We at Chin Music Press like well-made things. Whether they be clean, usable websites, "literary objects," encapsulated macrobiotic essences or overpackaged silver bullets of caffeine, it is a shared, if somewhat obsessive, attention to detail that unites our motley crew. It also attracts other kindred spirits to explore the full extent of the CMP universe.

Recently I, the lowly intern, was given the task of making a shelf-talker for some bookstores that have shown a great outpouring of support to our little press. When I presented the higher-ups with my little paper sculpture, they were quite impressed. So in an effort to document our unprecedented and unexpected take-over of the publishing world, Bruce has asked me to blog about my own hobby and obsession — paper art.

This new series in Adventures in Publishing will take you to the bleak, lamp-lit sanctuary of Franciscan illuminators to the folk art of Japan and China. We will trudge through the realm of novelty and really just stay there. Basically I'll show you how to make books, origami, shelf-talkers and other forms of paper art while pontificating on seemingly disparate topics laced with obscure references.

You can think of me as sub-inspector Gaff, you won't understand everything I have to say and you may not even like me, but you just might find your unicorn.

Who knows, you might just become become a well-known paper artist (dum dum) and I might just be able to hold-off the onset of this "paperless" office that I've heard about for the past decade. Win-win.