July 24th, 2009 / 9:32 am
 Web Hype

Hey, want to be in a book? … Get in the chair.

Dear Whoever this is a picture of, Call me?

THE WORD MADE FLESH:

Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide

Edited by Eva Talmadge and Justin Taylor

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! We are seeking high quality photographs of your literary tattoos for an upcoming book. Send us your ink! Submissions are open to all kinds of literary tattoo work: quotations from your favorite writer, opening lines of novels, lines of verse, literary portraits or illustrations. From Shakespeare to Bukowski to The Little Prince in a Baobab tree, if it’s a literary tattoo and its on your body, we want to see it.

All images must include the name (or pseudonym) of the tattoo bearer, city and state or country, and a transcription of the text itself, along with its source. For portraits or illustrations, please include the name of the author or book on which it’s based. And of course, you are heartily encouraged to credit the artist who did your work.

We’d also like to read a few words about the tattoo’s meaning to you — why you chose it, when you first read that poem or book, or how its meaning has evolved over time. How much (or how little) you choose to say about your tattoo is up to you, but a paragraph or two should do the trick.

Please send clear digital images of the highest print quality possible to tattoolit@gmail.com. Pixel resolutions should be at least 1500 x 1200, or a minimum 300 dpi at 5 inches wide. Text should be included in the body of the email, not as an attached document. Also be sure to include one or more pieces of contact information, so we can let you know if you’re going to be in the book.

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64 Comments

  1. July 24th, 2009 / 4:07 pm inked—

      Getting “Hyper Publishing” in 96 pt Gothic font across my rippling abs this wknd. Will send photo once healed.

  2. July 24th, 2009 / 12:07 pm inked—

      Getting “Hyper Publishing” in 96 pt Gothic font across my rippling abs this wknd. Will send photo once healed.

  3. July 24th, 2009 / 6:50 pm Bloomsbury Ink—

      I got a tat with
      the words of
      a third-rate poet.
      I’d wish for removal
      but that’s just
      stupid.

  4. July 24th, 2009 / 2:50 pm Bloomsbury Ink—

      I got a tat with
      the words of
      a third-rate poet.
      I’d wish for removal
      but that’s just
      stupid.

  5. July 24th, 2009 / 8:21 pm Elisa—
  6. July 24th, 2009 / 4:21 pm Elisa—
  7. July 24th, 2009 / 8:32 pm Matt—

      Hey, this is an awesome idea. I don’t think it’s necessary, but it’d also be cool (and a nice courtesy) to include the name of the tattoo artist who did the tattoo, especially when the tattoo is his or her original design.

  8. July 24th, 2009 / 4:32 pm Matt—

      Hey, this is an awesome idea. I don’t think it’s necessary, but it’d also be cool (and a nice courtesy) to include the name of the tattoo artist who did the tattoo, especially when the tattoo is his or her original design.

  9. July 24th, 2009 / 10:19 pm Bloombury Ink—

      Is this going to be mostly a sad book? I guess these tattoos can be funny, whimsical, profound (maybe), serious, etc. But there is something truly sad about the above tattoo. Not because of what she’s done. But because of what she’s done with a Bukowski quote. Tattooed for life with the words of poet a person might mistakenly believe important during very early second semester sophomore year. You get into him right after you give up on Kerouac, but while you’re still listening to Bob Marley.

  10. July 24th, 2009 / 6:19 pm Bloombury Ink—

      Is this going to be mostly a sad book? I guess these tattoos can be funny, whimsical, profound (maybe), serious, etc. But there is something truly sad about the above tattoo. Not because of what she’s done. But because of what she’s done with a Bukowski quote. Tattooed for life with the words of poet a person might mistakenly believe important during very early second semester sophomore year. You get into him right after you give up on Kerouac, but while you’re still listening to Bob Marley.

  11. July 24th, 2009 / 10:37 pm Justin Taylor—

      Matt, that’s a great idea.

  12. July 24th, 2009 / 6:37 pm Justin Taylor—

      Matt, that’s a great idea.

