Seared with Ink is not your typical book of poetry: there are no rhyming couplets, no aesthetic white spaces, no arcane allusions. A fusion of artwork and words, Seared with Ink is a 168-page trio of color, image, and story.
A publishing innovation, Seared with Ink is anything but a conventional poetry book. A project conceived by poet S.J. Ferrandi, Seared with Ink is a collaborative effort between the poet and the “Craigslist Artist Project” – bringing together 40 artists from across North America who submitted bold, original pieces to accompany the book’s 95 poems. The perfect book for readers who eschew fussy verbiage, Ferrandi’s illustrated compilation of “prose snapshots” – micro-narratives about life, love, and chickens – is accessible and relatable by everyone. Open the book to any page and get acquainted with people you may actually already know. And, enjoy the pleasure of a beautiful coffee table book that was designed to rouse not only the eye, but the mind, and the heart as well.
Excerpt
Searred with Ink - Portarits of Life in Poetry and Prose is not your grandmother's poetry book.
S.J. Ferrandi tells the story of everyday people using creative storeies, beatufiul imagery and more than 60 original works of art from artists across North America, known as the Craigslist Artists Project. S.J. Ferrandi has created a book that all will ove. A gifted storyteller, S. J. Ferrandi writes in a style that is easy to read, enjoyable and moving. If you didn't like poetry in high school you'll like this book. If you love poetry, you'll devour these contemporary poemrs. The characters in each of these poems come alive in theses touching, invigorating, infuriating, inspiring contemporary stores told with the brevity, skill and wit of a master story teller.
Professional Reviews
A Beautiful Poetry Book That Makes One Think.
Poetry is often the forgotten child of the literary world. Well, it seems to be that way in my corner of it, at least. I will admit that while a have an appreciation for finely crafted verse, filled with imagery and beauty, that I do not immerse myself in it the way I do with a well spun story. On the few occasions that I do stumble upon a book of poetry that captures me, it tends to leave quite an impression. Seared With Ink did just that.
In spring of 2009, while contemplating the best way to package the collection that would become Seared With Ink, S.J. Ferrandi was touched with inspiration.
That inspiration became the Craigslist Artists Project. This project brought together forty artists from across North America who submitted original pieces to accompany and accent the ninety-five poems included in this volume. The end result is a stunning piece of collaboration.
Seared With Ink is broken down into several different categories; such as life, lust, work and war, giving the reader a great reference point for jumping into Ferrandi’s work. What you will find as you begin to immerse yourself is an author who writes in both feminine and masculine voice with equal comfort and integrity. Ferrandi explains that he enjoys alternating gender perspectives in his writing, achieving a fresh voice each time. That fresh voice is evident in each subject, each moment, each tiny postcard glimpse into a life. The imagery is chilling and stark at times and lush and poignant at others. The overall effect is quite captivating.
Pairing the artwork of forty different artists with the varying voices of Ferrandi’s literary images creates a stunning multi-medium event- one I highly recommend experiencing.
In the Whirlwind is a poetic storm that frees history from the cages of corruption and puts it in the hands of everyday people. Words are weaved into a new fashion statement that has nothing to do with runways but everything to do with projects!
