Despite the fact that I’ve had to be dragged kicking and screaming into cyberspace from the earliest days when the world of business discovered the efficacy of e-mail, I must say that each step has proven a great idea. So now we’ve graduated to a blog and though the thought of it totally intimidates me, the fact that I can reach hundreds of you (I hope!) with CavanKerry news and that of our writers, pleases me no end. Since the whole idea of this writing business is to communicate and make contact, what could be more magical and efficient than reaching readers and chatting about what concerns and/or delights us—all the while warm and cozy at home with my trusty laptop.
So welcome friends into CavanKerry’s virtual living room. I’ve got the kettle going and the tea will be ready momentarily. Our thinking is that we’ll open a dialogue with you about what compels and interests us and hopefully you. Though I’m the one greeting you at the door and will pop in from time to time, we want you to meet all of us at some time or other—from Florenz, our managing editor and Teresa, our development director, Donna, our administrator and Catherine, who guards the purse strings, to our brilliant and multi –talented writers—we now number over 60– and our board. We’ll hope for your comments and thoughts and will let your questions guide us as we explore this new way of making and hopefully keeping friends—of speaking and listening. In a real sense it’s always a banquet—any time we write.
To start us off, I’ve proposed a question. In the eleven years since CavanKerry’s birth, the question I’ve been asked most often is: Where does the CavanKerry name come from? And what do the entwined circles represent?
People often ask about the origin of the CavanKerry Press name. It originated with my mother. Her cancer erupted during my earliest days planning for the press, and she seemed energized discussing our progress. Her interest in my writing, which had until then been lukewarm at best, also increased; until then, her pride had focused on my education and my long time career as a psychologist in clinical practice. But when she got sick, she wanted to know about my writing and wanted me to read to her, so during our daily visits, I often read to her from my memoir about the early days of our family. That was a great joy for both of us.
In a conversation about possible names for the press, a friend suggested I name the press for her—Mary’s Press or O’Connor Press or some variation. I liked the idea of honoring her, but I didn’t want to exclude my father, nor did I want to name the press after any one person. Our goals included creating a community, so I wanted a more inclusive name. The combination of Cavan and Kerry, the two counties in Ireland where my parents were born and raised, seemed the most natural way to honor both of them and the two lands that spawned my own writing. Though the name came quickly. I researched the logo endlessly. I wanted a Celtic symbol that would define CavanKerry, so I studied the Book of Kels and settled on the linked circles which represent our core value, equality—separate identities and relatedness, equality of voices—diverse and distinct, equality of artist and audience—speaker and listener.
So, though I never conceived of CavanKerry as an ‘Irish’ press, its name. logo, and sensibilities are: fine writing, individuality, community, and generosity.
I hope you’ll write—we’d love to hear what you’re thinking.
Thanks for the visit,
Joan
0 comments