submit to them, you would pay a fee (anywhere from $25 per piece, to $150 per piece). This money would be collected and used to pay for the printing and other associated expenses, like websites, advertising, etc.
Back in Aether's hay-day, I had contacted many printers for a quote. In all cases, the minimum order is 1,000 books and the cheapest printer was $19,000. This would have made the books a base-price of roughly $20 each (plus tax), comparable to Spectrum, etc. But again, since Aether has zero dollars going in, this was an impossible avenue.
Instead, for poor self-publishers, the other option is Print On-Demand, or POD printing. This allows the publisher (me) to upload materials for free. Instead of printing hundreds of books that sit around on shelves waiting to be purchased, they print the book as it's ordered. This also saves on paper-use.
Alternatives to the full price:
In the coming weeks, based on whatever interest is generated for the book and whatever feedback I receive, I have three plans to reduce costs on this edition:
***** [EDIT: March 4, 2010] ********************
The following option is no longer valid. Due to the anticipated feedback on potential problems and piracy with digital delivery, PDF options have been ruled out
[THIS OPTION OMITTED] First option: PDF version. After a preliminary run of about 15 weeks, I will look at offering a PDF of the book for a marked discount. The PDF will cost roughly between $50 to $75. This price is based on several factors: Foremost, to not undermine the artistic value of the contributing artists by offering a flimsy alternative to a printed product. This is about quality, not quantity. Secondly, to discourage pirates from slicing and dicing a PDF for illegal reprint/resale.
********************************************
Second option: I can offer Aether for sale in sections. We can split Aether into several categories, so it may be purchased as the digital works only, the traditional works, etc. All other content will remain in tact. This will reduce page count and thus price. It will, however, cost more if you were to buy all the sections separate.
Third option: As the publisher, I am offered a discount. I am able to buy a copy for $66 USD ($75, with shipping). The more I buy, the cheaper they are. If I order 25 copies at a time, the price goes down further. It is feasible I can order books on behalf of interested parties. I would need to have a minimum of 25 people at a time order books through me, and we can ship them to you.
Sadly, none of these options are entirely graceful, but that being said, it's a pretty good deal seeing as how this all started from absolutely nothing AND it's so good!
All in all, folks, I am very happy. I hope you all agree. But if you have questions, concerns, or something to say, let me know. I'll do what I can!
Thank you all so much!
-Brian / Kross
It has absolutely been a long haul, full of personal pitfalls and technological nightmares, but after one constant uphill battle, I am finally PROUD to present [drum roll] Aether d'Animaux, volume 1!
I have been saying this all along, but now that it's here, and complete, I cannot express the true level of my pride in this project. Time and expenses aside, this project has offered me tremendous opportunities to network with fellow furs and colleagues alike. The work contained herein is superb and deserves every ounce of its praise. Though a production milestone for me personally, Aether is a massive milestone in professionalism for the genre in general, and I could not have done any of this without the trust, the participation, and the loyalty offered to me by so many. You are all truly exceptional people, and I hope beyond all hope that Aether measures up to your expectations. I know it's surpassed mine, but I'm a bit biased ^_~
Everything has been uploaded to the printer, and I've received their electronic "proof" which looks identical to my own. Great for quality control, not so great for knowing its physical feel.
I have just ordered a personal copy of the book. Once my order comes in, I will review it to make sure everything is in place and that the physical variables are in good condition for public orders. Given the price-tag, I feel an extra-powerful need to inspect quality so as to maximize the end-user's experience and pride.
