CASE STUDY: Nobody Can Tell Me No, by Anita Welch

Anita McAndrews was a truly remarkable woman—an author, poet and painter. She left this life largely unacknowledged for her artistic contributions, except for her circle of friends, family and acquaintances, but her legacy was much larger than that. Her daughter Anita felt strongly driven to document with a full-color art book this singular life her mother led. And Anita had a deadline: there was to be special tribute to her mother at the Deblois Gallery in Newport, Rhode Island in four months.

CASE STUDY: Propwash

Propwash is a compilation of 25 or so classbooks from the Sequoia Field Primary Flight Training School in Visalia, California. One day we got a visit from two gentlemen: one very tall, and one equally short. That was the beginning of our education in the method by which pilots were trained in the U.S. in WWII—in the fast and furious crucible of primary flight training schools. Every 11 weeks each of these schools graduated a new class, and it was trial by fire—some made it, some washed out, and some paid the ultimate price before they could ever see combat.

CASE STUDY: The Unrelenting Test of War by Murray Anderson

This book began as a conversation at a small dinner party. Murray was discussing an incident from WWII, and I could see it was a very painful subject for him. But it was a very beautiful story in its own right, and I asked if I could tape it. We got together and I interviewed him, asking questions until I felt the story was told. I then asked him if he had photos, which he did. He later provided me with another 50 or so pages of handwritten material. With all of this content, I edited, designed and typeset a book, and suggested the title.

CASE STUDY: Americans In Paradise by Michael Baum

Michael brought to us a collection of his short stories, which he wanted to publish as a pocketbook-sized paperback. We first edited the entire group of stories. When the manuscript was approved, we turned to the design of the cover and interior. Michael had a specific idea for the cover, which was a picture of the dancing Shiva, but with a difference: he wanted to replace with fire symbol in the left hand with a Pepsi can, except with a yin-yang symbol replacing the Pepsi symbol. Done! And he wanted the interior page design to have a Franny and Zooey look. Done! We got it to a printer who could accommodate the specified size and paper.