A Masters in Publishing

It's hard to believe that in November of 2018 Wyatt-MacKenzie will celebrate our 20th anniversary, and now I've added a new goal for that two-year destination — I’m going to Graduate School!

George Washington University has a Master of Professional Studies in Publishing program aimed at professionals who are currently working in the industry. Why do I want to do this, after already having close to two decades of publishing experience?! I asked myself the same question when writing the "Statement of Purpose." I thought I'd share it with you, here, and when classes start in the fall I'll write about my journey.

Statement of Purpose

Watching the factions in publishing—major publishing houses, university presses, indies, self-publishing companies and self-publishers—converge, intersect, and explode over the last 18 years has been fascinating. I’ve been an outlier of the publishing industry since I fell into the fire as a professional graphic designer helping women writers to package their books. Early on I was burned by major distribution, trying to fulfill industry expectations. I was criticized by the industry insiders for my two-pronged (traditional plus consulting) business model only to watch those monoliths follow my dual path a decade and a half later. In the beginning I was chastised by agencies for not meeting their archaic requirements only to, in recent years, be pitched incessantly by the same agents now scrambling to figure out how I do things and if they can replicate it.

I am incredibly curious about what I can learn in GWU's publishing program, and to see what I have to contribute to the quickly-changing conversation about publishing today. I believe I might have a unique perspective on author care, an element I see as the most important, and often overlooked, in any publishing discussion. My warped entrepreneurial sensibility has always put the author first.

I started by publishing the works of the “pillars of the community” to which I belonged—mom entrepreneurs. Bringing the power of publishing to this under-served and much-deserving segment magnetized my brand. I donated time, energy, and creativity to the leaders, helping them publish, present, promote, and build their businesses. Meanwhile, I bounced off professional writing groups that were unsure how to judge “just a mom” or "just a graphic designer" who thinks she can run a publishing company. 

Publishing is hard. It is heart-wrenching, time-consuming, under-appreciated and expensive, yet still the love of my life.

I have been the fortunate observer, hundreds and hundreds of times over, of a writer fulfilling her dream; it’s awesome. I love the thrill: of saying “Yes!” to a proposal and hearing sheer joy in her voice; of an author getting a blurb from her idol she thought was impossible; of sitting in my living room in Deadwood, squealing as I watch my authors do their thing on HBO, PBS, CNN, HLN, Fox, MSN, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and yes, Oprah; of sharing the news with an author that she’s won a book award and seeing her eyes well up with tears over the shiny gold sticker on her cover.

As a single mom I’ve had a long-drawn goal of getting my master’s degree when my kids go to college, and suddenly that time is here. I’m seeking to advance my indie press, and I’ve always secretly aspired to teach at the college level. Finding the program at GWU was exhilarating, especially knowing I can participate from Oregon. In my graduate study I want to challenge what I know, and see what more I can discover about this insane, I mean exciting, industry.

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Then, in January 2016, a headline spurred my decision even further: "Publisher Penguin Random House says job applicants will no longer be required to have a university degree" It infuriated me, and embolden me, and my goal is to challenge a curriculum which potentially embraces archaic ways and leans toward careers within major publishing houses as the end-goal, and use my perspective to perhaps assist in strengthening (and teaching!?) an independent publishing track in higher education.

Upcoming Novels

~ Upcoming Romance Novels ~

We have two novels on tap that will be great for book clubs...

This summer we have a self-fulfilling romance novel from Caroline Zani, a grade school teacher and psychic medium. Piper, Once & Again magically mirrors the author's own life—she wrote her dreams into fiction only to find them come to fruition years later. A man from her past reappeared, she signed a publishing contract for her 2008 novel, and her ARCs will become wedding favors in February as she marries the love of her life, having connected with him, again.

Piper, Once & Again came to us through a literary agent to the stars—she represents some of my metaphysical heroes, who we're now pitching for blurbs. So full-circle fulfilling!