FINAL SPECS: (as seen on lulu.com's market page)
Aether d'Animaux: A Juried Collection of Anthropomorphic Art
°°°°° This item has not been rated yet
ISBN: 978-0-557-27464-2
Publisher: KAF! Studio // Intrinsik Design LLC
Copyright: ©2010 KAF! Studio LLC (Standard Copyright License)
Language: English
Country: United States
Publication Date: January 12, 2010
Page Count: 302 pages
Size: U.S. Letter (8-1/2" x 11")(21,59cm x 27,94cm)
Binding: Perfect Bound (Square)
Interior Color: Full-color
Production Time: Ships in 3–5 business days (plus delivery time)
Description:
Aether d'Animaux is a juried collection of many different forms of anthropomorphic artwork, comprised of pieces from the past decade. A new focus delivered in a familiar way, Aether aims to recapture some of the original spirit of this often misunderstood genre.
Price: $97.00 USD
I was able to bring the price down just a little, from $107 to $97 USD... more about this below.
Availability:
Currently, Aether is private, and available by direct link only. I can supply this link here, if desired, or by private message, but until I verify that the book is in final condition, I don't feel comfortable opening the gates for orders. If I do link you to the book, or if you somehow find it on your own, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND WAITING UNTIL YOU HEAR FROM ME. I would feel awful if you order a beta and something comes out weird.
I have registered an ISBN number (above). Aether is poised to be a global seller. Once I approve the final copy, I will open sales to the public. At that time, it can be expected at places like Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Borders etc online shops, as well as order-able through the "brick and mortar" shops, as well as lulu.com's own marketplace.
A little bit about the price:
Many of us are familiar with similarly-themed artbooks like Spectrum, Exposé, etc which cost between $30 and $75, so why is Aetherso much more? The short answer is because Aether is being printed "for free". Art competitions like Spectrum require an Entry Fee in order to submit; every piece of artwork you submit to them, you would pay a fee (anywhere from $25 per piece, to $150 per piece). This money would be collected and used to pay for the printing and other associated expenses, like websites, advertising, etc.
Back in Aether's hay-day, I had contacted many printers for a quote. In all cases, the minimum order is 1,000 books and the cheapest printer was $19,000. This would have made the books a base-price of roughly $20 each (plus tax), comparable to Spectrum, etc. But again, since Aether has zero dollars going in, this was an impossible avenue.
Instead, for poor self-publishers, the other option is Print On-Demand, or POD printing. This allows the publisher (me) to upload materials for free. Instead of printing hundreds of books that sit around on shelves waiting to be purchased, they print the book as it's ordered. This also saves on paper-use.
Alternatives to the full price:
In the coming weeks, based on whatever interest is generated for the book and whatever feedback I receive, I have three plans to reduce costs on this edition:
***** [EDIT: March 4, 2010] ********************
The following option is no longer valid. Due to the anticipated feedback on potential problems and piracy with digital delivery, PDF options have been ruled out
[THIS OPTION OMITTED] First option: PDF version. After a preliminary run of about 15 weeks, I will look at offering a PDF of the book for a marked discount. The PDF will cost roughly between $50 to $75. This price is based on several factors: Foremost, to not undermine the artistic value of the contributing artists by offering a flimsy alternative to a printed product. This is about quality, not quantity. Secondly, to discourage pirates from slicing and dicing a PDF for illegal reprint/resale.
********************************************
Second option: I can offer Aether for sale in sections. We can split Aether into several categories, so it may be purchased as the digital works only, the traditional works, etc. All other content will remain in tact. This will reduce page count and thus price. It will, however, cost more if you were to buy all the sections separate.
Third option: As the publisher, I am offered a discount. I am able to buy a copy for $66 USD ($75, with shipping). The more I buy, the cheaper they are. If I order 25 copies at a time, the price goes down further. It is feasible I can order books on behalf of interested parties. I would need to have a minimum of 25 people at a time order books through me, and we can ship them to you.
Sadly, none of these options are entirely graceful, but that being said, it's a pretty good deal seeing as how this all started from absolutely nothing AND it's so good!
All in all, folks, I am very happy. I hope you all agree. But if you have questions, concerns, or something to say, let me know. I'll do what I can!
Thank you all so much!
-Brian / Kross
HOWEVER, refer to option 3 above: I can order books for people at my rate, which is approx. $66 per book, plus shipping.
