craftgrrl | Making MY kind of book purse

So I've wanted a book purse for a long time now and I've finally decided to make my own MY way since it's impossible to find the kind I like out there.

Any advice? Here's what I have in mind, something that most "make a book purse" tutorials don't cover, I think. I have NO experience with sewing or making usable crafts, so any advice or links to similar things would be greatly appreciated.

I want the lining to be leather (preferably deer, that rustic color) and I want to secure the lining inside the book by drilling holes along the book edge and then sewing the leather lining in place with a sturdy type of thread. What kind of thread/twine would you use? Was also thinking some kind of metal, like copper, would be cool, but what would be the downfall to using wire instead of twine?

I want it to close securely with 2 or 3 clasps that I will make out of deer antler- I was thinking like the clasps a jacket has- one side flap has holes and the other flap has these hand made button-things. OR one flap with 1 or 2 holes in it that goes over to the back of the book where I've secured 1 or 2 buttons. How do you cut these slits/holes in leather without them tearing open larger? I know clothing wise, these button slits having sewing done around them- should I do that too? I've never worked with leather.

And last- it must have shoulder-bag strap (just one) instead of clutch-type hoops. This I have no idea how to attach unless I added two metal hoops on each side of the book, then had a shoulder strap that had two clasps to hold these hoops?

ETA: if you can't tell, I hate glue.