Pencil's First Post - Launch Party

Hello, Welcome

This is our first post as the editors and founders of [ hotpencil > press. After two years of hard labour Serge and I (Laura) have established, set up and produced our first publication. There Is No Word For It was originally a theatre show. When we performed the piece it was ironically / wittily described as The (Trans) Mangina Monologues, and at the time we thought that it would exist in the live only. However, public appetite was so overwhelming for the stories and the subject matter (and the men in the cast) that we decided to produce our first book.

What’s In A Name?

[ hot pencil > press came about as many good ideas do – after an evening in the pub as Serge and I scribbled down suggestions on a paper napkin, including various types of logos. We decided to launch the press ourselves in collaboration with Simon Croft as our designer, and we set to work categorising the collected stories and selecting the font setting and cover. The book title is made out of an original paper cut designed by Simon. We decided the black cover with the white letters would make it stand out and give it an old typewriter keyboard feel. Also, we felt that a little black book was sexy.

Pressing The First Title

Presently, There Is No Word For It exists as several hundred copies in cardboard boxes, sitting in Serge’s flat. I hasten to add, we didn’t make this title ourselves slaving over huge ink presses and loaded cartridges, dressed in stained white aprons. We formatted, re-structured and sent the whole volume off to Biddles to print for us. We won’t bore you with the details of self-publishing but it’s a long and elaborate task including proof reading, numerous drafts and delivering a fresh off the printing press copy to the British Library.

The Press and Book Launch

Now onto the good stuff. The book will be launched on Thursday July 21st 7-12, at The Book Club, 100 Leonard Street, EC2A. Shoreditch, East London. Bar cafe gallery arts venue. Near Old Street tube or Shoreditch overground.

It will be our first party and also our first occasion to buy the book. There will be DJs and readings and various activities.

Come and meet and party with Laura Bridgeman and Serge Nicholson, along with members of the original cast from the reading of There Is No Word For It.

Arrive from 7pm; readings by cast members after 8pm.

Signed books for sale. £10 special rate.

DJs Chopin & Mike play. Arm wrestling. Pool table. And no doubt other high jinks.

Private downstairs bar and dance floor all to ourselves. Cafe bar gallery upstairs for food and hot drinks and ping pong open to all. 

An opportunity to party and to bombard Serge and I with questions, and allow us to fill you in generally. Also, there’ll be plenty of booze to quaff. We will keep you updated on all
[ hotpencil> press news and events via this blog.