Book Illustration
As a lifelong lover of books, a writer, an amateur book artist, and former owner of a fine art bookstore, Laurelin is deeply grateful to have been asked to illustrate two publications for First Bite Press. These are some examples from the 2024 release, “The Canon of Aphrodesia,” written by Miranda Culp and Jef Delman. Printed by First Bite Press, and bound by Amy Borezo.
The Canon of Aphrodisia in Four Volumes
A four volume collection of short stories written by Miranda Culp and Jef Delman and illustrated by Laurelin Gilmore. Limited to 100 copies:
The price is $800 for the limited edition and includes the four volumes bound in cloth with stamping on the spine, housed in a slipcase.
Limited to 25 copies:
The price for the Deluxe is $2100 and includes the four volumes each with a hand painted frontispiece, leather spine, leather headbands, and decorative stamping and titling. The collection is housed in a telescoping box with an acrylic window to show the spines. Details include handmarbled endsheets and a portfolio of hand printed erotic illustrations not included in the limited edition.
Typefaces used are Eric Gill’s Joanna and Perpetua. The books are printed on Arches Rives Lightweight Paper using Hanco Raven Black Ink on a Vandercook Universal III. Limited and deluxe bindings by Amy Borezo.
Synopsis: The Canon of Aphrodisia is a collection of 12 short stories contained in four volumes. The authors explore a variety of classic tales from a more feminine and modern perspective. From the Authors’ Note: “Unlike much erotica or fan fiction that concludes with happily ever after, in these stories we let classic horror, fantasy, noir, fable, tragedy, sci-fi, fairy tales, and Americana maintain their organic integrity. We used sex as a fresh way to explore familiar character arcs and thematic elements, taking great care to present each tale in the idiom and voice of the original author when possible, so that each story might work on its own terms….It isn’t particularly novel to blend eros with classic stories. Erotic fan fiction abounds, after all, though much of it focuses on the prurient. Our approach was to ask, how would these beloved characters express that secret part of themselves? How would they attempt to transcend? Therein lies the g-spot between the smart and the sensual.”
