An author is publishing a short story by tattooing one word each on 2,000 people:
Shelley Jones has already roped more than 1,000 volunteers to help her realise her dream of publishing her next work on human hide.
Participants from around the world each have a different word from the story tattooed on a part of their body.
People from as far afield as Thailand, Brazil and Britain now proudly display ifs and ands etched on their heads, legs and arms as part of the offbeat project.
Volunteers are not told what the 2,095-word story is about and cannot choose their word – but they can select where to have the tattoo.
“One of my Words had in tattooed on his butt,’ said Jackson.
The 40-year-old Californian, who had the story title ‘Skin’ etched on her own wrist, said the completed work will never be revealed to the public – but a copy will be sent to those taking part.
Jackson said: “There is something wonderfully melancholic about a piece of writing that’s living flesh and finally dies and is grieved over. It is a revolution in literature.
“I’m wondering whether a kind of caste system is going to arise, where the common “ands” and “thes” will be looked down upon by fancier words.”
