The Canon of Aphrodisia Four Volumes

Portola Valley, CA: First Bite Press, 2023. Hardcover. Fine. Hardcover. Number 9 of 25 deluxe copies of this four volume collection. There were also 100 copies printed for the standard edition. First Bite Press was founded by Stephanie K. Dolin to produce fine press books with original erotic and romantic writing. Dolin writes on her press website: "First Bite Press publishes limited edition books in a genre of fiction that is currently not being produced by fine press printers. Romance novels, including those with "steamy" scenes, are the highest grossing genre in fiction. illustrators. Beautiful, high-quality, hand made books to showcase the author's stories are rare. As a result, what we often lack in fine press books is the fun and exciting exploration of the human condition and imagination through intimate experiences. It seems a natural fit for the tactile experience of reading a handmade book. After a successful career in the legal technology field, Dolin turned her attention to learning the skills necessary to publish, design, and produce limited edition books. With her work at First Bite Press, she wants to create beautiful books where all of the components of a book from the content to the sewing of the bindings, coalesces into a pleasurable, thoughtful experience for the reader."

Each of the four volumes in this beautiful and intriguing set has a different title and three stories taken from classic fairy tales and literature. In their introduction the authors write: "Unlike much erotic or fan fiction that concludes with happily ever after, in these stories we let classic horror, fantasy, noir, fable, tragedy, sci-fi, fairy tales...maintain their organic integrity." Thus the stories include their versions of The Time Machine, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein, Wendy and Peter Pan, Cinderella, Tom Sawyer, and Pygmalion among others. Volume I is titled "The Dark Deed;" Volume II is titled "Manners & Merrymaking;" Volume III is 'The Upper Hand;" Volume IV is "The Mortal Transcends." This deluxe set includes the four volumes each with a hand painted frontispiece, different colored leather spine, leather headbands, and decorative stamping and titling on their brown covers. The collection is housed in an elegant green cloth covered telescoping box with an acrylic window to show the spines. Details include handmarbled papers and a portfolio of five hand printed erotic illustrations that is not included in the standard edition. Printed on Rives Lightweight paper using Perpetua and Joanna Typefaces. In fine condition. Volumes measure 3.5 x 6.25 inches. Volumes I-III each have 77 pages; Volume IV has 91 pages. PRI/031524.