49 Writers Weekly Round-Up

We’ve had a great response to our 49 Writers call for featured authors for 2010, and there’s still time to toss your name in the mix. It’s a fine way to connect with other writers and get the word out about what you’ve been doing. Email me on or before December 15 at debv@gci.net to express your interest and indicate your preference of months, if any. We’ll put together our featured authors list shortly after and will let everyone know who’s slotted for when. And remember we encourage guests posts at any time; just email (debv@gci.net) and let us know what you have in mind.

Also in the works for 2010: the opportunity to advertise your books in the 49 Writers sidebar for the ridiculously low starting rate of $10 per month. That’s right – for $10 per month, we’ll run a sidebar image of your book linked to the URL of your choice – a great way to reach a targeted group of dedicated readers. And don’t despair, readers – our plan is to run a limited number of ads per month, all for either books or bookstores, all in keeping with our format and style. No flashing whirlygigs, no annoying pop-ups. Watch for details in a week or two.

Yes, writers need money like everyone else. If you don’t believe me, check out these results, just in from the Artists and the Economic Recession Survey, commissioned by Leveraging Investments in Creativity, in collaboration with Helicon Collaborative and Princeton Survey Research Associates International.

According to the survey, two-thirds of artists hold at least one job in addition to making art. Artists’ incomes are relatively low (two-thirds made less than $40,000 in 2008), and half (51%) reported a decrease in their art-related income from 2008 to 2009. Forty percent of artists do not have adequate health insurance and more than 50% are worried about losing what they do have.

Despite the challenges, artists are optimistic about the future—89% think artists have a special role in helping strengthen communities in these times, and 75% believe this is an inspiring time to be an artist. Some opportunities have emerged as a result of the recession—40% report they have been able to spend more time on their artwork, and one-third have seized the opportunity to experiment and collaborate more.

While surveyed artists indicated direct financial support would be most helpful to them (amen to that), technical assistance, networking opportunities (think 49 Writers), and supplies are also high on the list.

If you’re looking to epublishing as one way to blast through the economic quagmire, Publishers Weekly reports some good news: Amazon’s CreateSpace has announced that self-published authors who sign up for the CreateSpace Pro Plan will get access to Lightning and Ingram’s distribution channels, ending a dispute between Amazon and Ingram that prompted a lawsuit by a BookLocker, another print-on-demand company that challenged the legality of Amazon’s decision.

For those sticking with the traditional route to their readers, author Teresa Walsh at Writer Unboxed shares notes from the BackSpace Writers Seminar on whether authors should query during the holidays or wait for a less-harried opportunity. The most comprehensive advice on timing submissions comes from agent Jennie Dunham. She suggests submitting whenever there’s a sense of restart, like right after the New Year, in late April through May, and in September. Maybe timing isn’t everything, but all other things being equal, it shouldn’t hurt.

Palmer author Barbara Hunt’s new book Alaska’s Heavylight is out this week. Also recently released: Barry Zellen’s On Thin Ice: The Inuit, the State, and the Challenge of Arctic Sovereignty, the sequel to Breaking the Ice: From Land Claims to Tribal Sovereignty in the Arctic, the third volume in the Arctic Security Project book series. On Thin Ice explores the relationship between the Inuit and the modern state in the vast but lightly populated North American Arctic. It chronicles the aspiration of the Inuit to participate in the formation and implementation of diplomatic and national security policies across the Arctic region and to contribute toward the post-Cold War re-conceptualization of Arctic security.

Alaskan author Mike Kincaid sends this link to an article mentioning both him and fellow Alaskan author Nancy Owen: http://www.cdapress.com/cdamagazine/ (Click on “Best Sellers.”)

The Alaska Sisters in Crime will celebrate with a holiday party on Wednesday, December 16 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Elim Café. The cost is $10 for sandwiches, salad, & dessert. Bring a fun mystery gift to exchange with others and join the fun. RSVP with Rhonda via email at rsleighter@gci.net. Fans of Alaskan Sisters in Crime can now check out the second chapter of Dana Stabenow’s forthcoming Kate Shugak novel, A Night Too Dark; the entire novel comes out in February.

Another fun diversion for our long winter night: Author Susan Taylor Brown has put together a list of over 200 movies about writers, poets, and screenwriters.