Friendship and Professional Partnership: Celebrating M.M. DeVoe

Some author-publisher relationships are purely professional. Others transcend business to become genuine friendships rooted in mutual respect, shared values, and years of collaboration. M.M. DeVoe represents the latter—an author, industry peer, and personal friend whose work and vision have shaped Brooklyn Writers Press in profound ways.

More Than Just an Author

M.M. DeVoe is not only a Brooklyn Writers Press author but also an industry peer and personal friend. This distinction matters because it reflects the kind of relationships that make publishing meaningful and sustainable. Our connection runs deep: I served for nearly three years on the board of Pen Parentis, the non-profit organization M.M. founded to support writers who are parents. This board service led to a close friendship and mutual admiration that extends far beyond typical author-publisher dynamics.

The Vision Behind Pen Parentis

M.M. founded Pen Parentis because she recognized a gap in the literary ecosystem: writers who are parents often feel isolated, unsupported, and forced to choose between their creative ambitions and their family responsibilities. Her vision was to create an organization that would support this often-overlooked community, providing resources, connection, and validation for writers navigating the complex challenge of balancing parenthood and creative work.

Authority Through Lived Experience

M.M.’s authority on the subject of writing and parenting comes not from academic study but from lived experience. She is a writer who is also a parent, and she has built an organization dedicated to supporting others in the same situation. This kind of authority—rooted in personal experience and professional support—is more credible and more valuable than theoretical expertise alone.

“Book & Baby”: A Unique Contribution

M.M.’s book, “Book & Baby,” represents a unique contribution to the literary ecosystem. It addresses the specific challenges and opportunities that writers who are parents face, offering both practical guidance and emotional support. Publishing “Book & Baby” meant supporting an author whose work complemented and reinforced the mission of the organization she founded. It meant recognizing that her expertise and perspective deserved professional publication and wide distribution.

The Complementary Nature of Our Work

What makes our partnership particularly meaningful is the complementary nature of our work. M.M. founded Pen Parentis to support writers who are parents. Brooklyn Writers Press publishes books that serve specific communities and address important needs. When we published “Book & Baby,” we were supporting an author whose mission aligned perfectly with our publishing philosophy: creating resources that serve specific communities and address real human challenges.

Personal Investment in Professional Partnership

The personal investment in publishing M.M.’s work goes beyond typical author-publisher relationships. I wasn’t just publishing a book by someone I respected; I was publishing a book by someone I cared about deeply, someone whose vision and values aligned with my own. This kind of personal investment often leads to the most meaningful publishing partnerships because both author and publisher are fully committed to the book’s success.

The Ripple Effect of Friendship

M.M.’s friendship and our professional partnership have created a ripple effect throughout Brooklyn Writers Press. Her example shows other authors that we value relationships built on mutual respect and shared values, not just transactional business dealings. Her work with Pen Parentis demonstrates that publishing can be part of a larger mission to support and uplift specific communities.

Mutual Admiration and Respect

Our friendship is built on mutual admiration and respect. I admire M.M.’s vision, her commitment to supporting writers who are parents, and her willingness to build an organization that addresses a real gap in the literary ecosystem. She has shown confidence in Brooklyn Writers Press and our commitment to publishing work that matters, trusting us with her important book.

The Value of Industry Relationships

M.M. represents the kind of industry relationship that enriches publishing beyond individual books. Her work with Pen Parentis, her vision for supporting writers who are parents, and her friendship have all contributed to my growth as a publisher and my understanding of the literary ecosystem. These kinds of relationships—built on shared values and mutual respect—are essential to a healthy, thriving publishing community.

Gratitude for Friendship and Vision

To M.M.: Thank you for your friendship and for allowing Brooklyn Writers Press to be part of your mission to support writers who are parents. Thank you for founding Pen Parentis and for the nearly three years I was privileged to serve on your board. Your vision of supporting writers who are parents has made a real difference in the literary community. Your book, “Book & Baby,” extends that mission by providing resources and support to people navigating the complex challenge of balancing creative work with parenting. Publishing your work represented more than a business decision—it represented a commitment to supporting an author and friend whose values align with our own. Your friendship has enriched my life and my work as a publisher. Brooklyn Writers Press is grateful for the opportunity to have published “Book & Baby” and for the ongoing friendship and professional partnership that continues to inspire and inform our publishing decisions.

Next in our “Celebrating Our Authors” series: We’ll continue honoring the diverse voices that make Brooklyn Writers Press a publisher committed to meaningful literature.

Discover M.M. DeVoe’s work and explore our complete catalog at

brooklynwriterspress.com