 

And coming later in the Fall is a sweet romance Triple Love Score by Brandi Granett, a very talented writer with a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from Aberystwyth University and an MFA in Fiction from Sarah Lawrence College. When she is not writing, or teaching college classes, she is honing her archery skills, which I'm sure will come in hand for publicity.

In a wonderful way, Triple Love Score reminds me of two of my current favorite TV shows, "A Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce" and "Younger"—the lead character, poetry professor Miranda Shane, throws out conventions in her writing career and becomes an internet sensation when she starts playing with Scrabble + poetry + social media. She lands deals every writer would kill for, has an affair with a graduate student, and faces a life she didn't expect, and decisions she never thought she was strong enough to make.

*2/4/16 UPDATE* After a concerted team effort, we were thrilled to land permissions from Hasbro to use photographs of Scrabble® poems throughout the book!

Wyatt-MacKenzie Fall/Winter Press Release

Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing 2015/2016 Fall-Winter Releases Include Poetry, Memoir, and Education; Documentaries Featuring 2008 Author, CIA Terrorism Analyst Gina Bennett

Ground-breaking, spirit-evoking, future-changing titles from Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing — "The Everywhere Oracle," "Witness to Spirit," and "Unwritten," plus "National Security Mom" author Gina Bennett featured on MAKERS and SHOWTIME — aim at finding inner strength and having conviction of character, and address timely topics of the broken education system and terrorism.

Deadwood, OR (PRWEB) December 17, 2015

 

As their 18th year in independent publishing approaches, Wyatt-MacKenzie in Deadwood, Oregon, is releasing some of their most important, inspiring, and influential books yet. Simultaneously, 2008 author Gina Bennett has become a prominent name in the war on terror with feature roles in two documentaries airing on HBO and SHOWTIME.

Poetry

"The Everywhere Oracle: A Guided Journey Through Poetry for an Ensouled World" (Nov. 2015) by Caryl Ann Casbon is described as "original, deceptively simple, and easily accessible, these poems celebrate the mysterious unfolding of the inner life and point towards the guidance, clarity and meaning to be found in our everyday encounters,” by Parker J. Palmer, author of "Let Your Life Speak," "The Courage to Teach," "A Hidden Wholeness," and "Healing the Heart of Democracy."

ForeWord Reviews describes, "'The Everywhere Oracle’s' uniqueness as a book of both poetry and spiritual guidance is most certainly its greatest appeal. Those looking for a fresh way to approach self-help would do well to engage with this volume, as would any group or circle working to manifest soulfulness in the modern world ... The accompanying questions—and the self-knowledge they inspire—greatly enrich the experience of Casbon’s poetry.” Available at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1942545088 

Casbon is an ordained Interfaith Minister. She taught in the Graduate Studies Department at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon for 13 years. She has been working as a leader, mentor and program designer for Circles of Trust™ Retreat Programs for the last 20 years. Casbon received the Lifetime Anamcara Award.

Memoir

"Witness to Spirit: My Life with Cowboys, Mozart & Indians" by 94-year-old Robert Staffanson, founder of The Billings Symphony and the American Indian Institute, is "... not a mere memoir. It is an important, unforgettable book full of wisdom that, once read, will leave you changed in the way you think about America. It is a reminder for us all of the spiritual transformation that can only happen when we have the courage and moral conviction to open our minds, ears, and hearts,” states the introduction by Todd Wilkinson, author of "Last Stand, Ted Turner’s Quest to Save a Troubled Planet." 

National Book Award Winner Barry Lopez, author of "Arctic Dreams" and "Of Wolves and Men," reviews: “Bob Staffanson’s journey from rural Montana to a prestigious conductor’s podium in western Massachusetts is remarkable; the culmination of his life in decades of service to the highest ideals of human achievement, working with Native American elders, is profound. By turning his back on racism and materialism, he has given us, in 'Witness to Spirit,' both wisdom and a modern example of an exemplary life.” 

Terry Tempest Williams, author of "Refuge," "When Women Were Birds," and "The Hour of Land" reviews: “Robert Staffanson has created a story that honors his own evolution from cowboy to symphony conductor before abandoning wealth and fame to work with indigenous people and learn the ways of wisdom. Gratitude is the word that remains after reading 'Witness to Spirit.'”

