SAVE ALLISON'S HEDGEHOG!

Allison Dubinsky -- writer, copy editor, Atelerix Books creatrix, and all-around awesome gal extraordinaire -- is raising funds for her adorable hedgehog, Aloysius. "Best in Show" winner at the 2001 Hedgehogs Northwest Show in Tacoma, Washington, Aloysius has cancer and needs our help! Conveniently, we can help by purchasing Allison's handmade blank books, which are really fetching even when they're not assisting adorable hedgehogs. Read Allison's letter and find out how to get a book. Photo by Serena Davidson.

hello friends!

as some of you may know, my hedgehog, aloysius (see photo attached, taken by my friend, photographer serena davidson), has cancer again. he's had several surgeries in the past few years to remove malignant tumors from his nose. now, unfortunately, there are new tumors on his head and on his leg that need to be removed so that he can, i hope, live comfortably for a good while longer. i got aloysius when he was a little hoglet, and he's accompanied me through countless moves and jobs over the past six years. he's not the most sociable creature, but as those of you who've met him know, he's adorable and charming in his own grumpy fashion. in the background of the attached photo you can see the purple ribbons on the wall from when he won Best in Show at the 2001 Hedgehogs Northwest Show in Tacoma, Washington (yes, really): he's a special little hedgehog.

i'm telling you all this because, for the next few months, i'll be putting any and all profits from my handbound books (which i sell under the name "atelerix books," after the latin word for "hedgehog": atelerix albiventris) toward funding aloysius's surgery. the tumor removal will cost over six hundred dollars, which is rather steep, though entirely worth it when considering that it could mean he'll get to live for another year, or even more. i'm hoping funds from selling atelerix books will help offset some of the cost.

soon, i will have an Internet shop set up at Etsy.com (check it out if you've never been there, it's a wealth of handmade fun), but it hasn't happened yet, so, for now, if you or anyone you know is interested in purchasing one of my books, please contact me directly at atelerixbooks@yahoo.com.

oh! but the books, you ask? what are these books i'm pushing on you? well, i find old hardcovers with interesting covers and rebind them into blank journals. the result is an entirely unique, sturdy and durable "stealth" journal or sketchbook. i say "stealth" because no one needs ever know it's a journal. i use blank paper to fill them; sorry, no lined paper. i've attached some photos of previous journals i've made and sold; i can e-mail you current cover choices and i'm also happy to do custom orders. pricing ranges from $15-$30 depending on the size of the book.

in the past i've sold them at Reading Frenzy and Q is for Choir; they always sell out. i've made custom orders for customers in Portland (of course) but also in St. Louis, England, and Japan. which is not to brag but to say: the atelerix books are good books! you will like them. if you live in Portland, you can even come over and dig through my boxes of old hardcovers in search of the perfect one for you (or your mom, or your brother -- you get the idea). if you don't live in Portland, i can e-mail you photos and let you pick which one you want. shipping is extra.

well. thanks for reading this. please forward it on to anyone and everyone you think might be interested. i ask only that you try to direct e-mails to atelerixbooks@yahoo.com. aloysius says thank you, too.

in the meantime:
buy a book! or two! help the hedgie!

from
allison & aloysius