A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.
—Frank Herbert, Dune
But not too much time, or nothing will ever happen.
The lights are on, the LLC is formed, the plans are laid … so it’s time to begin.
We will soon begin collecting the first manuscripts to the published, searching for cover art, and preparing the files.
Our aim is to have e-books ready by January 2025 (Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend) and print books ready by May 2025 (International Mister Leather). We are aiming to keep overhead and fixed costs low so the price will stay reasonable and these books can go back into print and stay there.
The aim here is not to establish a particular culture or aesthetic as “Old Guard” or to take any sides in any contemporary controversies. The aim is to bring these voices back into conversation so there can be a reference point for their actual words, rather than stories, myths, and illusions.
You can agree or disagree with Mr. Townsend, but at least reckon with what he actually wrote.
And hopefully in doing so, we can see how far indeed we’ve come, and how far we have yet to go.
Dune has received new life with its revival through Denis Villeneuve’s vision. Not everyone likes it, but it is a statement that must be reckoned with.
We cannot claim Villeneuve’s sense of immensity, nor a Reverend Mother’s patience.
We can just start the enterprise and guide it from here.