Performance art? Novel? Chapter two is on Bob's left thigh and chapter three is on Alice's right shoulder blade. Author of the much acclaimed hypertext novel Patchwork Girl Shelly Jackson is in the progress of a new effort, a short story named 'Skin', the catch here is that volunteers are needed to complete the work. These volunteers must tattoo one word and punctuation marked chosen by the author on their body, take a picture, sign and send to Jackson.
"I was always fascinated by the idea of alternative publications and not many authors have ever attempted alternative ways of publishing," Jackson said. "Publishers are not interested in conceptual art."
Author Neal Pollack, who has mastered publicity stunts with his literature, agrees.
"One doesn't do something like Shelley did to get noticed," said Pollack, whose first book tour mocked literary conventions with readings at train stations and baseball stadiums. On his last tour, Pollack peddled his work through live punk rock shows.
I know what your thinking, its hard enough carrying a hardcover book on the bus to work let alone hundreds of tattooed strangers (ponders Braille edition....), but I'm sure that Ms. Jackson will offer the project via her homepage or some other cyber source and when its finished I'll be one of the first to be reading it.