  13. July 25th, 2009 / 12:38 am Nathan (Nate) Tyree—

      How long are submissions being taken? I’m about to get a lit tatt, but it will need time to heal; unless you want to see it bloody…

  14. July 24th, 2009 / 8:38 pm Nathan (Nate) Tyree—

      How long are submissions being taken? I’m about to get a lit tatt, but it will need time to heal; unless you want to see it bloody…

  15. July 25th, 2009 / 8:35 am vh1—

      Is this going to be mostly a ‘sad book?’ I guess these tattoos can be ‘funny,’ ‘whimsical,’ ‘profound’ (‘maybe’), serious, etc. But there is something truly ‘sad’ about the above ‘tattoo.’ Not because of what she’s ‘done.’ But because of what she’s done with a ‘Bukowski’ quote. Tattooed for ‘life’ with the words of ‘poet’ a ‘person’ might mistakenly believe ‘important during very early second semester sophomore year.’ You ‘get into’ him right after you give up on ‘Kerouac,’ but while you’re still ‘listening’ to ‘Bob Marley.’

  16. July 25th, 2009 / 4:35 am vh1—

      Is this going to be mostly a ‘sad book?’ I guess these tattoos can be ‘funny,’ ‘whimsical,’ ‘profound’ (‘maybe’), serious, etc. But there is something truly ‘sad’ about the above ‘tattoo.’ Not because of what she’s ‘done.’ But because of what she’s done with a ‘Bukowski’ quote. Tattooed for ‘life’ with the words of ‘poet’ a ‘person’ might mistakenly believe ‘important during very early second semester sophomore year.’ You ‘get into’ him right after you give up on ‘Kerouac,’ but while you’re still ‘listening’ to ‘Bob Marley.’

  17. July 25th, 2009 / 1:22 pm Eva Talmadge—

      We’re hoping to finish the first round of submissions on September 1st, but we’ll probably be open to more work after that, depending on the quality and quantity of the first batch.

      Artist credits would be nice, especially for portraits or illustrations.

      Bloomsbury: I don’t think the book is going to be mostly sad. Most of the literary tattoos I’ve seen aren’t. (But then again, they don’t have breasts in them, either.) See above re: how its meaning has evolved over time.

  18. July 25th, 2009 / 9:22 am Eva Talmadge—

      We’re hoping to finish the first round of submissions on September 1st, but we’ll probably be open to more work after that, depending on the quality and quantity of the first batch.

      Artist credits would be nice, especially for portraits or illustrations.

      Bloomsbury: I don’t think the book is going to be mostly sad. Most of the literary tattoos I’ve seen aren’t. (But then again, they don’t have breasts in them, either.) See above re: how its meaning has evolved over time.

  19. July 25th, 2009 / 12:44 pm Ashes « Nathan Tyree’s Weblog—

      […] I’m going to submit to a book of literary tattoos. Info can be found at HTML Giant. […]

  20. July 25th, 2009 / 6:08 pm anthony l—

      that’s it. i’m finally going to pull the trigger on the “everything was beautiful and nothing hurt” tattoo i’ve thought about for years.

  21. July 25th, 2009 / 2:08 pm anthony l—

      that’s it. i’m finally going to pull the trigger on the “everything was beautiful and nothing hurt” tattoo i’ve thought about for years.

  22. July 26th, 2009 / 1:12 am Nathan (Nate) Tyree—

      I think that one’s been done.

      Why not try “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times”? That’s fresh.

  23. July 25th, 2009 / 9:12 pm Nathan (Nate) Tyree—

      I think that one’s been done.

      Why not try “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times”? That’s fresh.

  24. July 27th, 2009 / 7:45 pm BME: Tattoo, Piercing and Body Modification News » ModBlog » Full Coverage: Links From All Over (July 27, 2009)—

      […] [HTMLGIANT] Well, after last week’s sober discussion of policy and legalities and whatnot, we’ve got some comparatively light fare to kick off our illustrious news week this time around. First things first, looks like a few of those bookish types over at HTMLGIANT are putting together a book project of literary tattoos, which is the sort of thing we may have clowned in the past (seeing as there’s no shortage of one-joke cash-grabs centered around stolen tattoo photos), but these folks seem to have the right idea: Submissions are open to all kinds of literary tattoo work: quotations from your favorite writer, opening lines of novels, lines of verse, literary portraits or illustrations. From Shakespeare to Bukowski to The Little Prince in a Baobab tree, if it’s a literary tattoo and its on your body, we want to see it. […]

  25. July 30th, 2009 / 12:49 pm cordelia—

      hey sounds like a great idea; I just sent some photos of my tattoo…. on a practical note, artists should definitely be credited; it might not be a question of legality and copyright issues, but it is definitely an issue of professional ethics— if the book promotes artist´s work, great, if the book uses artist´s work without giving credit where credit is due, not so great, and you run the risk of pissing off a lot of talented and hardworking people in the industry ( probably be your main buyers) who are very interested in knowing the ” authors” of featured tattoos. much luck!

