Cheap Street

Cheap Street Press was a small publishing company started up and operated by the husband-wife duo, George and Jan O'Nale, in Newcastle, VA. Cheap Street concentrated on publishing "forced-scarcity" or "artificially rare" books - signed, numbered limited edition books of Science Fiction and Fantasy works. Their books were renowed as excellent examples of the book-making arts, having been created with elegant, imported silks and bound in leathers with matching slipcases.

Related Topics:
Newcastle, VA - Limited edition books - Science Fiction - Fantasy

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Their books were typically issued in editions of 50 to 200 copies, and sold for up to $250 each. They approached primarily only authors who they identified for excellence in writing quality.

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George and Jan O'Nale were hermitic in their habits, living in a fairly unpopulated area in the Virginian countryside. They were eccentric and irascible, and were known to suddenly and arbitrarily fall into contention with individuals with which they came in contact.

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In 2002, the O'Nales donated their collection of books and press materials to Tulane University, and then commited suicide in the spring of 2003, citing increasing health problems.

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A sampling of books published by Cheap Street Press:

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• The Girl Who Heard Dragons by Anne McCaffrey
• Red Noise by John Sladek
• At the Double Solstice by Gregory Benford
• Ervool by Fritz Leiber
• The Arimaspian Legacy by Gene Wolfe
• On Saint Hubert's Thing by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
• Flying Saucer Rock and Roll by Howard Waldrop
• Paperjack by Charles de Lint
• The Adventures of Cobble's Rune by Ursula LeGuin
• Torturing Mr. Amberwell by Thomas M. Disch

Other items published by Cheap Street Press:

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• Pamphlet: The Complete Twelve Hours of the Night by "William Ashbless" (William Ashbless is actually a penname for James P. Blaylock & Tim Powers.)
 
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