The Country Bookshelf on 28 West Main Street in Bozeman, Montana has "Witness to Spirit" on their shelves, and it's available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/1942545223. In December, author Robert Staffanson appeared at the Portneuf Library in Idaho and the Bannock County Museum. A Montana book launch is scheduled for January 22, 2016 at The Bozeman Library. The December Bozeman Magazine reviews: "it is courageous ... it is jaw-dropping." Ed Kemmick, Montana reporter, editor and columnist deems Staffanson: "the most interesting man in Montana. Hell, he might be the most interesting man in America."

Education

There’s never been a more chaotic and tenuous time in our nation’s educational story. "Unwritten, The Story of a Living System: A Pathway to Enlivening and Transforming Education" (Jan. 2016) by veteran educators Lori L. Desautels, Ph.D. and Michael McKnight, "urge teachers and policy makers to join them as they revise the story of education," as quoted in ForeWord Reviews Jan. 2016 issue, calling the book "a path teacher leaders can follow.” Desautels and McKnight believe that we can begin to create wholeness and connection within our schools, and help students to thrive, mindfully and by design. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/194254510X 

Lori Desautels, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Marian University in Indianapolis teaching undergraduate and graduate students. Desautels is currently applying educational neuroscience research, and social and emotional learning, two days a week directly in the 5th grade and 7th grade classrooms. Michael McKnight, M.A. is an education specialist for the Department of Education in New Jersey. A former special education teacher, he is currently an adjunct professor at Stockton University teaching special education. 

Terrorism

Wyatt-MacKenzie's 2008 "National Security Mom" author Gina Bennett is featured in a "MAKERS: Women Who Make America" (PBS/AOL) Video Series — http://www.makers.com/gina-bennett — a collection from footage shot for the HBO 2013 "MAKERS: Women in War" Documentary, which included clips of Bennett and began with her voice-over. 

SHOWTIME premiered "The Spymasters" on Nov. 28, 2015, a documentary about the 12 living CIA directors, and it also included Bennett—not in the title, not in the promos, not on the website—but in a way that the Wall Street Journal noticed, calling her "the lone woman in the show and its most forthcoming witness." After watching "Spymasters," Salon magazine was convinced that Bennett was "the obvious model for Jessica Chastain’s Zero Dark Thirty character." The LA Times was thoughtful in assessing, "There's Gina Bennett, a senior counterterrorism analyst in the unit assigned to Osama Bin Laden—and a mother of five—who contends that our willingness to 'become something that we're not' is a greater threat than terrorism itself." Newsweek was quoted, "The show’s two hours move quickly. Too bad it isn’t a miniseries." Watch for updates at http://www.nationalsecuritymom.com. 

"The Everywhere Oracle: A Guided Journey Through Poetry for an Ensouled World" by Caryl Casbon (Nov. 2015); 108 pps, full-color, Paperback ISBN 9781942545088, $17.99; illustrations, indexed. 

"Witness to Spirit: My Life with Cowboys, Mozart & Indians" by Robert Staffanson (Dec. 2015); 260 pps, full-color, Hardcover ISBN 9781942545224, $42; Paperback ISBN 9781942545217, $24; over 50 photos, indexed.

"Unwritten, The Story of a Living System: A Pathway to Enlivening and Transforming Education" by Lori L. Desautels, Ph.D. and Michal McKnight, M.A. (Jan. 2016); 216 pps, Paperback ISBN 9781942545101, $17; indexed. 

"National Security Mom" by Gina Bennett (Nov. 2008); 180 pps, Paperback ISBN 9781932279795, $14.95; indexed. 

Eighteen Years in Independent Publishing

Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, Inc. was founded in 1998. Located in Deadwood, Oregon, this award-winning indie and its publisher, Nancy Cleary, have become known for providing an unparalleled author experience. Wyatt-MacKenzie authors have appeared in TV segments, documentaries, magazine articles, major blogs and newspapers all over the world.