  26. July 30th, 2009 / 8:49 am cordelia—

      hey sounds like a great idea; I just sent some photos of my tattoo…. on a practical note, artists should definitely be credited; it might not be a question of legality and copyright issues, but it is definitely an issue of professional ethics— if the book promotes artist´s work, great, if the book uses artist´s work without giving credit where credit is due, not so great, and you run the risk of pissing off a lot of talented and hardworking people in the industry ( probably be your main buyers) who are very interested in knowing the ” authors” of featured tattoos. much luck!

  27. August 1st, 2009 / 10:10 am Literary Tattoo Photo Book: Call for Submissions—

      […] HTML Giant (the internet literature magazine blog of the future): CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! We are seeking high […]

  28. August 3rd, 2009 / 3:35 pm Anna—

      FYI: There is already a website that has been doing this for a while.

      <a href=http://www.contrariwise.org/

  29. August 3rd, 2009 / 11:35 am Anna—

      FYI: There is already a website that has been doing this for a while.

      <a href=http://www.contrariwise.org/

  30. August 3rd, 2009 / 3:36 pm Anna—
  31. August 3rd, 2009 / 11:36 am Anna—
  32. August 4th, 2009 / 12:36 am Have a Literary Tattoo? Want to Be in a Book? | Faster Books—

      […] Taylor and Eva Talmadge are looking for tats of Tolstoy, portraits of Poe, inks of Iriving and marks of Morrison for a new anthology. Send […]

  33. August 5th, 2009 / 5:23 pm Portes un tatuatge relacionat amb la literatura i vols sortir en un llibre? | Diari d’un llibre vell—

      […] Si és així, això t’interessa: Hey, want to be in a book? … Get in the chair. […]

  34. August 5th, 2009 / 9:35 pm The intersection of tattoos and literature | Brad’s Reader—

      […] to this LA Times Book Blog article, Justin Taylor and Eva Talmadge from HTMLGiant are asking for submissions from anyone with a literary-related tattoo on his/her body: We are seeking high quality photographs […]

  35. August 11th, 2009 / 10:18 pm Literary Tattoos « Another Lost Shark—

      […] HTML Giant’s, Justin Taylor and Eva Talmadge are putting together a book featuring images of literary tattoos… so as they say, if you want to be in the book, get in the chair. […]

  36. August 11th, 2009 / 10:30 pm HTMLGIANT—

      […] Justin Taylor and Eva Talmadge should solicit Lady Gaga for their tattoo anthology project? Tags: Lady […]

  37. August 14th, 2009 / 3:33 am Friday Finds: August 14th | BOOK CLUB CLASSICS!—

      […] Literary tattoos […]

  38. August 14th, 2009 / 10:17 am Maulnet—

      http://spyhistory.ru – Я думаю, что Вы допускаете ошибку. Пишите мне в PM, поговорим.

  39. August 14th, 2009 / 6:17 am Maulnet—

      http://spyhistory.ru – Я думаю, что Вы допускаете ошибку. Пишите мне в PM, поговорим.

  40. August 25th, 2009 / 6:31 am Show-and-tell Skin: Anthology Seeks Literary Tattoos – American Short Fiction blog—

      […] Editors also would like to get high-quality, clear digital images of the work (tattoolit [at] gmail.com) and a paragraph’s worth of the history and meaning behind your ink. For more info, see the call. […]

  41. September 25th, 2009 / 5:10 pm HTMLGIANT / Creative Writing 101—

      […] powerful piece of writing. It’s a story called “Babalu-Aye,” by my friend and co-conspirator (and Padgett’s former student) Eva Talmadge, published in New York Tyrant #4 and as-yet […]

  42. October 1st, 2009 / 8:18 am S—

      when is the deadline for submissions?

  43. October 1st, 2009 / 4:18 am S—

      when is the deadline for submissions?

  44. October 4th, 2009 / 3:34 am Carrie—

      Hi Eva! You emailed me about my open book tattoo on the small of my back. I’d be happy to collaborate. The (very talented) guy who designed this is a graphics arts designer by the name of George Brix. So if you do some sort of blurb by each picture, please make sure he gets the credit for the design.

