About Wesoomi

My Publishing Philosophy

Wesoomi Publishing was founded in 1996 by myself (William E. Steinman) in order to publish my first book, “The Wesoomi Gardening Journal.” In retrospect, since I knew nothing of the publishing industry, or of marketing, it was a rash action. My profit picture has definitely confirmed that. Even though I have produced several excellent books, there has been very little income and no profit to date.

Since then I have learned a great deal while I published, “Supreme Commander George”, “The Gaffer's Shorts”, “The Siege of Acheron”, “No-Count-Charlie”, “The Anatomy of a PC”, “Math for Moms and Pops”, “The Novice PC User's Guide”, and “Will-Yam in the Land of Giants”.

All of my books, current and future, will have one important thing in common. They are not for the masses. They are being written for thoughtful people. I believe there are enough thoughtful people out there to allow me to begin turning a profit soon. If not, I will simply not have a profit. I will remain firm in my philosophy and continue as long as I can. The following paragraphs will help to articulate how I feel about my mission and goals.

Wesoomi (Wes-oh-me) is the name of my publishing firm. It is a coined word, having no meaning until I created it. However, I wish to think of it as having meaning beyond the formal name of the firm. I would like it to carry the meaning of these concepts: uncommon, funny, clever, and even peculiar. To this end, I have devised a myth. "Myth: An imagined or unverifiable person or thing."

The myth:
These are paraphrased excerpts from The Legend of Wesoomi.
In a small village, South and West of the big water, lived a tribe of hunters and tillers of the earth. A simple and gentle people, they often fell victim to raiders from the North and East. Their harvest was often stolen and their finest young men and women were carried off.
Came to this tribe, one day, a medicine man aesthetic. The gentle people accepted him and he helped by healing boils, driving out evil spirits, and other like services. He often wandered the woods, and though the people of the village had warned him of the wild fungus Wesoomi, that which brings shaking and death, he did partake. Perhaps because of his diet, the aesthetic did not die, but his thoughts were affected. He began to see things.
These visions interested him and he continued adding the fungus to his diet until he partook of nothing else. Each day new visions thundered around in his head changing what had been there, and he was completely changed. He began to see how all things were and how all things came to be. This is how he came to know how to make himself disappear from one place and appear in another. In humor he played some pranks on the simple villagers. The people of the village, began to call him Wesoomi and they feared him.
Wesoomi, seeing their fear, took care and soothed them by his behavior. He entertained the children with simpler tricks and games. He also sat with the elders and instructed them in the crafts of building and the arts of growing and hunting. These things increased the wealth and happiness of the village. All looked forward to the harvest festival.
Sadly, on the eve of the festival, came a raid of warriors from the East, taking away the young men, most of the harvest, and the loveliest of the maidens from the village. Then, in sadness, Wesoomi also instructed the people in the art of war. He taught them the concepts of position and mobility. He showed them the advantage of high ground, speed, surprise, and early warning. When the raiders came again, they met with disaster and the people became masters of their own land. The village prospered and the raiders from the East and North feared to come.
Wesoomi, seeing his work was done, took leave to rejoin the aesthetic community whence he had come. His name lived on in the land as a mark of behavior. It came to mean "He acts like he ate funny mushrooms. He is Wesoomi."

Now this is how I want my customers to think of Wesoomi Publishing. I do the unusual, the peculiar, the funny, and the clever. I eat the funny mushrooms and live. Wesoomi is what is called a small press, not one of the giants. I do not need to sell a million books or tapes to break even. I do not need celebrity names on my books. I do not and will not produce the mass market twaddle. I can and will produce special interest titles, by and for thoughtful people. I am Wesoomi.
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