Greetings from the Beatnik team!
We are nearing the end of a very big year for Beatnik Publishing, we want to thank everyone for their support throughout the year – you make it all worth it!
We have had some exciting developments over 2009 and we wanted to let you know what we have been up to since our last newsletter.
Unfortunately though, we first have some sad news. Dulcie Booker, the warm, loving 96-year-old star of Gran's Kitchen: Recipes from the Notebooks of Dulcie May Booker, passed away peacefully on 28 March. Sally and Janet went to Dulcie's funeral and the emotional accolades and tributes at the service showed just how many lives she touched - and how deeply. To have worked with her was an extraordinary honour and it is some comfort to know Dulcie was thrilled with Gran's Kitchen, and enjoyed her time in the limelight!
She would have also been thrilled to know that Gran's Kitchen: Recipes from the Notebook of Dulcie May Booker is now a bestseller! For the last month it has been in the top ten on the non-fiction list, and it reached number two a couple of weeks ago.
Mother's Day is this Sunday, so if you have not yet found the 'perfect' gift, Gran's Kitchen is it. Again, it's in all good bookstores, and available at the Beatnik website shop (We will deliver by Sunday within a 10km radius of Beatnik HQ!). For those of you who live away from your Mum, we can deliver it to her anywhere in the world - though not by Sunday.
Literally hot off the press: We've just finished our new book - in a record seven weeks! It is: THE ARTISTS - 21 Practitioners in New Zealand Contemporary Art c. 2009-2011, by Kylie Sanderson, Tamara Darragh & Kim Atherfold.
As described in our best press release-ese:
"The Artists offers an entertaining snapshot of the New Zealand contemporary art scene at this moment in time, by revealing the depth of talent boasted by just one gallery...."
It will be available in all good bookstores - but, more conveniently, you can also buy it and have it delivered to your door by clicking through to our shop.
After tearing up the carpet (and nearly tearing out our hair in the process), we're now happily ensconced in our new openplan, concrete-floored studio at 153 Newton Road , just ten metres away from Upper Symonds St, beside Sharondelier chandelier shop. Do come and visit us for a cuppa - we have a fine array of herbal teas (and Altezano is just around the corner for coffee). We're easy to spot - thanks to our swish new fancypants Beatnik bird signs outside!
No rest for the wickedly talented (Janet wrote that!) - we're now promoting The Artists and working on the next book (to be announced in the next enthralling Beatnik Mail). We love our book projects but also enjoy our day-to-day design and photography work, so think of us if anyone is looking to re-design their logo, create a stand-out brouchure or just wants a bit of consulation about where to take their company visually.
And finally, for those of you at work needing some procrastination tools:
Sally suggests you check out her friends' house in the New York Times.
On the other hand, Liz is all about the cute.
Tamara has been way too busy at the Auckland Art Fair!
and Janet covets these creative bookcases for her mountains of books.
Love from the Beatnik Team.
