Mayfield Grads Form Publishing Firm

It can happen anywhere at any time for potential entrepreneurs.

For John Savage and Dan Donatell, the "epiphany moment" occurred years ago at party in Southern California. That's when the graduates realized they would go into business together.

"He says, 'Dan, I don't know how your literary talents haven't been discovered yet, but I think we should take advantage of that and start a publishing company ourselves,'" Donatelli remembered Savage telling him.

It truly was an epiphany because the works Donatelli had composed up to that point were considered "practice" and had been shelved. Now, the 2000 Mayfield graduates and former baseball teammates operate H.H.B. Publishing, with Donatelli's "Music Made by Bears" as its feature release. The religious fiction book is available on Amazon.com and other retailers.

"It never would have occurred to me to start this company," said Donatelli, an admitted "hardcore bibliophile."

But that's what they did in 2011, despite Donatelli's relocation back to the Cleveland area and Savage working days as an attorney near Las Vegas. The duo looked at the publishing industry and the way it has taken advantage of technology and free marketing tools like social media, figuring, "why not?"

Finding Motivation

They would give the same advice to area high-schoolers pondering a future in publishing or any other business.

"People have a better ability to make something for themselves nowadays," Savage said. "All the tools are there at your fingertips. If you have the discipline and will to do it, you can, I think."

Savage and Donatelli realized they were no longer living in the world where they would need to rely on agents to bug New York publishers to give them a shot. They placed "Music Made by Bears" and Donatelli's "Jibba and Jibba" on Amazon, and made it available for the Kindle, iPad, Nook and more. As a result, the former title received recognition from Independent Publisher.

Donatelli describes "Bears" as a mix of narrative storytelling and "purple prose." It touches on the divisiveness and hypocrisy religion can produce within society.

"Jesus, from what I understand, was totally accepting of prostitutes and lepers and vile sinners — people everybody hated," Donatelli said, "and today's Christian can't tolerate gay people. It doesn't make sense."

Hometown Ties and Inspiration

Savage said he makes it back to the Mayfield area about twice a year. He hopes to organize a fundraiser here for the John Caretti Memorial Scholarship Fund. Caretti was the little league baseball coach of Savage and Donatelli, and highly active in the community. He passed in 2007. The scholarship supports a graduate from Mayfield High School or Notre Dame Cathedral Latin, who is involved in sports and community service.

Donatelli also took inspiration from "Dogtown and Z-Boys," a 2001 documentary about the California-based Zephyr skating team that revolutionized the sport in the'70s through its dedication. That's the approach Donatelli says young people should take as they launch their careers.

"They loved what they did, and they did it more than anyone else in the world," Donatelli said of the Zephyr skating team. "When you combine those two things, it seems to be one of surest ways to succeed.

"That's the approach I take with this literary thing."