OtakuBooty: Obviously, Iris Print tackles subject manner that many find objectionable: man-on-man love. What kinds of practical problems does this pose?

Kellie Lynch of Iris Print: Beyond the obvious--getting distributors and bookstores to agree to stock the books--there are a couple of sticky points in the production process. One is just finding new material. Since there haven't traditionally been many publication channels for this material in America, there are very few people around who have done it professionally. Fortunately this is changing as time goes on, though.

I also had a huge problem getting our first comic title printed--the usual printer refused the job when they saw the material. I had to frantically call around to other printers, and had a bit of a runaround when I told a couple of them right off the bat that the books had "explicit sexual content," only to have them refuse the job when they saw that it was explicit homosexual content. I was more than a little angry about that...but after a very harrowing couple of days, I found another printer who would take it, and they did a great job on it.

OB: Aside from grabbing them by the neck and screaming "Don't do it!!" do you have any advice for others that are thinking of getting into the publishing business?

KL: You have to absolutely love what you do. I work longer hours than anyone I know, and I've actually had to spend several nights at the office to meet a few deadlines. If I wasn't in love with every aspect of the business, this life would be hell.

Get help. Find others who have done it before. Talk to other people in small presses. While another publisher isn't going to be ready to tell you all the ins and outs of their particular business model, they'll probably be willing to give you a few pointers and help you avoid some serious pitfalls--publishers aren't enemies, they're co-conspirators.

OB: One of the challenges of being your own boss is that there's nobody to yell at you when work needs to be done. How do you supply your own motivation? Where do you turn for inspiration?

KL: I find the sheer terror of deadlines to be incredibly motivating. The biggest challenge is to keep myself working at a steady pace when there isn't anything immediately on the horizon. I'm currently working off of an improvised version of David Allen's "Getting Things Done"--I haven't actually read the book yet, but I've pieced together a version that seems to be helping me. I have a list of "next actions" and a list of "projects," and whenever I find myself twiddling my thumbs unproductively, I grab those lists and try to knock something small off them.

OB: An eccentric great-aunt you didn't know you had passes away in Uruguay. She leaves you $100,000 with the stipulation that it must be spent on Iris Press. What do you buy?

KL: Slave boys! (Do they have those in Uruguay?) I'd have to look at the financials to say for sure, but I'd blow it on one of two things. I'd either hire on a full-time graphic designer--I'm working with a lot of freelance people right now--or I'd invest in printing equipment, to print the books on-site and make sure they look exactly the way they ought to. I would also buy myself a really cushy chair, maybe a leather one that swivels and rocks and is so huge it makes me look about three feet tall.