Microcosm Blogifesto

Homesweet, Homegrown book tour June & July!

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:37:15 PST

The weather is beautiful and you're just aching to transplant those vegetable starters and add a layer of mulch. Well, what's better than reading about DIY gardening? Going to a book reading of Homesweet Homegrown with the author, Robyn Jasko!

The sequel to Make Your Place now up for pre-sale!

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:22:09 PST

The sequel to Raleigh Briggs' DIY powerhouse Make Your Place, Make It Last: Prolonging + Preserving What We Love is about keeping the things you own in good working order.

World Book Night: Giving Thanks in April

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 15:11:24 PST

Once in a while it occurs to me that I ought to be a better person. Better in the selfless, I’m-going-out-for-coffee-can-I-get-you-anything kind of way. Better like my grandmother, who never forgets a birthday for any of her children, or her children’s children, or the steps, the halfs, or the otherwise affiliated but geographically estranged. My grandmother always bought me books for my birthday. I loathed getting books when I was younger, books which were always a few hundred pages beyond my yet undisciplined attention span, usually featuring protagonists who were a little too world-wise for a grade-schooler to appreciate. And, anyway, I was a materialistic brat of a tweenager– I wanted lip-gloss and nail polish and body lotion that would make my arms glittery.

As an adult, all I ever want to give anyone is a book. For a birthday, a funeral, a holiday, for an ‘I’m sorry’ or a ‘thank you,’ for a long train ride, or to strangers I meet briefly and with no expectation of seeing again. Like my grandmother, I usually give my favorite books, which is, I am aware, completely inconsiderate of the literary sensitivities of the recipients of these books, but it is something they will endure as I did, because eventually you will find yourself thinking of this person (be they a kind stranger or a far-from-home friend), and in the book you will find their company.

On the night of April 23rd tens of thousands of people will swell into the streets of their cities and neighborhoods to give 20 copies of a specially-printed, not-for-resale edition of a book of their choosing to 20 strangers. Launched internationally in 2011, World Book Night debuts in the United States this year, joining the U.K. and Ireland to celebrate the power of books, spread literacy awareness and bring individuals together on a date that famously marks Cervante’s death and Shakespeare’s birth. It is my instinct that this night will unwittingly inspire some new friendships, that insights usually reserved for classrooms will be exchanged without pretention or hesitation and that there will be much to be thankful for in April. It’s like Trick-or-Treat with books. Thanksgiving in spring. A birthday present for Shakespeare. It’s good-doing that’s really, really fun.

This year’s deadline for becoming a giver has passed, but for those of you who were able to become givers this year, we invite you to share your stories of the events of the night of the 23rd with us. Please contact Nicole with your stories, comments, observations and musings. Learn more about World Book Night , or to visit their blog. Do you have your own blog? We’d love to share your posts about WBN on microcosmpublishing.com. You can also view their Facebook Page, where other givers will be sharing their stories, as well.

Interview! Robyn Jasko from Homesweet Homegrown and growindie.com!

Thu, 5 Apr 2012 12:39:58 PST

Homesweet Homegrown author Robyn Jasko (also of growindie.com) and illustrator Jennifer Biggs are currently Kickstarting their upcoming BY-TRAIN BOOK TOUR! That's right. They're doing an AMTRAK TOUR and we were so stoked to hear about their upcoming adventure we just had to do an interview!

Inside Look! Our Zine of the Day: Rebel Rebel

Wed, 4 Apr 2012 15:52:39 PST

Check out an inside look at the pages of Rebel Rebel!

Book List: Vegan Cookbooks and Cookzines! Part 3 of 3!

Tue, 3 Apr 2012 15:27:00 PST

Part three! At long last...

Book List: Vegan Cookbooks and Cookzines! Part 2 of 3!

Mon, 2 Apr 2012 13:51:55 PST

Part two of our round-up of vegan cookbooks and cookzines!

Book List: Vegan Cookbooks and Cookzines! Part 1 of 3!

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:48:21 PST

Hungry? We are too. Let's fix that WITH A BOOK LIST! Vegan cookbooks and cookzines, without further adieu ...

Book List: 2012 Spring DIY Farm and Garden Books and Zines! (Part 3 of 3)

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:25:15 PST

And now we proudly present our third and final list of books and zines on the subject of growing-your-own.

Book List: 2012 Spring DIY Farm and Garden Books and Zines! (Part 2 of 3)

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:15:57 PST

It's the second installment of our DIY gardening/farm book/zine/DVD reading/watching list!