Volume 6- Issue 3, March 2007
Published by Llumina Press

The Writer’s Publisher

Written by: Daniel J. Neumann

            Publisher, author, screenwriter, and conceiver of television shows for over fifteen years, Deborah Greenspan makes her dreams a reality—and often, makes her dreams into money. After a lengthy career as a freelance writer, making approximately $70,000 a year, Greenspan decided to begin her own projects.

            “I have that type of mind,” Greenspan said. “Everything becomes a story to me.” She paused. “There is no better way of communicating than a story.”

            The books she had written over the years – Insight of God (also known as Spirals: The Connection), The Healer, Kids’ Day, The Communication Revolution, Deterrent, and Mirror, Mirror – had been sitting on the shelf, and the latest one (Kids’ Day) had been placed "under review," by HarperCollins. But nine months later, HarperCollins decided her book was "too similar to something else on their list." This last rejection broke the camel's back and Greenspan vowed never to give anyone that kind of power over her again.

            “I sent a book to HaperCollins, and the editor loved it. I waited for nine months.” Deborah laughed. “I honestly believe they may have lost it and got embarrassed. They eventually told me that it was too similar to something else on their list.”

            She then explored self-publishing, and the new print-on-demand technology. She researched her would-be competition. She found that other companies cared little about what lay between the two covers, and were, for the most part, printers pretending to be publishers. Deborah did not think that way.

            “It has to be well-written,” Greenspan said. “I’m not a censor; I don’t tell people how to think. I just make sure it is written well.”

            As a mother (of two) first, a writer second, and a publisher last, Greenspan provides a learning ground and stepping stone for her authors.

            “… It helps that everyone at Llumina is personal.” She typed on her keyboard. Despite the mentality put forth in the interview, she is busy even then. “I just never want to be in a place where I don’t deal with people on a personal scale—with real people.”

            She is constantly improving Llumina's offerings and looking for ways to help her authors sell their books.

            “I feel responsible,” Deborah admitted. “I am honest in telling people how it is, so they don’t get hurt later. I never feed someone’s delusions… [and] when people leave us, I am very happy for them because they are being picked up by a traditional press. That’s how authors get known today.”

            Llumina is a family, all woman managed company. When asked what it feels like to have this type of environment, she responds, “It’s scary at times. These are the people I really care about (and not just the relatives either). I know all my employees have families.”

            Greenspan lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida area, where she talks with her authors personally over phone and e-mail at Llumina Press.

            “I’m a writer… I hardly am able to write anything anymore. Later – after things cool down at Llumina – I plan on taking a few years off to write a novel or two.”