ASJA Tip Sheet
April 5, 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.
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INCOME TAXES
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LEAD: HOW LONG TO KEEP TAX RECORDS
What: Just how long do you need to keep those old records that clutter closets and desks? Unfortunately, there is no flat cutoff. Find out what records can be thrown out after three years and why some should be kept indefinitely from Julian Block, syndicated columnist, former IRS investigator, and nationally recognized attorney, who has been singled out by the New York Times as a "leading tax professional" and by the Wall Street Journal as "an accomplished writer on taxes." Contact: Julian Block, julianblock@yahoo.com, 914-834-3227.
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SPRING GARDENING
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LEAD: SURPRISING STORIES IN YOUR GARDEN
What: By any other name they'd smell as sweet - but how did flowers get their names, anyway? In A Garden of Words, now out in paperback, Martha Barnette reveals the colorful stories behind the "nose-twisting" nasturtium and such garden favorites as the gladiolus, daisy, zinnia, aster, iris, tulip and pansy. Barnette is co-host, with Richard Lederer, of the popular public radio show, "A Way with Words," from KPBS in San Diego. For a fresh, springy look at the language of flowers, check out the book the New York Times calls "sheer etymological garden fun." Contact: Martha Barnette, martha@funwords.com, 502-419-6407.
LEAD: FOOLPROOF WAYS TO ATTRACT HUMMINGBIRDS TO YOUR BACKYARD
What: Every April, at least one species of hummingbird migrates to every state in the U.S. (except Hawaii). Enticing them to your backyard, however, requires more than just hanging a nectar feeder. Melanie Votaw, author of Hummingbirds: Jewels On Air and instructor of Suite101.com's online course, "Attracting Backyard Hummingbirds," offers the secrets to luring these magical creatures to most any yard, no matter how small.
Contact: Melanie Votaw, ruletheword1@aol.com, 718-744-5232, www.RuletheWord.com.
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MOTHERS/MOTHERING and MOTHER'S DAY
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LEAD: THE BALANCING ACT: TIPS FOR JUGGLING MOTHERHOOD, WORK AND PERSONAL LIFE
What: For Dojo Wisdom for Mothers, Jennifer Lawler talked with moms and experts to get the low-down on finding the right parenting path. While dealing with the ups and downs of parenthood herself, she turned to the lessons she learned in the dojo, the martial arts training room. Ideas about flexibility, perseverance, patience, and discipline all carried over to what it means to be a strong, yet kind and effective mother. Contact: Jennifer Lawler, jennifer@jenniferlawler.com, 218-245-1973, www.jenniferlawler.com.
LEAD: WHAT HOUSEWIVES ARE TRULY DESPERATE FOR THIS MOTHER'S DAY
What: Jen Singer, stay-at-home mother and author of 14 Hours 'Til Bedtime: A Stay-at-Home Mom's Life in 27 Funny Little Stories, knows what today's housewives are truly desperate for, including: Sleep: If sleep is the new sex, then at-home moms think of sleep every five minutes. Time off: In a 24/7 job without vacation or sick days, sometimes Mommy needs to wander the mall alone, mumbling to herself. Her own space: She shares everything from her mini-van to her lunch to her computer with her kids. Contact: Jen Singer, jensinger@mommasaid.net, 973-492-8780, www.MommaSaid.net.
LEAD: MOTHERLESS MOTHER'S DAYS
What: As the country gears up to celebrate Mother's Day, all the hoopla can leave a hole in the heart of anyone who has lost their mother. Andrea King Collier, author of Still With Me: A Daughter's Journey of Love and Loss, says that even if a woman is a mother herself, or if she lost her mother long ago, it is still a very emotional time. Collier can give tips on how to get through the Mother's Day frenzy without an emotional meltdown. Contact: Andrea King Collier, andycollier11@comcast.net, 517-487-1683.
LEAD: WANT A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR MOM? MAKE IT HAPPEN WITH YOUR MOTHER'S DAY MESSAGE.
What: Sandra E Lamb, author of Personal Notes: How to Write from the Heart for Any Occasion, details the secret of writing a Mother's Day message that heals, reconnects, and expresses your love. Never forgiven Mom for forgetting to pick you up from the playground? Still hold a grudge that she let your sister go and made you stay home? Were your last words - or hers - unforgivable? Here's how to apologize, forgive, and write that message to repair your relationship and express your love. (Easily bulleted steps for TV visuals.) Contact: Sandra Lamb, LambBast@aol.com, 303-750-6860, www.sandralamb.com.
LEAD: WHEN MOTHERS WITH FRENCH MANICURES ATTACK
What: The Mother-of-the-Bride and the Mother-of-the-Groom have it rough these days. The groom has stolen the bride away to plan the wedding - just the two of them (the nerve!), mothers clash over the few details allowed to them, and everyone's stressed about the money. Sharon Naylor, author of The Mother of the Bride Book and Mother of the Groom, offers the top 10 tips to help mothers (and stepmothers) deal with the wedding plans. Contact: Sharon Naylor, lnaylor@optonline.net, www.sharonnaylor.net.
