The Publishing Industry is at best reactionary. A quick glance at the historical relationship that has existed between writers and the Industry and what is revealed is a marriage of convenience based on marketability rather than literary merit. Needless to say, the Industry seldom takes a chance on a new writer and it certainly does not foster innovation and the evolution of writing. They, by necessity, opt for the safe route of publishing household names. They exist after all to make money. So we get novels from actors like Ethan Hawke. We get our poetry from pop singers like Jewel. This is not the way forward. This is the way of the dinosaur. With the technology boom of the 20th century behind us and its subsequent explosion into the 21st century, the Publishing Industry as it is right now is on the endangered species list.
A new species has emerged--the small, independent, cooperative press. Dionysian Press is just such a press. Its writers not only contribute creatively to the press, but they also run the show. Unlike a traditional press which in actuality only exists to make profit and perpetuate itself, Dionysian Press is only interested in perpetuating its writers, even at the expense of itself. Dionysian Press is not about profit, it’s about exposing the torrent of creative energy currently coursing through the underground of America and beyond.
Right now, Dionysian Press focuses its energy on the publication of Eklipse--our semi-annual literary magazine. It features an array of poems, short stories, creative non-fiction, "gonzo" journalism, photography, sketches, drawings, cartoons, comic strips, etc. For the time being, the magazine is available free of charge at coffee shops and dive bars throughout Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Detroit and other select cities nationwide. It is also available by subscription.
Dionysian Press is merely a vehicle, a medium by which a writer or creator can express themselves and bring their unique gift to the world. It provides its writers with a network of dedicated poets, novelists, short story writers and other visual artists and creators. The creators housed under the Dionysian Press are as interested in seeing their fellow writers succeed as they are in seeing themselves succeed. There is an inherent understanding among its creators that the road isn't traveled alone.
There is no contract or obligation and the only thing Dionysian Press can promise you is that you will get from it, what you put into it. There sits before us The Table with nothing on it, but pure potential. If you bring a cup and you freely share, you will be rewarded in kind and you will leave with more than what you brought—perhaps a cup that is overflowing. It’s just a vehicle. If you’ve got a better idea, then by all means—present it. Until then though, are you getting’ in or what?