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As usual when I saw them, I lost total self control. My heart beat increased rapidly. I yearned to touch, to caress, to gaze deep and hard, not only at the attractive ones but at the thin plain ones as well. I knew some would give me a great time, some would teach me something new and some would put me to sleep even before I got started, but until I gave my total attention, concentrated only on them for a while I will never get to know.. and I never did get to know. For, just as I was going to pick one up, the door opened and a white clad figure walked in, saying "Suba udasanak, in a serene voice. My solitude in the office room of Deshabandu Sirisumana Godage, surrounded by uncountable number of books, which were lying everywhere, on his table, on the shelves, on chairs, in short, on every flat surface available, vanished as he waited with hands clasped as if in prayer, for me to begin the interview. In an era when publishing houses have turned into business organizations where profits have to be maximized, where financial managers who are entirely unsentimental about the product, which in this case happens to be books, reign supreme, it is heartening to note that the day of the gentleman publisher is not over yet. This is not to say that most publishers do not want to help writers and poets. They do of course, but this often falls secondary to making profits. An ailment common to all industries these days, even industries that used not to be industries like health and education, this is clearly not at all unique to publishing. Yet, it seems, it is the publishing industry which has been hit most dramatically with the introduction of the free market economy. The reason for this, according to Deshabandu Godage, is the fact that publishers have to take on a lot of risk when publishing a book. Having got to handle the editing, production, printing, inventory, marketing, and distribution costs, they have to take a big part of the royalties in order to recoup this expenditure. In such a milieu, if you happen to come across a publisher who has given away more books than he has sold, who is willing to have an annual literary festival rewarding the best novel, best collection of short stories etc., which includes cash prizes as well, even if they have been published by his rival publishers, who together with his wife, has to work a full-time job in order to keep the business going, you have to know it has to be Deshabandu Godage. Evidence. Yours truly. He still remembers me as "that young writer" who came to see him with a collection of short stories which two other publishers had rejected without even glancing at the manuscript saying "English books don't sell.
Sorry it's impossible to publish this". Expecting a similar reply from him too, with bated breath I had waited while he stared at the cover and then, at me. "Leave it with me. We will send it to a committee, if they approve it, we will publish it". The day my dream came true, when my collection of short stories life@springtime was launched, recalling our first encounter he had explained "I could not dampen that youthful enthusiasm". These words all but sum up his benign nature. He smiles gently when I remind him of Professor Sucharitha Gamlath's accusation that the decline in the quality of modern literature is the fault of book publishers who willingly publish any trash brought to them. "It would be profitable for us if we publish only the excellent books written by well known best-selling authors, but" asks Deshabandu Godage "what will happen to the new writers if we refuse to publish them?A new writer is much more likely to be established quietly (unless they make it onto a prize list)and this can take several years. If we don't help new and struggling writers our literature will never move forward." Here is a publisher who does not simply wish to make a profit from a book, but one who genuinely cares for the writers, becomes a part of their lives, shares not only the creative process with them, but their sorrows and their joys as well. This is how Henry Jayasena recalls a visit from this philanthropist in his book 'Balha Gilano.' "When he heard that I was ill, he called and came to see me that very afternoon. Before he left he presented me with some money, a fair amount. I protested saying that he owed me nothing. He simply said "No Mahattaya, these are not royalties. This is a gift from me. What are we if we cannot help a writer when he needs it." Having needed the money at that time Henry Jayasena had accepted the gift gratefully and told Mr. Godage, "When I write a book (about my experience with the dreaded cancer) I will bring it to you for publication. And I hope you will publish the book". "I certainly will" said Mr. Godage. "Not only that..I will publish whatever other scripts you have...there is no problem about that". Indeed as the Hon. Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara says he is a father to all those who are involved in putting pen to paper. Today, as we reach the second day of the Book Fair at the BMICH, held in celebration of those who read books, those who write books and the books themselves, as we discover the joy of new books and fall in love once more with the old favourites, it is surely right to applaud publishers like Deshabandu Godage who ensures the ink of the country's scribes, will keep flowing, eternally. |
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