diff --git a/publisher-api/pom.xml b/publisher-api/pom.xml
index 446d844..9ad8d67 100644
--- a/publisher-api/pom.xml
+++ b/publisher-api/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 	<artifactId>publisher-api</artifactId>
 	<version>1.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<packaging>jar</packaging>
-	<name>publisher framework for DE - API</name>
+	<name>publisher api</name>
 	<dependencies>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.irods.jargon</groupId>
diff --git a/publisher-api/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/mechanism/api/exception/PublicationException.java b/publisher-api/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/mechanism/api/exception/PublicationException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cae5591
--- /dev/null
+++ b/publisher-api/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/mechanism/api/exception/PublicationException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/**
+ * 
+ */
+package org.iplantc.de.publish.mechanism.api.exception;
+
+import org.irods.jargon.core.exception.JargonException;
+
+/**
+ * General exception in publication
+ * 
+ * @author Mike Conway - DICE
+ *
+ */
+public class PublicationException extends JargonException {
+
+	/**
+	 * 
+	 */
+	private static final long serialVersionUID = -1724154819199402955L;
+
+	/**
+	 * @param message
+	 */
+	public PublicationException(String message) {
+		super(message);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param cause
+	 */
+	public PublicationException(Throwable cause) {
+		super(cause);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param message
+	 * @param cause
+	 */
+	public PublicationException(String message, Throwable cause) {
+		super(message, cause);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param cause
+	 * @param underlyingIRODSExceptionCode
+	 */
+	public PublicationException(Throwable cause,
+			int underlyingIRODSExceptionCode) {
+		super(cause, underlyingIRODSExceptionCode);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param message
+	 * @param underlyingIRODSExceptionCode
+	 */
+	public PublicationException(String message, int underlyingIRODSExceptionCode) {
+		super(message, underlyingIRODSExceptionCode);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param message
+	 * @param cause
+	 * @param underlyingIRODSExceptionCode
+	 */
+	public PublicationException(String message, Throwable cause,
+			int underlyingIRODSExceptionCode) {
+		super(message, cause, underlyingIRODSExceptionCode);
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/publisher-api/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/mechanism/api/exception/package-info.java b/publisher-api/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/mechanism/api/exception/package-info.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d0e88c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/publisher-api/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/mechanism/api/exception/package-info.java
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+/**
+ * Exceptions arising from publication
+ * @author Mike Conway - DICE
+ *
+ */
+package org.iplantc.de.publish.mechanism.api.exception;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/publisher-sandbox/pom.xml b/publisher-sandbox/pom.xml
index c284bf7..dab9e71 100644
--- a/publisher-sandbox/pom.xml
+++ b/publisher-sandbox/pom.xml
@@ -11,12 +11,17 @@
 	<artifactId>publisher-sandbox</artifactId>
 	<version>1.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<packaging>jar</packaging>
-	<name>publisher framework for DE - API</name>
+	<name>publisher sandbox</name>
 	<dependencies>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.iplantc.de</groupId>
 			<artifactId>publisher-api</artifactId>
-<version>${project.version}</version>
+			<version>${project.version}</version>
+		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.reflections</groupId>
+			<artifactId>reflections</artifactId>
+			<version>0.9.10</version>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
 </project>
diff --git a/publisher-sandbox/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/sandbox/PublisherEmulator.java b/publisher-sandbox/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/sandbox/PublisherEmulator.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef99387
--- /dev/null
+++ b/publisher-sandbox/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/sandbox/PublisherEmulator.java
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/**
+ * 
+ */
+package org.iplantc.de.publish.sandbox;
+
+import org.iplantc.de.publish.mechanism.api.exception.PublicationException;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
+
+/**
+ * Black box host of publishing mechanisms for testing and validation purposes
+ * 
+ * @author Mike Conway - DICE
+ *
+ */
+public class PublisherEmulator {
+
+	private SandboxConfiguration sandboxConfiguration;
+
+	public static final Logger log = LoggerFactory
+			.getLogger(PublisherEmulator.class);
+
+	/**
+	 * Default (no values) constructor, note that sandboxConfiguration must be
+	 * provided, and init() must be called
+	 */
+	public PublisherEmulator() {
+
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @return the sandboxConfiguration
+	 */
+	public SandboxConfiguration getSandboxConfiguration() {
+		return sandboxConfiguration;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param sandboxConfiguration
+	 *            the sandboxConfiguration to set
+	 */
+	public void setSandboxConfiguration(
+			SandboxConfiguration sandboxConfiguration) {
+		this.sandboxConfiguration = sandboxConfiguration;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Initialize publisher based on (required) sandbox configuration
+	 * 
+	 * @throws PublicationException
+	 */
+	public void init() throws PublicationException {
+		log.info("init()");
+		if (sandboxConfiguration == null) {
+			throw new PublicationException(
+					"init() cannot be called, no provided sandboxConfiguration");
+		}
+
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/publisher-sandbox/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/sandbox/SandboxConfiguration.java b/publisher-sandbox/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/sandbox/SandboxConfiguration.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a79841
--- /dev/null
+++ b/publisher-sandbox/src/main/java/org/iplantc/de/publish/sandbox/SandboxConfiguration.java
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/**
+ * 
+ */
+package org.iplantc.de.publish.sandbox;
+
+/**
+ * Configuration information for sandbox
+ * 
+ * @author Mike Conway - DICE
+ *
+ */
+public class SandboxConfiguration {
+
+}