A Messinger to You, Rudy

Chicago literary entrepreneur Jonathan Messinger (writer, editor, publisher, master of ceremonies) is interviewed at Chicagoist. His debut story collection Hiding Out is forthcoming from Featherproof Books, of which he's also a co-owner. I'll admit that arrangement raised my eyebrows at first, but his explanation certainly makes sense.

The assumption in the literary world is that if you are putting out your book yourself or on your own press, it’s not good enough to have been put out by another press.

I just think that there’s this weird status mania in the literary world. Depending on what press puts out your book, who your agent is, what credits you have going into putting out your book, what magazines have published your work before that: it’s all about building status. And I just have no interest in that. I never asked any other press if they wanted to put this book out, because I never thought it would be as fun to do it with another press. And, to me, the whole point of doing this was to get the work out and to have fun doing it.

DIY and having fun - that rationale is more than sufficient for me. And as a bonus, everyone who pre-orders the book will also receive a letter from Messinger himself, on the subject of their choice. I've bought all of Featherproof's fiction offerings so far, so I see no reason not to take up this unique offer. I hope he's thoroughly brushed up on his knowledge of sanitation technology in 16th Century Holland.