ASJA Tip Sheet
February 8, 2005
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
Looking for an expert or a great story idea? Let the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) monthly Tip Sheet help. Each month you will receive a complimentary e-mailed Tip Sheet that offers trends and other story ideas from nationally-recognized book authors and experts who are members of ASJA.
HOW TO USE THE TIP SHEET . . . .
Using the Tip Sheet is simple. Just take a look at the tips from the authors on this month's sheet. If you'd like to build a story around the ideas in the sheet, or think that one of the experts is right for a story you have in the works, contact the expert using the information provided. If you have any questions on the Tip Sheet, please contact Andrea Collier at tipsheet@asja-pr.org, (517)487-1683.
DON'T SEE THE EXPERT YOU NEED IN THIS MONTH'S TIP SHEET?
ASJA has a host of experts available as resources. If what you are looking for is not in the Tip Sheet, check out our member directory at http://www.asja-pr.org/memdb/search.php.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
RELATIONSHIPS
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEAD: WRITE THE LOVE INTO YOUR VALENTINE
What: Sandra E Lamb, author of Personal Notes: How to Write from the Heart for Any Occasion, details the secret of connecting and reconnecting hearts. Valentine's Day is for everyone: kids, lovers, friends, and foes. From red hot and heart-melting to grudge-busting, learn the four-step secret: focus, feature, fantasize, and feel the flow. (Visual examples for TV.) Contact: Sandra Lamb, LambBast@aol.com, 303-750-6860, www.sandralamb.com.
LEAD: TEN TIPS FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE VALENTINE'S DAY
What: Life's demands take a toll on romance, but any couple can spice up Valentine's Day with a few simple tips. Melanie Votaw, author of 52 Weeks of Passionate Sex and the upcoming Passion Starters: Seduce, Surprise, Satisfy, offers 10 (or more) ideas to help couples create a Valentine's Day they'll always remember. Contact: Melanie Votaw, 718-744-5232, ruletheword1@aol.com, www.RuletheWord.com.
LEAD: WHY VALENTINE'S DAY IS THE IDEAL TIME TO CATCH A CHEATING HUSBAND
What: Valentine's Day is the one day a cheating husband is guaranteed to make contact with his mistress. He also HAS to buy her a Valentine's Day gift. Infidelity expert Ruth Houston tells how these two facts can expose a cheating spouse. Houston, author of Is He Cheating on You?– 829 Telltale Signs, is the nation's leading authority on signs of infidelity. Contact: Ruth Houston, InfidelityExpert@gmail.com, 718-592-6039, www.InfidelityAdvice.com.
LEAD: VALENTINE'S DAY AND LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS
What: This Valentine's Day, couples everywhere will be asking themselves: What should I get for him? What if we've only been dating a month? Will my plans live up to her expectations? "Long-distance daters have so much more to worry about," says Caroline Tiger, LDR veteran and author of The Long-Distance Relationship Guide: Advice for the Geographically Challenged (Quirk Books; February 14, 2005). "Especially this year, since the holiday falls on a Monday. Can I miss work? What if we're not together on V-Day ?" Tiger's guide offers quizzes, checklists, and answers to these kinds of questions and many more. Contact: Caroline Tiger, caroline@carolinetiger.com, 215-241-1165.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LIFE CHANGES
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEAD: FIVE EASY STEPS TO CREATE A GREAT SECOND LIFE
What: Gordon Burgett answers "What are you going to do with your extra 30 years?" with a practical strategy focusing on health, money, motivation, purpose, and getting a spouse in sync! "Rather than just getting old and panicky, with a new life plan comes new visions and vigor for those ‘gift' years," says Gordon, author of 27 books and veteran professional speaker, who wrote How to Plan a Great Second Life (Agemasters, 2004), plus a free, related newsletter now in its 33rd issue. Contact: Gordon Burgett, 800-563-1454, Gordon@sops.com, www.super-second-life.com.
LEAD: TEN WAYS TO GET ORGANIZED WHEN FACING DIVORCE
What: With Brad and Jen splitting up, divorce is once again on everyone's minds. Brette McWhorter Sember, former matrimonial attorney and mediator and author of The Divorce Organizer & Planner, offers 10 practical tips for how to get organized, get a grip on your situation, and save money on attorney fees if you're facing or contemplating divorce. Brette is an expert about divorce, parenting after divorce, and divorce mediation and has done hundreds of interviews about these topics. Contact: Brette McWhorter Sember at brette@brettesember.com, 716-759-1706, www.brettesember.com/.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
FITNESS
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEAD: WHAT NEW YEAR'S FITNESS RESOLUTION?
What: Did you vow to get more exercise this year, but your resolution's already fallen by the wayside? It may not be your fitness program or your approach but your mindset that's the problem. Studies show that self-efficacy—your belief in your fitness ability—is one of the primary determinants of exercise adherence. Discover how to unleash your inner athlete and stick with a workout program—for good. Kelly James-Enger, certified personal trainer, is the coauthor of Small Changes, Big Results: A 12-Week Plan to a Better Life (Clarkson Potter, 2005.) Contact: Kelly James-Enger, 630-795-1288, Kelly@becomebodywise.com, www.becomebodywise.com/.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
TRAVEL
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEAD: HOW TO TURN KIDS INTO CULTURE VULTURES
What: The dollar is weak, and many Americans are hosting foreign visitors instead of flying places. Does this spell b-o-r-i-n-g vacation? No! Families can be tourists in their own cities. Visit an art museum – pack a sketchbook and colored pencils, then start at the gift shop so kids can buy postcards and lead parents on a reverse treasure hunt. The author of Melanie in Manhattan (Knopf, February 8, 2005) is a city mom and advice columnist who can tell you how to take the juiciest bites of the Big Apple. Contact: Carol Weston, 212-724-1311, carolwords@aol.com, carolweston.com.
