Carolyn Porter | Carolyn Porter: Blog
Learn more about the book "Marcel's Letters" and the font P22 Marcel Script, which is based on the handwriting of conscripted WWII laborer Marcel Heuzé
Carolyn Porter, Marcel Heuzé, Marcel's Letters, Graphic Design, Font Design, P22 Marcel Script
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March 9, 2019

“What’s the name of your new dog?”

I’ve met with enough book clubs to anticipate the questions readers have about Marcel’s Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate. One question that has come up time and time again is, “what’s the name of your new dog?”

A woman at a book club in Stillwater has been the only one to ask the harder question: “why didn’t you tell us his name?” The book included so much detail, she explained, the absence of his name seemed unusual. She didn’t believe it was an oversight. When I learned the woman was a judge, her question made more sense. She may often ponder motives behind people’s actions.

So, I thought it was time to tell you why I didn’t include Watson’s name in the book.READ MORE

January 28, 2019

Marcel’s Letters is now being distributed by Simon & Schuster

I will confess I don’t know the in’s and out’s of book sales/distribution. But I learned that as of January 1, the distribution of Skyhorse Publishing’s catalog, including Marcel’s Letters, changed from Perseus to Simon & Schuster and inventory was transferred to Simon & Schuster’s warehouse.

It isn’t clear how this change was communicated to booksellers, and I’ve heard rumblings there is a perception the book is unavailable. If you are a bookseller and are experiencing issues finding the book, please let me know!

December 31, 2018

A year-end note of gratitude

Between attending twenty book clubs, giving two dozen public and private presentations on the font and French forced labor, reuniting with my Kindergarten teacher (she’s wearing a black turtleneck in the photo collage below), being on live television and radio, driving more than 2,500 miles to meet readers, participating in a book festival and an author fashion show (who me?!), hearing from a reader who knew Marcel, having the book come out in softcover, and returning to Paris to spend a day with Marcel’s family, 2018 has been a whirlwind of a year.READ MORE

December 17, 2018

December 17, 1943: “Seven more days of shopping until Xmas”

Four page handwritten letter, written December 17, 1943

Friday, December 17, 1943

Dear Maggie, 

There is still very little to write about and we’re all getting a little bit tired of this riding but guess we’ll make out all right. I won’t be able to mail this for some time yet but am writing anyway. Will send you a number of letters in one envelope as I did the last letter I sent. I’m going to try to send a wire soon so stand by. READ MORE

December 12, 2018

A Return to Paris and Promises Kept

W A R N I N G :  B O O K  S P O I L E R S  A H E A D

Last year at the Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI) conference in Montreal (watch my talk here), I learned ATypI’s 2018 conference would be held in Antwerp, Belgium. After realizing Antwerp was an easy two-hour train ride from Paris, I realized I had found the perfect excuse to return to the City of Lights.

READ MORE

December 10, 2018

Page 29: The pioneer journal of Eliza Steele

Faux pioneer journal from 1860 by Eliza Steele showing what she saw as she crossed the prairie.

 

As part of the ongoing collection of images showing moments or items mentioned in the book, Marcel’s Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate, here is the faux journal mentioned on page 29.READ MORE