Murderpie

Flora woodcut print reproduced in Murderpie, a chapbook written by Robert Lowry, published by their struggling Little Man Press, Cincinnati, 1939. Many Little Man publications featured bizarre, meticulous cuts by Flora, but none of the original blocks are known to exist. This is one of the few extant signed LMP-era prints.

From Lowry's text:

I WILL HAVE TO BAM THEM NOW, he said.

He began to push them down with his two hands. He pushed them all down to the floor. He pushed them down with his two hands. Some little squashy ones he shook. He shook big greasy ones with moonbeam smiles. His little knife was gone because no one was left to care whether anyone was alive or anything. The whole room was packed full of bones and shanks and broken wishbones. And some of the blood and gore was trying to get away out of the door. He closed up everything.

The Day the Cow Sneezed

For years we've attempted to interest publishers in reprinting Jim Flora's 17 popular children's books. At the top of our wish-list were four titles: The Fabulous Firework Family (1955); The Day the Cow Sneezed (1957); Charlie Yup and His Snip-Snap Boys (1959); and Grampa's Ghost Stories (1978). We consider these the top-tier Flora kiddie books on an artistic level—with The Day the Cow Sneezed the most outlandish of the quartet.

We've had inquiries, offers, meetings, draft agreements, proposals—and subsequent turndowns from six or seven publishers (we've lost count). Reasons vary, but they never seem to have much to do with the quality of the books. They are business decisions, which we're in no position to second-guess.

Patience has paid off, as we recently signed with Enchanted Lion Books to reprint Cow Sneezed in Fall 2010. Publisher Claudia Zoe Bedrick is a Floraphile, and depending on the success of the first reprint, she hopes to continue republishing two Flora titles a year. There is even the possibility of printing Grampa's Ghost Stories, a two-color format work which contains some of Flora's most bizarre figures—in an all-new full-color edition.

Detail, The Day the Cow Sneezed

"the rumors were greatly exaggerated"

James Flora was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, on this date in 1914. Legend has it he passed away on July 9, 1998. However, some refuse to acknowledge his departure. We see evidence of Flora's presence every day, so perhaps they're onto something.

Flora 2010 calendars

We've sold a bunch but they're still in stock: 2010 Jim Flora calendars. The spunky hyperactive figures date from Flora's mid-1950s RCA Victor LP period. Each calendar is letterpress printed one color at a time on card stock, and accessorized with a 12-month tearaway calendar. Buy one ($12.50) or a set of three at the Little Shop of Flora's. These keepsake datekeepers were produced by Yee-Haw Industries, of Knoxville.