Please remember, I have no control over this pricing. This is lulu.com's base price for a book of this size. I can increase the price to make a profit, but I can't take it lower than it costs to actually make it.
My only regret is this, my artwork has come a bit farther since 2007 and now that I look back I kinda get bashful and go " ohhh god look at the terrible anatomy!" I'm still proud of the work I did, blarg... is really happy*
Have a talk with Mike "Keefur" Preston at http://www.phantomprintworks.com and see what he can do for you. I'm having my books done through him, and what would've cost me $20-and-up to get done through Lulu is only costing me about $3 through him... and he doesn't require huge minimum orders.
Aether's price, despite its high value, is pretty in line with most printers I've ever worked with, if you consider a normal full-color page is roughly 29¢ per piece on average (and Aether is 304 pages plus binding and labor). The major difference is, printers can usually offer discounts on things like paper and ink when you're buying in bulk. But since this is a one-off process, these types of discounts simply can't exist.
Sure, Lulu.com is definitely making a buck off of self-published books. They wouldn't be in business otherwise. Though if you consider that a 304-page book costs roughly $88 to print, plus the labor of binding it, handling it, registering the ISBN number with me, and providing basic marketing including a web store front, $97 is about right.
Then again, maybe I've been dealing with printers too long. I understand their logic.
I truly appreciate the suggestion, however. I am always on the lookout for new vendors. Trouble is, there are gazillions of them, so I need to go with heavy research and reputation.
The ship has already sailed for volume 1. To resubmit Aether to a new vendor now would most definitely require reworking the entire book and I just can't justify doing that for this edition, given the time frame thus far.
In addition to price, I also must consider paper and ink quality, craftsmanship and consistency in construction, and above all trust since I am handling the intellectual rights of hundreds of artists. I am professionally obligated to review all of these factors before I can move forward on something like this. Which is not to say Phantom Print Works could not accommodate these requirements, but I would need samples as they are new to me.
I would be more than happy to review Phantom Print Works' print samples if they would like to submit something for consideration. The current website doesn't have anything I can review.
Thanks again for the insight!
Just out of curiosity, would shipping fees to Australia and other non US places be insane? Additionally, when you get your copy would you mind posting pics of it as well as your review?
Again, congrats on the all the hard work! :)
Oh my, it's been a tough battle. But highly rewarding and a lot of fun (when it wasn't work ^_~)
I *do* have a link to the selected entrants currently included in this volume, which is located here:
http://aetherbook.com/selections.html
If you've ordered anything from overseas before, I suspect the shipping will be comparable. Let me see if I can test this, and I'll get back to you...
And I will definitely be posting images of the book once it comes in! Thanks for your interest!
http://aetherbook.com/jury.html
And people whose art is in the book:
http://aetherbook.com/selections.html
And I note that every single member of the jury except for Dr. Conway/Uncle Kage has their own art in the book.
No conflict of interest there then!
I can appreciate the comment, but this is not a conflict of interest. Every piece of work including those submitted by jurors was peer reviewed, identical to the processes of similar artbooks. And while there is always a certain degree of unspoken chuminess in such colleague-driven reviews, every piece was looked at fairly for content and presentation. Had this been a fee-based process for all entrants, and seemingly the only dominant works selected were that of the jury's own works, then yes. There would be a massive conflict of interest. But as it stands, this project was wide open, and no one was barred from submitting as many works as they wished.
I hope you can see this point, though I welcome your opinions.
Great work, and great themes!
Aether is with Lulu as you know, and undergoing [hopefully] one final tweak. You may have seen my post about the book I received having been printed "backwards" (they added a page to it, which threw everything off by one page). I have sent them an email asking for next steps, and I am still awaiting their feedback. Because of this snafu, i didn't want people paying a lot of money for a "broken" design. I hope that makes sense.
Thank you so very much for your interest and eagerness! It is greatly appreciated!