Mark Batty Publisher

New York, NY – May 31, 2011 - Cockroaches usually elicit fear, revulsion, and squishing, but for artist and amateur entomologist Ekaterina Smirnova, they bring inspiration.  An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches will help everyone terrified of their six-legged roommates: through Smirnova’s illustration and explanation, the entire life cycle of the typical cockroach is laid bare. Humorous, informative, and a little disgusting, An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches is a necessary component of every city-dweller’s bookshelf.

The striking red, black, and white pages of An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches provide unusual facts about the most extraordinary insect. Beyond basic information, like descriptions of the different species of roaches, including the chilling ten centimeter Madagascar hissing cockroach, Smirnova tells stories about roaches in space, televised roach races, and even how an enterprising prisoner used roaches to distribute contraband cigarettes between jail cells. “Except for the polar regions, a cockroach has a visa for all continents,” Smirova informs us as she explains the history of the ubiquitous insect.

For Smirnova, An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches started as an experiment to see whether she could make the most disgusting thing she could think of visually pleasing. Before she knew it, the bugs had totally absorbed her, to the point where she was studying them under a microscope while eating dinner. An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches is a study of the power of graphic design, and Smirnova succeeds in bringing cockroaches—already in our homes—into our hearts with her adorable and fun illustrations.

Ekaterina Smirnova (http://www.katapostrophe.com) is an artist and graphic designer from Novosibirsk, Russia. The first solo show of her watercolors will be in July 2011, and she has shown in numerous group shows, including the Central New York Watercolor Society Spring Signature Show, the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 100th Annual Juried Show, and the Northeast Watercolor Society Annual Members Exhibition.

Mark Batty Publisher is an independent publisher dedicated to making distinctive books on the visual art of communicating, showcasing the visual power and innovation of contemporary culture in all of its varied poses. Today, the visual comes at us from more places than ever, and its dissemination is faster and more advanced every year. Books from Mark Batty Publisher capture this acceleration on the pages of every book. Affordable, well designed, thoughtfully created, and produced to last, MBP books are artful products that readers want to hold onto forever.

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An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches
Ekaterina Smirnova
Pub Date: June 2011
Page Count: 96
Size: 5 x 7 inches
Format: Hardcover
Price: $17.95
ISBN: 978-1-935613-18-3

For a review copy, more information, or to schedule an interview with the author, contact Kate Abbey-Lambertz at 718.314.8000 or kate@markbattypublisher.com.

Join us on Wednesday, July 13 from 6-9pm, for the release of The Book of Ice by Paul D. Miller a.k.a. DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid. This FREE event will be held at Eyebeam on 540 West 21 Street, between 10th and 11th Ave.  We’re going to be celebrating with Paul and  The Telos Ensemble, who will be playing compositions inspired by his time spent in Antarctica. There will be Antarctic-themed giveaways and Paul will be signing copies of The Book of Ice.

It wouldn’t be a party without some extra special guests, including  350.org’s Bill Mckibben; the Green Patriot Posters Project’s Edward Morris; and the Small Planet Institute’s Anna Lappe. Drinks from MERCY and a huge afterparty with Evolver Magazine are the icing on the cake.

To find out more about DJ Spooky visit DJSpooky.com, and make sure to share this event with your friends on Facebook!

And even more book party madness on Thursday! Join MBP and Ekaterina Smirnova, author of An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches, on July 14 from 6-8pm. The book release party for her newest book will be at the Chashama Gallery on 217 East 42nd street (between 2nd and 3nd Ave).  Smirnova will be signing books, teaching guest how to make their own roach traps, and leading a “roach” race. If you want more information on Ekaterinas’ upcoming projects please visit Katapostrophe.com.

Our good friends at Seven Stories Institute and Fractious Press are pretty incredible–ten days ago they opened Word Up, a pop bookshop in Washington Heights, where there hasn’t been a general-interest, multi-language bookstore in more than a generation.

There are excellent books on sale and a great line-up of events, including two from MBP, tonight and tomorrow! If you can’t make it this week, make sure to check out Word Up before it closes on July 14.

TONIGHT, June 27, 6pm:

Ekaterina Smirnova, an artist and graphic designer, will present a hands-on bookmaking workshop for kids. In An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches, she uses her design expertise to illustrate a funny, informative, and heartfelt story about New Yorkers’ least-favorite pest. In the workshop, Ekaterina will show kids how to make books out of ordinary materials that with a little imagination can become extraordinary.

TOMORROW, June 28, 7pm:

MBP managing editor Buzz Poole and designer/production director Christopher Salyers are teaming up with Charles Day, director of digital marketing and publicity at Melville House, to answer any and all questions about publishing. They’ll share their insight about all aspects of the publishing process, essential whether you’re a published author, aspiring novelist, publishing job seeker, or simply a book lover.

Word Up
A Community Bookshop
4157 Broadway @ 176 Street, Washington Heights, NYC
June 17–July 14, 2011
Hours: Weekdays 4-9pm / Weekends 12-4pm