Loretta Petrie knew what she was doing.  As editor of the Chaminade Literary Review, she knew how much effort was involved in publishing a literary journal.  She realized that there was what I call a “back office” staff which also played a part in making sure that that magazine came out, and came out on time.  So I really applaud her establishment of this award to recognize some of the unsung heroes of our literary world in Hawai’i.

And as someone, along with my colleague Joy Kobayashi-Cintron, who has been involved in the back office of Bamboo Ridge Press for several decades now, we know that our contributions to the press and to local literature in general have not been insignificant.

First of all, there are all of the writers who through their hard work imagine the poems and stories and dramas that are submitted to all the presses and other literary venues.  Without their creative efforts, there would not be any literary world to begin with.

These numbers also mean some unsung staff have had to do a lot of work to collect all of the submissions.  In the old days, hard copies of writers’ manuscripts received in our mailbox would fill the infamous Liberty House shopping bags for founding editors Eric Chock and Darrell Lum to read.  Even now, with electronic submissions, someone needs to log in the manuscripts (and make sure no authors’ names are attached) before they are transmitted to the editors.  For example, according to Misty-Lynn Sanico, our website wizard, for our most recent regular issue, Bamboo Ridge received more than 275 author manuscripts, with many containing more than a single piece.

But then once the selections have been made, again someone in the back office will have to send out acceptance letters requesting permissions to publish.  At present, associate managing editor Normie Salvador is tasked with this, which is sometimes akin to herding cats, since some authors are unfortunately slow to respond, requiring extra follow up.

Normie then converts the various submissions into a single electronic file and does a first pass of copy editing.  Production manager Gail Harada and Joy will meticulously copy edit all of the pieces as well.  I remember starting to help with the proofreading tasks with issue #5 at Darrell’s home.  However, our current team of copy editors take on a much more complex role, not only to make sure what is printed is what the writers have intended, but also to suggest to them corrections for grammar and spelling as well as revisions to make the published work consistent with style standards.

Once the digital file for the entire book has been completed, it will then be transmitted to our printers, Sheridan Books, in Michigan.  Joy and the designer for the issue will work to make sure that the publication in hard copy looks like what the press has intended.  After sample copies of the book are received and reviewed (especially for its cover), our book order is finally printed, and a large pallet is shipped to my office for storage in our basement.

In the old days, some of our bulk mailings would be handled by Juliet, who would bring large mail bags to my office and a group of us would work feverishly around our conference table.  Nowadays Joy coordinates with our mail order service to send out copies to our ever loyal subscribers.  She also makes sure boxes of our books are delivered to our book distributors and retail stores.

Later, individual orders are handled by Joy as well, working with PayPal and her postman.  I used to have this job early on, as did others like Cathy’s mother Ella Song, who took her duties very seriously.  It is a task like no other—to me it was like washing dishes, something that, to do it right, you had to concentrate on without interruptions; but then after it was done you could put it away and didn’t have to think about it.

My work as business manager means making deposits and cutting checks—preferably more of the former than the latter.  Bamboo Ridge has been fortunate to survive financially for these nearly 46 years, but throughout our history we have lived in a state of financial precarity.  We are not sponsored by any institution, such as a university providing both cash and in-kind support.  We offer no pension plan or long-term job security.  There is no office to congregate and talk story.

Instead, we perforce depend on a critical mass of volunteers to help us bring down our expenses.  Led by our president Kent Sakoda, vice president Mavis Hara, and secretary-treasurer Micheline Soong, they man book tables, write mahalo letters to our donors, and organize our fundraisers.

Typically, only one third of our budget is covered by subscriptions and book sales.  Another third comes from grants, with the balance raised from individual donations.  In this regard, we are clearly a nonprofit organization.

Ken Tokuno is our grants officer and has had the thankless task of submitting applications to public and private funding agencies, and, if we are lucky enough to be successful, then of issuing the reports after completion of the books.  He can often be found scouring the internet for new grant ideas.  I imagine Ken’s efforts are like a skilled juggler attempting to keep up as many balls as possible—some heavy, some light, and some which will suddenly vanish into thin air.

In summary, the plaques that Joy and I have received for this year’s Loretta D. Petrie Award bear only our names.  We appreciate this recognition.  But we are always reminded that the work at Bamboo Ridge involves a real team, an unsung back office, truly lovers of local literature.

(Consistent with all political ads, I need to say that these remarks were reviewed by Joy Kobayashi-Cintron beforehand, and she approves this message.)

~ Wing Tek Lum