Latest From Pegana Press

Just a little picture to show you how we're doing. This is my binding table.  The book lying open on the left is about to be attached to the cover.

This shows a dozen books completed (all spoken for), and I have another 6 (also spoken  for) that are drying right now under weight.

I get a short break (to catch up with life in general), before more materials arrive on Tuesday, and  I go back to binding books.

This binding is different than the Emperor's Crystal binding and has more steps.  But we think it is turning out to be well worth the effort.  We hope you'll think so too.

For those of you who are waiting on books, they will begin shipping Monday.

And what is Mike doing?  It looks to me like he's taking a breather now that the Clark Ashton Smith book is printed.  But I have seen him perusing a new batch of stories, in preparation for Lord Dunsany-Lost Tales Vol. 3, and it's obvious that he's working on the potential layout of the new book.

We can't wait to get started.

One last thing.  We really do love to hear from you, and feedback is very valuable to us.  If you have suggestions to make about what you'd like to see us publish, please contact us either here on the blog, or on our website contact form.  Keep in mind that we specialize in smaller publications and that we want to revive works which are not currently in print.  We look forward to reading your suggestions.

Have a great weekend.

Clark Ashton Smith - Poseidonis Cycle 1

Mike and Rita of Pegana Press are excited to begin offering  The Age Of Malygris: Poseidonis Cycle 1 on the website.   This collection was inspired by Clark Ashton Smith's stories of the Magian Malygris.  It includes two illustrations by the author and a forward by the exquisite Donald Sidney-Fryer.

Made with love and care at Pegana Press, this book was type set, letter press printed and bound all by hand.  The dimensions of the book are based on the sacred geometry of the golden rectangle, and for the story titles we used Civilite type, one of the earliest cursive fonts designed.  For the end papers we used Lokta paper, hand made in Nepal from two varieties of Daphne, one of which is Daphne papyracea, which gives the book a feeling of antiquity.

It is the mission of Pegana Press to offer the multi-sensory experience of reading some of the best authors of the fantasy genre presented in an artisan crafted book.  May it meet with your approval. 

We invite you to view more pictures of the book on our website and we welcome feedback.

We'll leave you with a quote.

...Perhaps we will not return, but will follow the tropic summer from isle to halcyon isle, across the amaranthine seas of myth and fable...

--CAS

The Age Of Malygris Book Release

Mike and Rita at Pegana Press are pleased to announce the release of the Age of Malygris by Clark Ashton Smith.

We are taking orders on our website and since we are still in the process of hand binding, orders will take up to 5 business days to ship out.

Pre orders will also be notified via email.

Happy reading!

...Will you not join me in Atlantis, where we will go down through streets of blue and yellow marble to the wharves of orichalch, and choose us a galley with a golden Eros for figure-head, and sails of Tyrian sendal?

--Clark Ashton Smith

The Emperor's Crystal update

We have sold the last available copy of The Emperor's Crystal in the deluxe edition for the present.  However, there are still chap books, as well as unbound copies left.

Because I am currently busy binding The Age Of Malygris, it will be some time before I am able to bind anymore deluxe editions of The Emperor's Crystal.  If you would still like to order that edition, please email us on our website.

I plan on binding a small quantity of The Emperor's Crystal deluxe edition near the end of April, so that it may once again be available on our site.

--Rita  :)

The Age Of Malygris - Poetry, Prose & Sacred Geometry

It's fascinating the way form and structure can influence perceptions of emotional well being and even play a role in harmonizing the energy within ones environment.

The way a building is designed spatially, can either distort energy pathways or harmonize with the energy of the location, as architects and mathematicians have known for millennium.

Sacred Geometry employed as a tool within artwork determines how a particular work of art resonates for the viewer.

Early on books were designed using the geometry of the golden rectangle.  In modern times the dimensions of a book are influenced by standardization of materials.  For example, when cutting the paper for the Lost Tales books, getting the most out of each sheet, determined the dimensions of the pages.

When we were discussing the design for the upcoming Clark Ashton Smith book, The Age Of Malygris, we wanted to experiment with the dimensions of the golden rectangle for the design of the book.

When the book was bound, we were quite pleased with the results.

The page dimensions, the layout of the type, the boards that cover the book, and even the title pastedown on the front are all designed using the golden rectangle.

I will leave you with a quote from The Death Of Malygris:

Beyond the towering thuribles, the tomes that were piled like pyramids, they saw the threshold in intermittent glimpses, like a remote horizon. 

 --Clark Ashton Smith

The Age of Malygris -Update-

Just a couple of pictures to show you where we're at.

Sewing The Signatures

&

Putting The Book Together

Each book takes about 3 hours to prep.  Cutting the book cloth, laying out the boards, cutting end papers, sewing the signatures, gluing and shaping the spine, allowing the glue to dry. 

Finally, another 2 hours to glue the cloth to the boards, secure the book in place and glue the end papers.  

Then the book sits under weight for several days to keep the boards from warping while the glue dries thoroughly.

It takes longer than it would seem.  And it's something that will not be rushed, though I have tried to speed up the process.

But there is something very Zen about binding a book.  I hope that comes through on some subtle level when you read these books.  They are made with love from start to finish.

The Age Of Malygris Update

I'm taking a break from binding to share some pictures of the forthcoming book.  I hope you enjoy.  --Rita

The Age Of Malygris: Stories & Poetry of Clark Ashton Smith

Mike and Rita at Pegana Press are excited to announce the release of The Age Of Malygris.  This has been in the works since November, and is nearing completion.  In other words it is being bound right now, and we expect to release it March 24th.

Donald Sidney-Fryer most graciously wrote the prelude for this edition.  Mike said it was truly wonderful to speak with Donald and hear him recite Clark Ashton Smith via telephone.  When he speaks, even ordinary conversation becomes a work of art.

Included in the book is a short prose piece, two stories of the Magian Malygris and a poem, as well as two illustrations by CAS.

We wish to express gratitude to the CASiana Estate for permission to use the materials and to Scott Connors for advice on content and texts.

As with our previous books this edition was letterpress hand printed, and hand bound.  Limited to 55 copies.

We will have pictures to post in 2 days.