I often wonder what it is that I enjoy about publishing. It is not the sales or marketing, nor the challenges of distribution; these are logistical hurdles to be overcome.
I certainly enjoy the design elements. What is not to love about creating things?
What I genuinely love about publishing are the interesting people whose passion and dedication inspire them to write on fascinating, and sometimes obscure, subjects. Nearly every week, I learn something new that completely captures my mind, and this is all thanks to the authors and organizations who work with me.
Through publishing, I have learned that there are countless people in the world doing interesting, creative things. How can one not find hope in that?
Here are three authors I work with whose dedication to knowledge, sharing, and caring inspires me. Cindy Kamler spends every waking hour running a wildlife rehabilitation center in the Eastern Sierra, including feeding baby hummingbirds every twenty minutes around the clock. Evelio Echevarria has spent decades researching mountaineering ascents in the Andes and contributing to the field of Summit Archaeology, documenting a trove of pre-historic and historic mountain ascents. And Lonny Thiele, through oral history and persistent research, has documented the history of mule use in Southern Missouri and World War I.
These individuals are committed to their causes. And there are millions and millions more like them. Each helps this endeavor that we call humanity; through documenting the world around them or caring for the creatures in this world. In their dedication and curiosity, I find hope for the world. They remind me of all the joy to be found in life.
Thank you to all of you for doing interesting things, no matter how small or how big.