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SMALL BUSINESS
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LEAD: LOW-COST TO NO-COST SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING
What: Think marketing has to cost a fortune? Think again. Few small businesses have the budget to afford major advertising campaigns or 10,000-piece direct mail programs. Fortunately, some of the most effective marketing tools cost the least. Marcia Layton Turner, marketing consultant and author of The Unofficial Guide to Starting a Small Business offers plenty of high impact, low budget marketing tactics. Contact: Marcia Layton Turner, mlturner@rochester.rr.com, 585-586-8660.
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FOOD
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LEAD: A NEW LOOK THE ANCIENT TOPIC OF "UNCLEAN" MEATS
What: Christian approaches to meat-eating usually fall into two camps: all or nothing. Some say "eat whatever is put before you," since everything God created is good; others view Jesus' message of kindness as a call to vegetarianism. Hope Egan challenges both perspectives in Holy Cow! Does God Care about What We Eat?. This lighthearted walk though the Bible includes scientific evidence that affirms what observant Jews have known for thousands of years: God never intended pork or shellfish to be eaten.
Contact: Hope Egan, hope@HolyCowNews.com, 773-528-7447.
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HEALTH AND FITNESS
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LEAD: GET YOUR MAN OFF THE COUCH
What: Want your husband to do more of the household chores and childcare? "Make a list," says Jennifer Bingham Hull, who is featured with her husband and their "His" and "Hers" household to-do lists in April's Real Simple magazine. Listing tasks is a lot more effective than complaining, says Hull. More tips for managing family life can be found in Hull's book, Beyond One: Growing a Family and Getting a Life. Contact: Jennifer Bingham Hull, jenniferhull@earthlink.net, 305-667-6405, www.growingafamily.com.
LEAD: WALKING IS THE NEW PILATES
What: Get fit, get happy, strap on your walking shoes, and get moving this Spring. Shirley Archer, fitness and wellness expert and author of The Walking Deck: 50 Ways to Walk Yourself Healthy, provides tips on walking technique, stretching and toning exercises, and specialty walks from the easy stroll to the power walk and from the hill walk to the toning circuit. Keep your walking enthusiasm high with the information in this handy, portable 50-card deck. Other fun specialized walks include the mall walk, the urban walk, the dog walk, and the meditation walk. Contact: Shirley Archer, SArcherJD@aol.com, 650-740-2224, www.shirleyarcher.com.
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REAL ESTATE
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LEAD: WANT TO BUY OCEANFRONT PROPERTY?
What: Every Spring the desire to own seashore real estate returns. On the most sought-after metropolitan coastline in the U.S., all eyes are trained on Asbury Park, N.J., a historic residential resort better known for late 20th century urban decay and rock musician Bruce Springsteen than for luxury condos. But speculators are lining up to buy units they only can see on blueprints. Journalist and author Helen Pike examines the ups and downs of real estate cycles in her new book Asbury Park's Glory Days: The Story of an American Resort. Contact: Helen Pike, helenpike@comcast.net, 908-489-1830.
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YARD SALES
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LEAD: RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL YARD SALE
What: Spring is the perfect time for weeding out unused or outgrown clothes as well as toys, games, and sports equipment that no one has touched for years. But what to do with all the "stuff?" While eBay offers a viable 21st century option, there's something refreshing about the fun-and the immediate income-of a good old-fashioned spring yard sale. Kate Kelly, co-author of the bestselling Organize Yourself! (just updated and re-released) can provide 10 tips on making that sale successful. Contact: Kate Kelly, kkelly@katekelly.com, 914-834-0602, www.katekelly.com.
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MEDIA AND JOURNALISM
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LEAD: $18 MILLION SETTLEMENT TO FREELANCE WRITERS APPROVED FOR COURT SETTLEMENT
What: The American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Authors Guild, and the National Writers Union today announced the filing of a motion for court approval of an $18 million settlement in a class action suit they and 21 freelance writers filed on behalf of thousands of freelance writers whose stories appeared in online databases without their consent. They expect preliminary court approval of the settlement within the next month. The filing seeks court approval of a Class Notice, which gives a full description of the benefits of the settlement, identifies which articles are included and which are excluded, and explains authors' rights under the settlement. The settlement is complex, and the three organizations have set up a joint website (www.freelancerights.com) dedicated to helping authors understand the terms and make claims. Contact: Jim Morrison, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, jimmor@aol.com, 757-451-2434.
LEAD: FAVORITE SEARCH ENGINE? JOURNALISTS PREFER GOOGLE
In a recent poll of members of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, an overwhelming number listed Google as their favorite search engine. Yahoo came in a distant second, and AltaVista, an even more distant third. But several of the writers indicated that they prefer to use search engines unknown to most of the general public. Here's how they responded to the question, "What is your favorite search engine?:" Google: 90%; Yahoo: 11%; AltaVista: 2%. Others mentioned: AltaVista, Dogpile, Answers.com, Vivissimo, Alltheweb, Teoma, and Ixquick.
The poll was conducted in March 2005. There were 165 respondents. