There's somebody at the door
28 December 2006. Inspired by the book of bells.
After two years and more than 12,000 viewings, my Doorbells and their associated stories seem to have gathered quite a bit of attention from around the webosphere (including a mention on the mighty Design Observer, following a nod from from Snr Kottke, which makes me the third-cousin-once-removed of blogging royalty). They were even discussed at Reboot 8 (pdf) and talked about in an academic paper from the University of Indiana.
Meanwhile, the new word 'flicktion', that was coined by Nick Richards specifically for the purpose, is now being taught in classrooms.
All of which delights and amuses me a great deal. And two years after its creation, I think that my dabblings in this area have run their course. I hereby announce the end of the doorbell saga. It's time for me to get my hands dirty in stranger and more unlikely genres for a while. Watch this space.
However, there's always time for one last hurrah. To celebrate the bells and their tales, and to thank all you wunnerful readers for your unending patience, I've spent a while at Lulu.com and produced a rather lovely full-colour photobook containing 36 of the best Doorbells of Florence. The stories have been re-edited and rewritten for the book, and there are even a few new doorbells that never made it onto Flickr – including the full story of the man with the two euro coins.
It's an exclusive and very shiny edition, featuring full-bleed pictures and some slick typography, as designed by the rather clever Nuno Vargas. It's available now for purchase over here for a mere $27.99 (£15.42 at last viewing). All European purchases are now printed in Spain, thus saving on the postage and packing for you Brits. Oh, and see that gorgeous image, up there at the top of this blog entry? That's the cover. Oh yes.
If you've enjoyed the web-famous genre of Flicktion, and/or are looking for a smart new accessory to adorn your very best coffee table, this is the fine, fine reading matter you need to start the new year with a literary whump.
Flicktion – now available on paper. Tell your friends. And then buy one.