PRINTING IS THE FINAL ACT

A photograph can live its whole life on a computer screen, but it doesn't truly arrive until it is printed.

I recently had several of my images printed by Gak Stonn's Taos Print and Photography Services, and the results are incredible. The tones feel intentional. The blacks don't collapse into mud, and the highlights are not brittle. It is the kind of print that makes you step closer, then step back again, just to see if it is really doing what your eyes think it is doing. Don't worry, it is.

It made me think about how important printing is to the art of photography. Printing matters as much as technique and eye.

If you buy a print from me, Gak will be the artist behind the printing. That matters, because he isn't just running jobs through a machine. He understands that a print isn't just a copy. It is the final form of the photograph. The finished piece. The final image that you will live with.

Taos Print emphasises that they use only archival surfaces including fine papers, canvas, and metal. They also note that they use custom ICC profiles for their printers and media to achieve a very wide color gamut, which is exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes-photography-geek-magic that makes a print feel alive instead of close enough.

What all of this means for my customers:

• Better color accuracy and tonal depth

• Materials designed to last

• Prints that look like art, not a poster that is pretending

So going forward, when you order a print from Jennifer Cartright Photography, you are getting:

• One of my images

• Printed by Gak

• Using archival processing and high-quality materials

If you are interested in ordering one of my images, just shoot me an email or give me a call and we will choose the size and surface that fits your space best. Then Gak and I will make sure the final piece lands exactly how it is meant to.

Email - auxarczen@gmail.com Phone (417) 793-6659

Here is a link to Gak's site. I promise you will be in good hands.

https://taosprint.com/

WHAT WE DO AT PRAIRIE WISE: AND WHY BOOK COVERS ARE OUR FAVORITE

Parie Wise logo

Prairie Wise is a design studio for authors, musicians, small businesses and creative people building something. We are for that moment when the work is finished, or almost finished and you need it to look intentional, professional, and unmistakably you.

EVERYTHING WE OFFER

Brand Identity & Logos

• Logo design

• Brand marks and submarks

• Typography pairing

• Color palette development

• Brand style guides to remain consistent

Web & Visual Presence

• Website design support

• Graphics for banners, headers, and promos

• Aesthetic consistency across your pages and platforms

Merch & Print Pieces

• Stickers, t-shirts, mugs, postcards, bookmarks

• Event signage and printed promos

• Packaging and labels

Album Covers & Creative Projects

• Album and 7" art

• Promo graphics and social assets

• Visual concepts that carry across a release

AND NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BEATING HEART OF PRAIRIE WISE

A book cover is doing a hundred jobs at once.

It has to signal genre, set tone, build trust, look professional, fit the marketplace, and still feel like the author. It should say the right things to the right readers.

A strong cover isn't decoration. It's strategy. It's psychology. It's storytelling.

Look, we don't hate album covers, to the contrary, we love them.

We adore logos as well as a flyer that grabs your attention before the words come into focus.

But, book covers, Man!

Are you old enough to remember the pulp fiction that was sold on a wire carousel in the drug store? Yeah, I stared at those as we waited on line. I hated it when the pharmacist would call our number and my mom would pull me away from the book covers. I can still recall my favorite designs and unlike my cousin, my favorites were never the sultry characters. For me it was the playful characters up to no good, but drawn with such earnestness. Fonts that moved, screamed and motioned for my attention. Bold, flat, primary colors always made me want to see what was inside the cover.

PRAIRIE WISE DESIGNS COVERS FOR:

• Fiction and nonfiction

• Poetry

• Memoirs

• Series cohesion across volumes

• Special Editions and re-releases

OUR PROCESS IS COLLABORATIVE AND CLEAR

You don't need to arrive with a finished vision. You just need the story and a willingness to explore.

• Discovery and Direction - We start by learning your book's tone, audience, and genre. We talk about about what you love and what you don't love. Depending on what you want from us, you can be as involved or as hands-off as you like.

• Refinement - I offer you my initial concept, you pick a direction, and we hone it together. Typography, hierarchy, spacing, weight, color, and imagery. Every detail matters.

