Of Illusory Titles, or, Bookshop Obituaries No. 1

'Don't tell me of facts, I never believe facts; you know, Canning said nothing was so fallacious as facts, except figures.'
--Sydney Smith (1771-1845)

There are many facts I don't uphold, in day to day life, as Truth.

For example, when searching for a particular secondhand bookstore on one's day off (as one does), the fact of London streets being a deal greater and more convoluted than they look on paper fails to register.

The fact that a concrete street name, or address, beyond a hazy notion of 'the street with all the bookshops on it' may help when searching, or, at any rate, when asking directions of innocent bystanders.

And so; and so; we move on. Life wends its immutable course, and though the bookshop street was not, indeed found, one has traversed a great deal of city. And not seen a good many titles which frustrate, proving as they are impossible to purchase.

But it was not of this incident that I wished to remark.

Does one really need another £1 1920s copy of 'Adam Bede'? And while a 'Beatrix Potter's Illustrations' hardcover is greatly soothing to the soul, greatly pleasing to the heart, can it, in the end, suffice? This week's obituaries* include the following:

-Four different copies of 'The Wind in the Willows', none, however, perfect (by which means: cheap, and also with the illustrations.)
-The 1899 equivalent of 'let's learn Hebrew'
-Bleak House (in two volumes), 1930s edition
-The Complete Keats
-A delightful book of Beatrix Potter illustrations--both published and unpublished
-English plays from the turn of the 18th century--with illustrations--thus, popular home dramas that are mentioned in Austen and similar..

Ah, the sweet anguish of it! No spare change, or more, and such dainties before one's grasp but unattainable--

Still. 'I am a part of all that I have met', quoth the poet, and so it is. The excitement gleaned does not rub off so quickly, no: but a promise to keep searching. For all books go to secondhand shops at some time, and there are always more, cheaper, dustier, ones, to be discovered.

If you haven't seen our new Chesterton & Davies Book Prizes or Contests, please do!






*By which the author of this blog means books that were seen, desired, avidly picked up and looked through, but regretfully set down again, through necessity.

BOOK PRIZE Chesterton & Davies, Ltd. Book Prizes for Historical Fiction New Women Writers 3 Tales Publishing Book Prize for Children's Literature

3 Tales Publishing Book Prize for
Children's Literature

(in two categories:

3 Tales Prize for Best Picture Book 2010

and

3 Tales Prize for Best Young Adult 2010

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For each Prize: $500, plus Royalties in addition to prize, and publication of work by 3 Tales, plus launch of book nationally and/or internationally. Note, Royalties are in addition to prize paid upon publication.
Only previously unpublished works for which Author hold All and Exclusive World Rights are accepted.

Entries: $20/submission; no more than 2 submissions/author.

No entries accepted after August 1, 2010.)

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The Chesterton & Davies Prize
for
Historical Fiction 2010:

This award will be given to a work that is carefully researched and tells a captivating tale — emphasis on captivating. Works of Time-Travel welcome as well.

The Chesterton & Davies Prize
for
New Works by Women 2010

This award will be given for a memorable new work by a female writer. Genre can be fiction, or non-fiction in these areas: environmental, travel, spiritual, personal narrative, or memoir.

We are looking for strong new voices among women of any age from any nation in the world. We are also looking for original voices and an instant classic that makes a bold new contribution to all women's voices in writing.

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For each Prize: $500 and publication of work plus launch of book nationally and/or internationally based on audience. Royalties paid in addition to prize upon publication.

Possibility of three runners-up, with titles of books, authors and synopses to be publicized on our website. After announcement of prize, runners-up are welcome to submit manuscripts to other publishers for publication (i.e. we do not control rights after announcement of Prize for those submissions that do not win the First-Prize.)

Entries: $25/submission, no more than 2 submissions/author. Submit through the link below and follow the instructions on our Details page.

No entries accepted after September 1, 2010. No exceptions.

For further detail and submissions, please see our BOOK PRIZE page.

The Curtain is Swept Aside, or, Our New 2010 Contests Revealed At Last

Chesterton & Davis, Ltd. is dazzlingly pleased to announce new writing contests and awards for 2010.

'IN PRAISE OF LEVITY'

March: First Chapters that Enthrall

First impressions are remembered forever...
Prizes: 1st $200. Plus Top 2 Runners-Up: $50. Top 3 will be noted, excerpted and lauded on our website under “New Voices” and on our Facebook page and a letter of recommendation that "if the rest of the book is of the same quality as this first chapter, why you should be published!" for your portfolio. Entry $5/first chapter submitted. Limited to 500 entrants. DEADLINE: March 31, 2010

Further Ahead:

April Contest: Your Finest Blog Entry

May: My Beautiful Essay

June: Summer Beach Reading

For submissions and further detail, please visit our Contests page.

Further information on our 'Serious' Book Prizes to follow...