UPDATE: We have a winner! Thanks for playing, everybody!
Hi everybody! I made an art project, and now I’m going to give it away to you. Well, to one of you.
Behold the totally unique, one-of-a-kind, handmade, extra-illustrated edition of Girl Waits with Gun , created to celebrate the publication of the sequel, Lady Cop Makes Trouble. I will pause a moment and let you enjoy the pictures.
Cool, huh? If you’d like to know more about what, exactly, an extra-illustrated book is, or see a list of what I’ve included in this particular extra-illustrated book, scroll down and you can read all about it.
We have chosen a winner–this contest is over.
So what, exactly, is an extra-illustrated book? I wrote a piece for Lithub explaining it. Feel free to go read that and come back here–we’ll wait. Basically, it’s a book that someone has added a bunch of extra stuff to, making it a one-of-a-kind, scrapbook-like, entirely unique edition of a book.
Got it? OK. I’ve created an extra-illustrated edition of GIRL WAITS WITH GUN, and I’m giving it away to one lucky winner. Although almost all of what I’ve added to this copy is a reproduction, there are many authentic touches: I printed on hundred year-old paper when I could, and used actual newsprint for the newspaper articles.
Here’s what my extra-illustrated edition includes.
A first edition of GIRL WAITS WITH GUN with a mylar cover on the dustjacket. Bound into it are:
Front endpaper: A Constance A. Kopp bookplate in the style of the era.
Facing title page: A tipped-in full page with a reproduction of an actual newspaper illustration depicting real-life events in the novel.
p. 37: A tipped-in photograph of a silk dyeing factory in Paterson much like Henry Kaufman’s. This image provided much of the inspiration for the scenes that took place in Kaufman’s factory.
p. 39: A re-creation of Henry Kaufman’s business card, based on his directory listing in the Paterson directory at that time. The names D.K. Garfinkel and M. Garfinkel appeared in his listing and provided the inspiration for the fictional character of Marion Garfinkel.
p. 57: Reproduction of a real newspaper clipping about the filming of a train vs. automobile crash for a safety film. The filming really took place; Constance and Fleurette’s attendance at the filming is fictional.
p. 77: Reproduction of a Singer Sewing Machine trade card featuring the Brooklyn Bridge. The Singer Man (Eugene Malherbe) was a real person who really did sell Singer sewing machines and might have carried these cards.
p. 94, facing page: A tipped-in page with photographs of Sheriff Robert Heath and Constance Kopp.
p. 196: Photograph of Constance and Fleurette Kopp.
p. 239: Reproduction (typed on period typewriter, with vintage paper from the era) of actual threatening letter sent by Henry Kaufman.
p. 259: Reproduction of “Girl Waits with Gun” newspaper clipping
p. 261: Reproduction of newspaper headline
p. 380: Vintage postcard (1907) from Continental Hotel in Newark. The Henry who signed the postcard is not Henry Kaufman—as far as I know—it’s just a weird coincidence. I don’t know if the Kopps actually stayed in this hotel, but it is close to the courthouse, so it’s a good guess.
p. 383: Reproduction of Sparks Circus ticket. The owner of the Continental Hotel, Louis E. Cooke, really was a retired circus agent.
p. 389: Reproduction of “Kopp Sisters Tell of Death Threats” newspaper article.
p. 403: Reproduction of “Harry Kauffman Fined $1000” newspaper article.
Rear endpapers: Reproduction of letter written by Constance Kopp to Deputy Morris thanking him for his help with the case.