Don’t judge book by its skin

In a strange blending of art and promotion, a special
edition of a forthcoming book by a controversial
Newfoundland author will contain pieces of his own
skin. The
National Post
up in Canada, has The Story.

In a strange blending of art and promotion, a special
edition of a forthcoming book by a controversial
Newfoundland author will contain pieces of his own
skin. The
National Post
up in Canada, has The Story.

Portions of Kenneth J. Harvey\’s flesh, containing
his DNA, will be embedded in small, pink swatches of
paper stitched on to the cover of an abridged edition of
his 11th book, Skin Hound (There Are No Words), a
book whose protagonist is a serial-killing English
professor with a penchant for cutting away his victim\’s
skin.

The author and his publisher, The Mercury Press,
are looking for a way to similarly imbue general release
copies of the book when it is published this fall. \”When
you see me in Toronto at the [Canadian Booksellers
Association meeting], my arms will probably be raw,\”
Mr. Harvey said from his home in Burnt Head, Nfld.

The idea for the unique packaging started when Mr.
Harvey\’s wife, Janet, who is an artist and makes paper,
was creating a special book cover for promotional
copies of the novel to be given away at a trade
convention in June, Mr. Harvey said.