  45. October 3rd, 2009 / 11:34 pm Carrie—

      Hi Eva! You emailed me about my open book tattoo on the small of my back. I’d be happy to collaborate. The (very talented) guy who designed this is a graphics arts designer by the name of George Brix. So if you do some sort of blurb by each picture, please make sure he gets the credit for the design.

  46. October 7th, 2009 / 3:34 pm Nate—
  47. October 7th, 2009 / 11:34 am Nate—
  48. October 10th, 2009 / 10:05 pm Eva—

      We don’t have a firm deadline yet, but it’s looking like March 2010 at the latest. So send us your best high-res photos soon!

  49. October 10th, 2009 / 6:05 pm Eva—

      We don’t have a firm deadline yet, but it’s looking like March 2010 at the latest. So send us your best high-res photos soon!

  50. October 19th, 2009 / 5:44 am Travis Jhue—

      Do you get a free copy if you are involved in this project? I have a pretty sweet Bukowski portrait, just no cash.

  51. October 19th, 2009 / 1:44 am Travis Jhue—

      Do you get a free copy if you are involved in this project? I have a pretty sweet Bukowski portrait, just no cash.

  52. November 18th, 2009 / 12:27 pm HTMLGIANT / We (still) Want Your Literary Tattoos!—

      […] of you may remember that back in July, I posted a call for submissions to a book of photographs of literary tattoos. The book, The Word Made Flesh: Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide (edited by Eva Talmadge […]

  53. January 15th, 2010 / 4:19 pm HTMLGIANT / Absolute LAST Call for Submissions to “The Word Made Flesh: Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide”—

      […] Talmadge and I announced that we were putting together a photo-anthology of literary tattoos–in a post I made from Hong Kong to this blog, on 7/24/09–we have been overwhelmed and elated by the response. Photos have come in from all over the […]

  54. August 2nd, 2010 / 9:58 am HTMLGIANT / The Word Made Flesh Mobilizes on Multiple Fronts—

      […] about one year to the day (7/24/09) from when the idea was launched from this very blog, The Word Made Flesh: Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide is an imminent reality. The […]

  55. August 24th, 2010 / 10:09 pm susan—

      Eva, this comment isn’t so relevant to what your discussing here but I gotta tell ya’ I just read your story, “Northerners” in the New Orleans Review and it’s some of the best prose I’ve read in years. wow.
      i wish i had a tatoo.

      thanks from nola

  56. August 24th, 2010 / 11:19 pm ael—

      I like this comment. Eva’s a great writer and from what I’ve seen puts a ton of work into what she does.

  57. August 25th, 2010 / 2:09 am susan—

      Eva, this comment isn’t so relevant to what your discussing here but I gotta tell ya’ I just read your story, “Northerners” in the New Orleans Review and it’s some of the best prose I’ve read in years. wow.
      i wish i had a tatoo.

      thanks from nola

  58. August 25th, 2010 / 3:19 am ael—

      I like this comment. Eva’s a great writer and from what I’ve seen puts a ton of work into what she does.

  59. September 10th, 2010 / 10:32 am Tatuajes literarios que vuelven a ser libro | Hablando del asunto 3.0—

      […] a un par de investigadores se les ocurrió hacer un libro exactamente sobre ese tema. Lanzaron una convocatoria desde su blog y recopilaron multitud de testimonios que editaron en forma de libro. Pero no se quedaron ahí, […]

  60. October 12th, 2010 / 2:30 pm The Word Made Flesh is officially out TODAY | HTMLGIANT—

      […] guess what? Fourteen months after first announcing our project on this site, The Word Made Flesh: Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide is as real as a needle driving ink […]

  61. December 2nd, 2010 / 3:12 pm In case the first tattoo book wasn’t enough for you, here’s your second chance. | HTMLGIANT—

      […] CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! As with THE WORD MADE FLESH, edited by Justin Taylor and yours truly and launched from this very blog last summer, here’s another announcement for a tattoo book. This time around we (the royal we; I’m […]

  62. August 8th, 2011 / 5:39 pm got ink? « EraserGirl—

      […] point I am considering previously discarded options. any suggestions are welcomeworth reading • There is a call for submissions of Literary Tattoos by Eva Talmadge and Justin Taylor for an upcoming […]

  63. October 5th, 2011 / 2:32 pm Nicolaev Ruslan—
  64. March 7th, 2012 / 1:51 am The best HTMLGIANT posts as chosen by you the readers of HTMLGIANT or at least some of you | HTMLGIANT—

      […] Justin Taylor: Hey, want to be in a book? … Get in the chair. […]