Our Purpose

Publisher's Story

I graduated from Arlington High School in LaGrangeville, NY in June of 1985. I then attended the State University of New York at Albany and graduated Cum Laude with a BA in English in May of 1989. While at Albany I wrote for the school newspaper. After college, I spent eleven years in retail management and seven years in the insurance industry. I was also a partner with my brother in Planetary Products, a company that sold environmentally sound products via a mail order catalogue and through our store in Cold Spring, NY. We donated a portion of our profits to the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. We also assisted in worthy causes such as the collection of emergency supplies for Hurricane Andrew survivors in August of 1992 and voter registration drives. During this time I freelanced and had some of my works published in magazines and newspapers.

However, something had always been calling me to focus on writing full time. This self-reflection came about while pondering the death of my mother when I was only six years old, the tragedy of September 11, 2001, the births of my two daughters and the untimely passing of a dear friend. My eldest daughter spent five days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. I personally witnessed the life saving powers of the staff that worked there. In piecing together the meaning of these events, I came to the conclusion that the health (physical, mental, emotional, etc.) of our children should be my focus until the end of my life. I was humbled by what I saw as the fragility of life. I realize that I cannot focus simply on children who are alive. I also need to concentrate on the healing power of the souls, adult and child, who have departed and also the distressed families left behind.

I decided in 2004 to compile a book of children’s poetry, Lilies on the Moon, published in April of 2005. My daughter’s artwork accompanies my poems. In addition to publishing this book, I decided to work with school districts to publish their students’ works as I tour the country on my ongoing Author's Roadshow. My nephew, Brandon Kurkela, is my Webmaster and graphic designer. I believe what I’ve decided to do will be well worth it for the children, their parents, their teachers and society. My hope is that the book projects will become catalysts for an increased desire to read, write and learn. In addition, I stress the therapeutic aspects of poetry and prose as emotional outlets to express one’s innermost feelings.  

I leave you with the fact that I donate a significant portion of my company’s profits and my time to charities and organizations that are dedicated to children and adults alike. I feel very fortunate to be alive and to have my family. I believe I must help in whatever way I can to share my good fortune with less fortunate human beings.

Carpe Diem
Robert W. Kurkela
Author/Publisher