© Ingrid Haunold
I intend to publish carefully and lovingly edited books with texts – poems, short stories, serialized stories, etc. – which were previously published in 19th century British magazines. When I set up my micro-press publishing business, I knew from the get-go that none of my books would become bestsellers.
But I’m a great believer in doing what you love. I’m a child of the build-it-and-they-will-come generation, to paraphrase a famous quote from the 1989 movie Field of Dreams, which was written by W. P. Kinsella and Phil Alden Robinson (with Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella and Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe Jackson). Just do what you love, and don’t worry about the rest.
I won’t get rich publishing the kinds of books I intend to publish; but there are other rewards: I thoroughly enjoy acquiring new knowledge. I love learning new things. And I intend to learn everything I can about the publishing industry.
That includes making paper.
About a year ago, while I was still in the should-I-or-shouldn’t-I phase of starting a publishing business, I learned of a non-profit organization which is dedicated to the cultivation of linseeds: 1 square meter of flax. It’s a brilliant organization, anyone in Austria (and in some other European countries) who is willing to grow flax in their garden or even just in buckets on a balcony, can purchase flaxseeds. I already received my packet of seeds, and planted them today.
Grow flax, produce fibre, learn how to spin it and weave clothing. Start with flaxseeds, and end up with a pair of jeans or a linen shirt!
Or a piece of paper. Maybe even some thread, which I could use to hand-stitch a book.
So that’s my “gardening & crafts” goal for 2026: to manually produce a single sheet of paper.
I didn’t quite manage to plant linseeds in one full square meter of soil on my balcony; I’ll have to make do with just about half a square meter. That’s okay – it’s a start. Also, I don’t have a green thumb. I’ll be ecstatic, if I manage to grow any flax at all. Naturally, I’ll keep you updated about my progress throughout the year.