A novel idea

What if your heroes are found at the bookstore instead of the ballpark? What if books are your game?

For David Bukszpan, they are, so he teamed up with a friend to launch Novel-T, which produces jersey-style literary t-shirts of famous writers and characters.

Bukszpan explains: “Last year, riding the 4 train after work one day, I saw all these folks on their way to a Yankee game wearing jerseys for Jeter, A-Rod, Petitte, Mantle, Mattingly, etc. I thought, man, it’s great to be able to show your support for your heroes. Too bad my heroes are mostly writers.

“So the thought struck me: why not jerseys for the folks I identify with? Why can’t I show my support for Whitman, or Huck Finn, or crazy old Ahab?”

The public is invited to the launch party and BBQ for Novel-T September 20 from 2-5 p.m. on the deck of Freebird Books, 123 Columbia Street.

The first line of shirts, which will be available for purchase through Freebird, will be debuted, and one dollar from each shirt will go to Eggers’ 826NYC Project, a nonprofit based in Park Slope to help kids, ages six to 18, with their writing skills.

Each shirt features the name of a writer or character on the back, above a number. On the front, each “player” has his/her own unique graphic. There are nine players on the first “team”: Whitman, Bartleby, Finn, Sawyer, Ahab, Dick (Moby), Prynne, Thoreau and Poe. There’s also a second, special edition Poe shirt, bringing the inaugural line of shirts up to 10.

New lines will debut as demand warrants. The first line is limited to the American canon, but future lines will feature foreign writers and characters, and more.