Home

Your True Story

Be an inspiration to others.  Add your story to the more than 80 people profiled here. 

 True Stories

Joan Schweighardt: Author/
Publicist Launches Small Press

Joan Schweighardt, 53, published three novels while pursuing a graduate degree at SUNY New Paltz and raising her two sons, Adam, now 24 and married, and Alex, 12.   When her marriage ended, she searched for work that had "anything that had to do with books, editing, or writing," and landed a job with CIIC, a mid-size public relations agency in Nyack, New York where she now works "almost full-time." Two years ago, "kind of by accident," she used the proceeds from the sale of her marital property to launch GreyCore Press, based in Pine Bush, New York. GreyCore’s first book was THE SECRET KEEPERS by Julie Mars. GreyCore Press publishes "intriguing fiction and nonfiction that matters." For Joan Schweighardt, it is her future.

"CIIC hired me to write -- press releases, pitch letters, bios, newsletters -- but as time passed, Carolyn Izzo-Feldman, the owner, urged me to contact editors and producers on behalf of our clients by phone as well. I resisted at first, because I had been painfully shy since childhood and couldn't imagine phoning a stranger to ask for something--even if it was on behalf of someone else. But the more I did it the easier it got. PR was really the best thing that ever happened to me. After all these years, I have learned to ask for what I want.

"I had always wanted to start a pub biz but had no money, no time, and no knowledge of the biz except as an author. But when my ex and I sold our house and I found myself with a small amount of money, I called a woman I knew who had written a wonderful manuscript (it had been with an agent for a year and elicited high praise from everyone but ultimately fell through the cracks) and told her I was starting a publishing business and would publish her book. The next day I came to my senses and realized even with the little bit of money, I would still lack time and knowledge. But having known the joy of being published, I couldn't bring myself to call her back and say I changed my mind.

"I learned about publishing by throwing myself in headfirst. I was 50 when I started GreyCore. I doubt I would have done it had I been younger. There is a certain sense of freedom that aging brings...a kind of ‘if they can't take a joke, screw them’ feeling and a lack of concern about the possibility of failure.

"What makes GreyCore different from other small presses is that we have no money and we don’t play by the rules. Let me clarify: since I still don't know all the rules of the publishing game, I get to make them up as I go along. It gives me a sense of flexibility--and it makes publishing lots of fun. Regarding money, since we are still waiting for an investor (preferably an ‘angel’-- and all interested parties should definitely get in touch) to provide the funds that will enable GreyCore to transition to working in volume, we are publishing hand-to-mouth so to speak, using the proceeds from one title to pay for the next.

"Another, important difference: we leave no stone unturned in our efforts to make a lot of noise about each of our titles. That's a big advantage for our writers. There are lots of small publishers that don't do any PR at all. In fact, even the bigger publishers will often single out one or two books from their season's list for heavy promotion.

"Somehow we [GreyCore operates with a probono staff composed of Ms. Schweighardt and five friends] are making it work. Julie Mars’ book got great reviews; we just sold the rights in Holland, Germany is considering, and she has a film rep. [GreyCore has also published QUEEN OF HEARTS: TALES OF MIDDLE-AGE PASSION by Millie Crace-Brown, and a non-fiction work, THE SAGA OF THE EMPIRE STATE MUSIC FESTIVAL, by Harold Harris. Forthcoming fiction titles include DONE IN BY INNOCENT THINGS by William Eisner, THE WATER THIEF by Robert Baldwin, and CONJURING MAUD by Philip Danze (October 2001)].

"Small publishers have an important contribution to make. We live in an age of lightning fast communication. I can't remember the last time I sat down to write a far away friend a nice long letter. Now I just send a quick email--sometimes sans caps and punctuation--and I get a response in no time. But the truth is that sitting down to write that long letter forces me to pause to reflect about what I really want to say to that particular friend. I miss that; I miss taking the time to really ponder my choices. I think other people do too.

"We may be on the brink of a movement that will be about slowing down, making time to cherish each other, and re-learning how to truly consider -- and not just react to -- the stimuli around us. In the meantime, as long as there are still some people who want to read, we need to have people who are willing to put in all that time to write wonderful things for them. And if we don't have publishers willing to assist, those writers are apt to throw in the towel and say, Why bother? The small publisher can help to keep the fires burning."

All three of Joan Schweighardt’s earlier novels, ISLAND (1991), HOMEBODIES (1993) and VIRTUAL SILENCE (1995) were published by Permanent Press and are available at Amazon.com and other book outlets.  Her latest book is GUNDRUN'S TAPESTRY published by Beagle Bay Books.

 Getting Started

GreyCore Press
2646 New Prospect Road
Pine Bush, NY 12566
845-744-5081
Contact: Joan Schweighardt joan123@frontiernet.net

Directory of Small Press/Magazine Editors & Publishers (Directory of Small Press/Magazine Editors & Publishers, 31st Edition) ed. Leon Fulton.

Got a book in you trying to come out?   Check out Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Publications, 1998)

Home | True Stories 
Guest Book | Your True Story
2Young2Retire in the News
Top 10 Ways to Reinvent Retirement
Free Newsletter | Links 

Copyright 2003 2Young2Retire.com, All Rights Reserved