It's All A F*cking Facade - Hardcover
A psychological mirror disguised as a book.
You wear masks for society. You sedate yourself with cheap dopamine. You chase a version of happiness that's mostly marketing. You think you're in control. You're not. You're being run by biology, bias, and the parts of yourself you refuse to look at.
This book is here to dismantle it all.
Across 192 pages and 48 original illustrations, Matthias Ciappara takes the tools he uses to design dopamine loops in the gaming industry and turns them on himself and on you. He blends behavioural science, Jungian psychology, and Nietzschean philosophy into something rarer than any of them: a confrontational, profane, unexpectedly compassionate field guide for tearing down your own illusions.
You'll learn how addiction actually works. Why pain is information, not punishment. How to convert raw emotional intensity into directed power. Why the things that broke you might be the only material you have to build with.
This is not a book that reassures you. It reads like a war journal for the modern soul.
You'll want to stop reading. You'll get defensive. You'll try to convince yourself this book isn't about you.
That's how deep the f*cking facade goes.
Product Details:
- Beautifully bound in paper block with spot UV varnishing on the whole cover.
- Bound using sewn signatures for strength and a perfect lay-flat reading experience.
- Two-colour printing – red accented typography and 48 original illustrations.
- Crafted on archival-grade 115gsm Munken Premium Paper – smooth and durable to outlast our trauma.
- Finished with a red satin ribbon marker – so you always know where the truth left off.
About the author
Matthias Ciappara
is the current Head of Product - Gaming Experience at LeoVegas Group the digital arm of MGM Resorts International, and was previously Director of Gaming Innovation on Gamification at Entain. Being an expert in product strategy and behavioural design has given him a working understanding of how attention is captured, how habits form, and how engagement systems shape behaviour.
It’s All a F*cking Facade began as notes written in moments of chaos, anger and reflection, and became a brutally honest mirror of the illusions we live by.
Matthias is not here to preach. He is here to question everything, especially himself.
About the Artists
Mark Scicluna
Mark Scicluna is an artist and illustrator known for his work on GTA Online, Red Dead Redemption, and GTA VI during his time at Rockstar Games. His raw, expressive style brings It’s All a F*cking Façade reflections to life, capturing both the chaos and the humour behind the human condition.
Julian Mallia
Julian Mallia is a multidisciplinary artist whose work merges symbolism, surrealism and emotion. His cover design for It’s All a F*cking Façade captures the tension between illusion and awakening that sits at the heart of the book.
Box Design
Antoinette and Ramon Micallef are the duo behind Box Design, specialising in book design and typography. Their precision and attention to detail gave It’s All a F*cking Facade its distinctive visual rhythm and clean, immersive reading experience.
About the Editorial Team
Bookmark Editors®
Bookmark Editors is a Malta-based editorial and publishing consultancy that supports authors from manuscript to market. The team works closely with both local and international writers to refine their work to a professional, publication-ready standard. For It’s All a F*cking Façade, the team provided developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and prooflistening services.
Elizabeth Cortis
Elizabeth Cortis is the founder of Bookmark Editors. Elizabeth was the first point of contact for the manuscript and immediately recognised its potential. Acting as the editorial project manager, she brought together the creative team, oversaw the workflow, and ensured clear communication among all parties. She also provided strategic input throughout the process, supporting key creative and publishing decisions – a role that has earned her the affectionate title of the book’s ‘fairy godmother’.
Simona Cassano
The editorial work for It’s All a F*cking Façade was entrusted to Simona Cassano, whose expertise ensured every word, design and detail was crafted to ensure consistency, precision and editorial integrity across the website and publishing content.
Simona is a veteran in the publishing industry with over 20 years of experience and has held notable positions such as the 'Executive Director of the Malta Book Council'