Random Acts

by Janine Latus

Since I was a young philosopher (weren't we all young philosophers?) I have carried an image of a great pool of goodness, a lagoon of kindness. Sometimes you give to the pool and sometimes you take; over time it evens out. So it is with ASJA. People are constantly giving, in ways obvious and unexpected.

A couple of months ago David Groves, an ASJA member I'd never met, sent me an e-mail saying he had seen half a dozen copies of my book in the discount bin at his local bookstore and was offering to buy them up and ship them to me so I could sell them for a higher profit at my readings. His offer meant he'd have to schlep back to the store, lay out his own money to buy the books, find a box, package them up, haul them to the post office, pay the postage, and trust I'd pay him back. All of which he did.

When I thanked him, he wrote, "But when you're in the ASJA mindset, which is 'writers helping writers,' it's such a small thing to do! Buy the books, put 'em in a box, send 'em. They don't have to be sent right away. Just wait until it's convenient. It's the ASJA mindset that deserves thanks." He's right. You'd think a group of competitors would horde their contacts, story ideas and sources, but instead ASJA members toss them about. Sure, you help me, I'll help you. It'll all come out in the wash.

At least a dozen ASJA members played roles in the writing of my book, and since it's been published I've had book sightings from ASJA members all over the country, plus a book signing in Florida arranged by Trish Riley, who also put me up in her home, and a feature article about me assigned by Rich Marini -- in his role as assistant features editor at the San Antonio Express-News -- when I went to Texas to do a reading. (He also gave me his ASJA special tour of the city and plied me with food and drink.) Their friendship, encouragement and professional expertise launched me from someone chronically complaining at the conference that I was writing garbage (really, how many "Five Ways to Flatter Abs" articles can one person write?) to someone who has published the book of her dreams.

Yet these are my competitors. I posted a thank you to David on the ASJA forum, and other members rushed to post their own experiences of random acts of kindness. Most were what we've all come to expect -- the inside scoop on pay rates and contracts, leads on sources and editors, support and friendship. Here is a small sample of what they wrote:

Jean Fain: When my cat was ill, Kathryn Lance sent me her chapter on pet euthanasia that helped me make peace with my decision to put my Little Piggy to sleep. When Sophie Dembling realized she couldn't use a coupon for two free nights at a luxury Boston hotel, she offered it to me. I had a lovely Christmas Eve with my husband at the Colonnade.

Leslie Pepper: Dave Groves offered to donate some spare printer cartridges that he couldn't use to the first taker. I was the lucky one who got them -- and he wouldn't even take money for the shipping. I was so inspired that I wanted to return the karma to the universe. I made a donation to the Writers Emergency Assistance Fund for about what the two cartridges would have cost. When Dave found out, he wrote, "Who knows, maybe someday I'll need support from that fund! At the very least, I'm a firm believer in karma."

Beth Levine: When I had a story capriciously killed at a national magazine, Melba Newsome called me up to brainstorm where I could resell it. Others have generously forwarded trolling e-mails for "real people" to their address books, and W. Thomas Smith, Jr. gave my niece her first national byline, which, in return, helped her get into a fine MFA program.

Sandra Dark: Before I was even a member, Kelly James-Enger gave me some insights that I used to acquire a column for a magazine. That column then led to numerous other feature sales.

Lisa Collier Cool: One time, I was working on a Good Housekeeping story with a tight deadline. I had hired a researcher to help me, but she totally screwed up and not only didn't get what I needed, but only let me know at the last minute. I posted a desperate message, and within a few hours, ASJA members had sent me spare anecdotes from stories they'd written on my topic, put me in touch with smart, quotable experts, sent links to the latest statistics, and helped me find everything I needed to get my article in on time.

Joan Price: I had been interviewed for ABC Nightline and had no idea how much of the interview would actually air. The night that the prerecorded show was scheduled, I was pacing the floor waiting on the West Coast for 11:30 p.m. Our wonderful Toni Goldfarb phoned me -- the show had already aired on the East Coast, and she had taken copious notes on how long I was on, what I said, what was shown, etc. I was so happy to hear from her and get such a detailed preview.

Russell Wild: You were very helpful to me six years ago, Janine, when we first met. I was headed for divorce. You were a little ahead of me on that curve. You helped to convince that, yes, life can go on... It has!

Chelsea Lowe: Erik Sherman showed such unbelievable generosity with time and advice, I wondered how he managed to do so much work, besides. Thanks to Sally Abrahms, I can list Newsweek among my credits. Because of Brette Sember, I have a published book. Libby Slate sent clips about the Broadway shows we both adore. Sharon Waldrop sent me a hard copy of a story for which she interviewed me. A number of Vermonters advised me about buying property in that glorious state, as did real estate-savvy Caren Chesler.

Pat McNees: A few years ago the National Institutes of Health asked Robin Henig if she would write a history of their Clinical Center. She wasn't available and asked me if I'd like to do it. It was one of the most interesting projects of my career, leading to a whole new phase -- in medical writing. Then Lynne Lamberg, who lives in Baltimore, was invited to write a history of the department of psychiatry at the University of Maryland school of medicine but had to turn it down as a conflict of interest, because she writes about psychiatry for JAMA. I got the gig largely on the strength of the history I'd written for NIH. It has been fascinating. Little frivolities of kindness are also great. Sue Russell, who keeps up with the Brit pubs, will drop in the mail a little packet of clippings about the stars of East Enders every now and again, knowing that I love the program and will never hear about these people in U.S. pubs.

Sally Wendkos Olds: Norman Lobsenz got me a great job writing a series of career-planning brochures that New York Life Insurance Co. distributed to high school students. Several members who became magazine editors or took on temporary editing stints came to me to write articles for their publications. For the grandmother book I'm working on now, Susan Gordon, Maxine Rock, Bonnie Remsberg, Barbara Sofer, and Arline Zatz gave me wonderful interviews, and other ASJA members, including Leslie Pepper, Pat McNees, Rebecca Weber, Mary Beth Temple, and Kathy Seal (I hope I didn't leave anyone out) were marvelous about referring me to their mothers, aunts, friends, and so forth. Evelyn Kaye invited me to speak at her Boulder Women Writers Group and put me up at her house at the foothills of the mountains in that amazing little city.

Claudia Caruana: Jim Morrison dropped everything when I wrote him an e-mail regarding a Web site that had used my work without permission. I was scheduled to speak with their lawyer in less than an hour…and Jim was very helpful! I knew exactly what to say and they will be sending me a check.

These are just a sample of the kindnesses exchanged among members. Call it karma, call it paying it forward, call it paying it back. Call it ASJA.

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Janine Latus is the author of If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister's Story of Love, Murder and Liberation, which she never would have completed without help from her friends in ASJA.