Letters, the brushstrokes of books, join together to form characters, plots and alternate worlds that readers can visit with the turn of a page. When these stories are transformed in pieces of art, a literary masterpiece emerges.

Bill and Vicky Stewart have been avid book readers for years, but wanted to go beyond just reading. So in 1995, Bill quit his teaching job and Vicky left the corporate environment to start Vamp & Tramp Booksellers in Hoover.

“We decided to do something that was ours,” Vicky said.

When figuring out what to call the business, the couple used their dog, Tramp, as their inspiration.

“We wanted to come up with an eclectic name,” she said.

Also diverse is Vamp & Tramp’s collection of book art. The collection encompasses about 2,000 printed and sculptural books, which range in price from $5 to $15,000 and cover everything from poetry and political topics to 3-D creations that dare readers to look within.

To read more about Vamp & Tramp, check out the January 2013 issue of Hoover’s Magazine. Find your copy here.