• Production-Ready Files - Ebook cover specs, print wrap specs, and social media promo graphics.

Some covers are loud.

Some are quiet.

Some feel like a wound.

Some feel like a sunrise.

The point isn't to force a vibe, it's to reveal the one already inside the book.

WHAT MAKES PRAIRIE WISE DIFFERENT

Prairie Wise builds covers the way a good story is built:

• with pacing

• with tension

• with clarity

• with atmosphere

• with heart

• without AI

We care about the marketplace, but we care more about the human who made the ART. We are here to protect the integrity of your work while making it stand out in a crowded world.

If you are ready for us to get to work on any of your design needs

CONTACT US

If you would like to explore even more of our designs follow this link to our webpage

PRAIRIE WISE

Writing a Book: You're Not Alone with GO!PRESS

The Journey of Self-Publishing

Writing a book is brave. Publishing it can be confusing. It often leaves you feeling exposed and vulnerable. You can do it yourself, but you don't have to do it alone.

GO!PRESS was created for independent authors who want to self-publish with real support, real standards, and real care. We are not a factory. We are not a maze. We are not a shrug of the shoulders and a "good luck."

Indie, but not alone.

GO!PRESS is a hands-on small press under Auxarczen (Ozark Zen), our umbrella for photography, design, and publishing. We are not guessing from the sidelines. We are in the trenches. We are working on our 30th published book. We have learned every lesson the hard way. Late nights, upload errors, formatting weirdness, metadata headaches—we've faced it all.

We have run into the problems so you don't have to. You get the map, the shortcuts, and the calm.

Indie, but not alone.

Who We Help

We created GO!PRESS for authors who:

• Have a draft that is finished and need a plan for what’s next.

• Want your book to look professional without losing its soul.

• Feel stuck in the "I don't know what I don't know" part of publishing.

• Want guidance that is both artistic and practical.

• Need someone to design their book cover.

• Want a team in their corner through all the steps.

  
  

Indie, but not alone.

Think of us as a behind-the-scenes crew that helps your book hit its marks.

What GO!PRESS Will Help With

The Cover

For many indie authors, the cover is the biggest hurdle. It has to do three jobs at once: catch the eye, signal the genre, and promise the experience inside. A great cover is not just "pretty." It takes your story and turns it into a clear visual message that readers instantly understand.

Michael will design your cover so that it doesn't look DIY or generic. We build covers that look professional, intentional, and right for your story.

The Book Itself

We offer a range of services to help you:

• Editing & proofreading

• Story guidance

• Formatting guidance (print + ebook)

• Publishing setup and support (accounts, uploads, sanity checks)

• Design of interior and exterior

  
  

What It Feels Like to Work with Us

Working with us is a unique experience. Because the publishers are artists themselves, Auxarczen is the perfect house for perfectionists like me. We understand the struggle of letting go of your precious art.

Michael and Jennifer Cartright are sensitive to the fact that writers and poets are stubborn about creative control. This is what I love most about this small press. They trust the client’s instincts while still guiding the process. This balance is rare in the publishing world.

Auxarczen is the whole package—a talented editor, designer, and photographer who cares about your work as if it’s their own. Because it is.

"Because the publishers are artists themselves, Auxarczen is the perfect house for perfectionists like me who can’t let go of their precious art."

— Matt McGowan

"Michael and Jen of Auxarczen Press worked their magic again on my book of poems, Alchemy of Headwinds. Their enthusiasm, devotion, and creativity turned a difficult manuscript into a living, breathing thing of beauty."

— John Macker

The Process

1. Discovery Conversation - Where you are, what you need, what matters most.

2. Plan + Pathway - A map of where we are going and how we will get there.

3. The Work - We dive into the nitty-gritty.

4. The Launch - Your book is ready to meet the world.

5. Ongoing Support - We continue to be a resource for the authors we work with.

   
   

Are You Ready?

If you have been holding a book inside you and don’t know where to start, or if it’s half-finished and you’re stuck, or if it’s ready to go and you need a cover design, it’s time to CONTACT GO!PRESS.

Indie, but not alone.

contact GO!PRESS