Watershed Communications Opens a New Chapter in the Publishing Industry
Partners With Schaffner Press of Tucson, Arizona
Portland, Ore. (April 16, 2010) – For the last decade, Watershed Communications has been recognized as a passionate culinary leader, organizing the wildly successful Portland Indie Wine Festival and the groundbreaking Livestock series. Now the firm is extending its strategic expertise into the publishing industry by partnering with Schaffner Press of Tucson, Arizona.
“From the first phone call we realized Schaffner Press would be the perfect client - we have so much in common,” says Watershed Director Lisa Donoughe. “Schaffner is a small, independent publisher dedicated to hand-selecting the best American writers, and Watershed is all about supporting independent artisans and telling their story in an authentic and compelling way.”
Tim Schaffner is the founder of Schaffner Press and publishing runs in the family. His father was a literary agent with clients that included Ray Bradbury and James Beard.
“I believe that, by continuing to challenge myself as a publisher and editor in finding new and unique ways to market these titles, I will continue to stay in the game and maintain the independent style so vital to serious publishing now, and in years to come,” says Schaffner. “I look forward to future publishing adventures. I’m always on the lookout for extraordinary stories, fiction and non-fiction, as long as they’re told in a refreshing voice and style.”
Watershed will be working with Schaffner Press to promote two works of non-fiction by American author Bill Carter, whose two memoirs Fools Rush In and Red Summer shine a light on contemporary issues from war to natural resources.
Fools Rush In is the incredible true story of Bill Carter’s experience as a 27-year-old during the Bosnian Civil War of the early 90’s. After his fiancé is killed in an automobile accident, Carter’s grief takes him on a listless journey to the heart of Bosnia’s capital city of Sarajevo. He dodges sniper fire and mortar attacks delivering aid with a convoy of clowns to the desperate besieged citizens of Sarajevo. Fools Rush In is a one-of-a-kind portrait of life and culture during war, and demonstrates the extraordinary ability of ordinary people to hold onto their humanity during even the worst imaginable circumstances.
Red Summer is the true tale of Bill Carter’s experiences “set net fishing” in Egegik, Alaska on the shores of Bristol Bay over the course of several seasons. Red Summer chronicles the extreme physical and mental exhaustion involved in harvesting wild salmon from the largest, most sustainable fish run in the world. The memoir follows Bill Carter’s experience toiling under the rugged sea captain Sharon Hart, who is revered and respected in a profession mostly dominated by men.
Schaffner’s other clients include Mark Christensen whose much-anticipated publication of ACID CHRIST: Ken Kesey, LSD and the Politics of Ecstasy will arrive later this fall, and Portland, Oregon author Katherine Dunn whose non-fiction book One Ring Circus was published last year.
