Comments on: Preserving our Independents: Green Lantern Press http://isgreaterthan.net/2008/12/preserving-our-independents-green-lantern-press/ Literary-minded culture blog Sun, 25 Sep 2011 06:38:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Moshe Zvi Marvit http://isgreaterthan.net/2008/12/preserving-our-independents-green-lantern-press/comment-page-1/#comment-2312 Moshe Zvi Marvit Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:37:19 +0000 http://isgreaterthan.net/?p=8532#comment-2312 I would like to add as a footnote to the official history of the Press, that Jason Bacasa and I (Moshe) applied for a Sprout Fund grant to start an independent publishing house called “Seventh Period Publishing.” All of the covers were going to be handmade from brown paper grocery bags, and the title would be modestly printed on the spine. It’s first publication was going to be an early iteration of God Bless the Squirrel Cage. We did this because when we received the first 65 pages–hastily written to be sure–we were blown away, and did not want it to be published by a press that would change it. When Jason and I went in for our grant interview, the interviewer hinted that we would get the grant if we could bring the price down for each book. Essentially, he wanted us to mass-produce cheap paperbacks. We said no, it was important that the books have a presence. Our grant application was eventually rejected. Jason and I set up a meeting with the Foundation for reconsideration, and they repeated their earlier concerns about making the books cheaper and more widely dispersed. (I think their exact numbers were wanting 10,000 copies for $10,000). We said no. They said no. The purpose of the Sprout Fund was to encourage art engagement in Pittsburgh and to attract young people to the City. So, as a final threat, I told the Foundation that Jason and I would move from Pittsburgh if the grant did not come through. Five years later now, I live in Chicago. Jason lives in L.A.. We didn’t really move because of the rejection, but I like to tell the story that way sometimes. And The Green Lantern Press is a much better entity than 7th Period Publishing ever could have become. I would like to add as a footnote to the official history of the Press, that Jason Bacasa and I (Moshe) applied for a Sprout Fund grant to start an independent publishing house called “Seventh Period Publishing.” All of the covers were going to be handmade from brown paper grocery bags, and the title would be modestly printed on the spine. It’s first publication was going to be an early iteration of God Bless the Squirrel Cage. We did this because when we received the first 65 pages–hastily written to be sure–we were blown away, and did not want it to be published by a press that would change it.

When Jason and I went in for our grant interview, the interviewer hinted that we would get the grant if we could bring the price down for each book. Essentially, he wanted us to mass-produce cheap paperbacks. We said no, it was important that the books have a presence. Our grant application was eventually rejected.

Jason and I set up a meeting with the Foundation for reconsideration, and they repeated their earlier concerns about making the books cheaper and more widely dispersed. (I think their exact numbers were wanting 10,000 copies for $10,000). We said no. They said no. The purpose of the Sprout Fund was to encourage art engagement in Pittsburgh and to attract young people to the City. So, as a final threat, I told the Foundation that Jason and I would move from Pittsburgh if the grant did not come through.

Five years later now, I live in Chicago. Jason lives in L.A.. We didn’t really move because of the rejection, but I like to tell the story that way sometimes. And The Green Lantern Press is a much better entity than 7th Period Publishing ever could have become.

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