What’s behind this Lunar Note madness? What’s the point of launching a publishing company in this day and age? Why go to all the trouble of writing books?

I guess you could say it’s a reaction to a feeling that’s been growing in me about culture in today’s world.

So much of it feels “a mile wide and an inch deep.”

TikToks, Reels, YouTube shorts, viral videos and all the rest. Don’t get me wrong, that stuff can be SOOO fascinating!

I know I could spend my time making cool content that could keep you glued to your screen, but in a way I would feel like I was ripping you off.

What exactly would I be stealing? Well, in a way, your joy. Your potential for profound experience. Time away from your creative passion.

Don’t get me wrong, I get sucked into that shallow stuff too. I skitter along the surface of the social media horizon, scrolling with the best of you.

But I know what I look like with my head slumped into the tiny screen. I see slack-jawed, glazed-eyed people everywhere I look nowadays. I don’t see nearly enough joy, awe, or inspiration.

Something will rise to the top of my Mastodon feed that’s worth sharing or even walking across the room. But if I look for it later, it’s gone.

Ephemeral content is like a bag of chips, you keep eating, but the hunger is still there.
So, dear reader, contrast that with culture that makes you go BOOM!

Things that land so deeply inside you that there’s a before-and-after in your life.
Standing within reach of the brushstrokes on a masterpiece. Dropping the needle on a recent score or an old favorite. Finishing a book and thinking of the first person you have to tell about it. 

Stubborn things that are real, tangible, that occupy space in the physical world. Things you can go back to. Culture with a there-there to it. Stuff that lands deep in the well of your soul.

That’s what we’re up to here at Analog Press. That’s why I’m having a blast writing directly to you here in this second of many Lunar Notes to come. And thank you for reading.
So. Back to business.

Print publishing requires a proof, and mine arrives on Monday. So the paperback edition of Vinyl Vitality will now be available to order on September 10th.

The ebook is up for grabs now, with no DRM so you can read it however you like.
My idea of bribing you with a random record in exchange for reviews has ran afoul of the big river’s rules, so my heartfelt encouragement is all I can offer at the moment.

Next up will be distribution into indie bookstores, bookshop.org, Barnes & Nobles, public libraries, record stores, and all the rest. Stay tuned for details here.

Look for your next Lunar Note on the New Moon, Sept 10th. You’ll be a rock star if you forward this to a friend and urge them to get on the list, and they can read every edition at AnalogPress.org.

Landing with love till next time!
M+
Mark Metz
Analog Press