Meet David Martin | Writer, Poet, Founding Editor & Owner of Middle Creek Publishing

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Martin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
In 2011 I was lucky enough to have my first collection of poems written between 1995 and 2010, published by a small press, however they folded within a year. The rights to my work reverted back to me and I really wanted to have a book of poems ro sell at readings, so being inspired by the encouragement of Hugh Howey, I began to work on re-publishing my out of print book, Span, as a self-published book. At the time I was also going through life coaching training, and one of the bits of advice that I gleaned from that was to”put out into the world what you would like to see or experience.” Having figured out how to format and self-publish a book, I realized that I had a skill that enabled me to now be someone who said “yes” to other authors and be able to publish their books. I enjoy poetry, but not all poetry, I guess you could say that I have a narrow set of interests and styles, themes and content which I find important in poetry, but that which I often find lacking. It was rare that I would find poetry that resonated with me the way that Gary Snyder’s or Jim Harrison’s work did, for instance. So I felt that I could focus on a certain type of poetry that I felt was underrepresented in the literary world, that of contemplative nature-oriented or ecologically-oriented poetry. Poetry that highlights Human Ecology; poetry that connects people to themselves, each other and their built and natural environments. So in 2012, I went through the process of starting a company, creating a couple of contests to garner submissions, and Middle Creek Publishing & Audio began to grow and expand in readership and reach.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Aside from being a publisher, I am also an Environmental Educator for the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center and hold the position of Caretaker of that organizations Mountain Campus at the Pueblo Mountain Park in Beulah, Colorado. This volunteer Caretaking position has provided me a cabin to live in and basic utilities for the last 5 years, and that low overhead to my cost of living has allowed me to do what I do in a way that is sustainable. It’s a humble living, but I feel I am doing good work in the world, and that is valuable to me, and what defines success for me.

I started Middle Creek Publishing from scratch and have self-taught myself the skills necessary to do the work of editing, formatting, digital design, and how to connect all the things that midwife a manuscript into a book. I have had to research and learn about Publishing Agreements, contracts, art releases, and the ins and outs of social media, and financial management of costs of production and revenue, as well as how to build a website and a payment platform and connect all those moving parts into the behind the scenes structure, performance, operation, and flow, both automated and manual, so that my work, as a business, functions. It was not easy, but I dedicated a lot of energy and long hours working, researching, and refining the various aspects I had to learn in order to create the company that I envisioned. It is an ongoing process.I take a very personal approach to the work and operation of Middle Creek Publishing, and perform 90% of the work myself. As the founding editor I continue to foster great relationships with the writers I publish and their readers. I personally attend to any needs with the manuscripts and things such as the cover art in conversation and collaboration with the authors. If there are issues with orders or delivery of titles, I communicate personally with customers and work to accommodate their needs as far as payment methods or resolution of issues with products or situations where packages are lost in transit, etc. It is important to me to get these works, these authors words and art out into the world and into hands of as many readers as I can.

Although many of the poets I have published have had readings and workshops, 2022 is the first year that Middle Creek Publishing will be scheduling, hosting and presenting readings and events. Event Planning has not been an arena in which I have much experience with, so there has been a lot to learn about creating something such as our first Middle Creek Publishing Poetry Fest, a 2-day event where MCP poets will be doing rotations of readings and leading workshops to fruition. Taking a plan from a vision to a manifest reality has a lot of moving parts, takes a lot of energy, communication, and organized and timely work.

Middle Creek Publishing is dedicated to the publishing and promotion of works of Human Ecology, in any genre, to fulfil its mission of connecting and deepening the relationship between people and their built or natural environments through supporting and promoting writers and connecting them with readers. Middle Creek Publishing sees the disconnect and alienation or estrangement of people from nature and the wild, from people and each other, and from people and their own sense of ontology, interiority and sense of connectivity, purpose and meaning as a crucial factor in the discontents we experience in modern life. Middle Creek Publishing sees its work as a remedy to that disconnect, as a means of healing or returning people to a grounded and connective state within themselves and with the external environments we all share.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, I do not live in the city, but rather in the ponderosa pine forested foothills of the Wet Mountains of southern Colorado, so if I had my way, I would take them out on a hike into this very wild and relatively unpopulated region of forests and wilderness and let them have that experience. To experience wild places free of crowds of people and instead the beautiful and simple, elegant-complexity that is our natural world. But perhaps afterwards, I would take them to some of Pueblo’s wonderful establishments, such as the Shamrock Brewing Company Pub or Bingo Burger for great food and drinks, or Brues Ale House for drinks and delicious food as well as perhaps catching live music, pizza joints such as Angelo’s or Tony & Joes, or if I could determine their tastes in Mexican cuisine possibly Papa Jose’s, Mi Ranchito, Jorge’s, or Taco’s Fuegos. For a great old-world grocery and deli experience, nothing beats Gagliano’s Italian Market & Deli.

But if they really wanted a special experience, especially at this time of year, I would take them out to “the mesa” a portion of Pueblo County just east of Pueblo to experience the many farm stands and markets where they can experience the sensory delight of watching Pueblo Chilies being roasted. These farm stands scattered throughout the many agricultural lanes of the county offer a huge variety of squashes, pumpkins, melons, chilies, tomatoes, onions, root vegetables, and herbs (produce of all kinds) as well as many local meats and products such as salsas and sauces. These traditional farms, many with Italian or Hispanic/Latinx roots, all have their roots in the rich Arkansas River Valley soil and water.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The poet Kathleen Willard and her photographer husband Stephen Willard have been staunch supporters of my Middle Creek Publishing endeavor. Many times they have put me up in their home for the weekend in Fort Collins where I have hosted several readings and events. Kathleen at times will help me with reading and editing submissions, and in the promotion of events in Fort Collins where she resides. She has introduced me to many Colorado poets, and encouraged poets she knows to submit their work to Middle Creek Publishing.

In 2020 I had the honor of publishing Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer’s collection, Hush which has continued to be Middle Creek Publishing’s best seller over the last few years due purely to Rosemerry’s continued presence in the poetry field both online and with in person, and her dedication to the art and craft of poetry which she shares with the world through her podcasts, videos, and collaborations with other amazing poets and such as James Crews. Her book alone has sustained my small press through some very hard times during Covid.

And of course, none of the work that I am blessed to be able to do would be possible without all the poets I have had the pleasure and honor to publish. At this point Middle Creek Publishing has published over 40 titles, and each of those poets have brought something of value to the poetry and literature that Middle Creek Publishing puts out into the world.

As a small publisher, I have a unique situation in that I am also an Environmental Educator for the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center as well as the holding the position of Caretaker of that organizations Mountain Campus at the Pueblo Mountain Park in Beulah, Colorado. This volunteer Caretaking position has provided me a cabin to live in and basic utilities for the last 5 years, and that low overhead to my cost of living has allowed me to do what I do in a way that is sustainable. It’s a humble living, but I feel I am doing good work in the world, and that is valuable to me, and what defines success for me.

Website: www.middlecreekpublishing.com

Instagram: @middlecreekpublishing

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MCPublishing

Other: EventBrite Workshop Events Collection: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/mcp-poetry-fest-events-1070729

Image Credits
David Anthony Martin