"Jayne Cortez and Ted Joans" [by Robert Hershon]

Twenty years ago or so, when I was still director of The Print Center, I was at a book party, chatting with Jayne Cortez [pictured left] and Ted Joans.

“I need to come out to Brooklyn and talk to you about a book I want to publish,” Ted said.

“One of your own?” I asked.

“No, no,” he said.  “Years ago, Allen Ginsberg told me ‘Never publish yourself.’”

I knew Ted and Jayne were friends, but that still struck me as a bit awkward since Jayne famously self-published all her books. 

“Well,” she said, “Duke Ellington told me, ‘Honey, always control your own shit.’”

And she always did.

-- Robert Hershon

Comments

[Jacqueline L.]

Maybe so, Bob. But now that the bottom line has replaced the well-turned line, self-publishers have to do their own promotions and publicity, which is a worse form of torture than writing. And, expensive.