Mission
In my work, I try to make the world a better place in any small way that I can. In my books, I hope to either provide helpful information (as in The Natural Remedies for Common Ailments Handbook and Natural Asthma and Allergy Management) or inspire the reader (Planet Dreams; The Last Good Fairy). My first three books were conventional soft covers. My most recent title, The Last Good Fairy, an award-winning hardcover, combined my love of literature with my love of art. My next two titles, scheduled for publication in 2012, will be The Listener, a fairy tale for adults, and Altar of Fire, a linked collection of stories that take place in a community that endures a devastating wildfire.
In my art pieces, which are abstract rather than representational, I put together works that I hope will intrigue and create a feeling of harmony in the viewer. Most of them are meant to be touched; I love appealing tactile surfaces, and it tickles me to break the taboo against touching art. My background in carpentry strongly influences my choice of materials, and in fact, some of the art that I do is custom finish work. I do primarily commissions, though I had my first show in the fall of 2010. A future series will involve leaded glass panels set inside found window frames, using found objects as well as glass. I’m planning a series of triptychs as well.
The Hot Air Quarterly, the brain child of Bill Siemer, and co-edited and published by myself and Jim Dowling for the past few years, published its last regular issue in the Fall of 2011. Before closing, we had the privilege of publishing - and showcasing on our covers - some of our favorite writers, poets, and artists, from close to home to overseas. Back issues are available in pdf format. Email me at keswickhouse@earthlink.net if you’d like me to send you any copies. If anyone reading this submitted work to Hot Air and has not received a response, I apologize profusely and hope to catch up with the backlog sometime in the next year.
“Pluton with a View” started as a way to update friends and families on the wildfire situation during the summer or 2008, but, my muse having taken a break on my novel at the time, I enjoyed the free-wheeling spontaneity it afforded me to write on any subject I liked, no matter how personal or formal. My muse returned so that I was able to finish that novel, The Listener, and I am now working on a new novel, working title yet to be determined. Both of these works contain elements of fantasy set within the world as we know it (folk and fairy tale-type fantasy, with soupçon of science), one of my favorite devices in the fiction I read. This is good news for me, but not necessarily for anyone who enjoyed my blog. I am retaining some of the most popular posts as well as some of my favorites for the archives. And I will post news and events and the occasional article.
I’m exploring my options for self-publishing The Listener (including e-readers) and a collection of linked short stories that take place during a devastating wildfire, Altar of Fire, and will post information about these titles as events proceed. If any patrons of the arts or benefactors are reading this and want to help finance a fine collectible edition of either or both of these titles, please contact me. I will also be exploring the option of offering both decorated and undecorated copies of The Last Good Fairy on Etsy so that interested buyers can use PayPal for their purchase. I may also be publishing a limited edition of softcovers of both The Listener and Altar of Fire. If you’re interested, and would like me to reserve a copy of either title for you, please drop me a note, again, at keswickhouse@earthlink.net.
The copyright to all original (that is, created by me) content and images on this website belongs to Celeste White. I’m happy to share; please write me at keswickhouse@earthlink.net for permission if you’d like to use anything.
About Us
This website is part of the evolving entity of Keswick House, founded in 1994 by author and artist Celeste White. It began as a publisher of books, which continues today, but it has sprouted a few new branches over time: Keswick House Studio, which produces found object and assemblage art as well as the occasional public and/or interactive art project; The Hot Air Quarterly, which Celeste co-founded with author and poet Bill Siemer and co-edited with author/editor Jim Dowling (the Fall 2011 issue was the last regular issue; and “Pluton with a View,” a blog. “Pluton with a View” ranges from the personal to the informative (especially in the areas of health, psychology, and biology), and is currently on the back burner.