LEAD: PACK IT IN, CARRY IT ON
What: Shifting airport security measures. Passengers traveling in pre-9/11numbers. Now, more than ever, you need an expert to guide you through the angst-ridden shoals of what to take. Globetrotting consultant and Carry-On Queen Mary Alice Kellogg, with 30 years of travel writing under her belt, stands ready to help with wisdom, common sense and insider tips for all. Whether you're planning a 12-day honeymoon cruise, a weekend jaunt or a family vacation, you can bring everything you need, travel light, and still look smart anywhere in the world. Contact: Mary Alice Kellogg , Makellogg@aol.com, 212-243-1827.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
BUSINESS
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEAD: BIG BOX STORES SAY THEY CREATE JOBS, BUT THEY DESTROY JOBS, INSTEAD
What: Big box retailer Wal-Mart's new national ad campaign claims it creates jobs, but exhaustive economic studies all over the country prove that Wal-Mart destroys jobs. Big boxes' promises of competition and choice are also false. Urban expert Mary Campbell Gallagher's op-ed "Big Boxes Come with Too High a Price" recently appeared in Newsday. She also testified on big box stores before the Committee on Economic Development of the New York City Council. Contact: Mary Campbell Gallagher, 212-322-2817, mcg@MaryCampbellGallagher.com.
LEAD: MAKING CONSERVATION PROFITABLE
What: New York City saved $4 billion by investing in restoring the watershed that naturally cleans its water instead of building a filtration plant. Honeybees provide $14 billion worth of pollination annually. Birds bestow pest control worth $54 billion annually to farmers. In this month's National Wildlife magazine, award-winning writer Jim Morrison reports that a growing number of economists are daring to put dollar figures next to the subtle services nature provides like clean water, clean air, flood control and storm mitigation. The theory is that ecosystems are capital assets and, if they're managed well, provide a stream of benefits just like any investment. Contact: Jim Morrison, 757-451-2434, jimmor@aol.com.
LEAD: WHAT DO ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND QUEEN LATIFAH HAVE IN COMMON?
What: The 19th-century president and the 21st-century rap star are united by a passion for freedom and, surprisingly, a taste for classic Brooks Brothers clothes. Curious facts like these emerge when you examine the histories of American businesses and how they are used in marketing. Marian Calabro, president of CorporateHistory.net and author of several company histories, can discuss how businesses are drawing on their heritage to connect with diverse audiences. It's a strategy practiced by "under 30s" like Home Depot as well as long-established firms. Contact: Marian Calabro, info@corporatehistory.net, 201-288-2036, www.CorporateHistory.net.
LEAD: IT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAY, IT'S HOW YOU SAY IT
What: Interviewing for a new job? Making an important sales call? Moderating a meeting? Learn how to focus your message ... handle tough questions ... improve your vocal techniques ... and persuade your listeners. Joan Detz, author of It's Not What You Say, It's How You Say It (St. Martin's Press), will help you speak with clout and confidence. "No one has better advice and more creative ideas than Joan Detz." (A.W. Dahlberg, CEO, Southern Company) Joan Detz is a featured presenter at Columbia Business School on February 25th. Contact: Joan Detz, 215-340-9752, jdetz@joandetz.com, www.joandetz.com.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
SOLDIERS' STORIES
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEAD: NEW BOOK PAYS TRIBUTE TO SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN IRAQ
What: Since the war in Iraq began in 2003, over 1,000 American soldiers have been killed in combat. Now, a moving and remarkable homage to their lives and deaths illuminates their lives to the rest of us. We learn, from their last words taken from their letters home, more about those that chose to serve our nation. Author George G. Sheldon provides a beautiful and unusual insight with a moving tribute to America's bravest, and preserves the final words of a generation of Americans who exemplify America's greatest traits: honor, duty, and love of country. Contact: George G. Sheldon, gs@georgegsheldon.com, 717-203-1724, www.georgegsheldon.com.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
ENTERTAINMENT AND POP CULTURE
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEAD: NEW "ROCKFORD" BOOK PAYS TRIBUTE TO GARNER'S MOST FAMOUS ROLE
What: James Garner changed television as Jim Rockford, the wise-cracking detective recently recognized as one of TV's "100 Greatest Characters." Thirty Years of the Rockford Files tells the inside story of Garner's landmark series. "The Rockford Files" won five Emmys and paved the way for "Magnum, P.I.," "Moonlighting," "Law and Order" and "The Sopranos." Author Ed Robertson, a pop culture historian, has written extensively about Garner's career. Garner, who received SAG's Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this month, currently stars in ABC's "8 Simple Rules." Contact: Ed Robertson, ed@edrobertson.com, 707-557-3322.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
MEDIA AND JOURNALISM
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
LEAD: NEED A SPOKESPERSON ON PUBLISHING OR JOURNALISM TRENDS?
What: ASJA can help with expert comments on such issues as magazine launches and closings, print or electronic books, writing contracts, journalism ethics, First Amendment cases, censorship issues, and a wide range of other media-related topics. To find the perfect source for your story, contact (Ms.) Brett Harvey, executive director, ASJA at execdir@asja-pr.org.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
ABOUT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF JOURNALISTS AND AUTHORS
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Founded in 1948, the American Society of Journalists and Authors is the nation's leading organization of independent nonfiction writers. Our membership consists of more than 1,100 outstanding freelance writers of magazine articles, trade books, and many other forms of nonfiction writing, each of whom has met ASJA's exacting standards of professional achievement.
American Society of Journalists and Authors 1501 Broadway, Suite 302 New York, NY 10036. Contact Executive director (Ms.) Brett Harvey at execdir@asja-pr.org.
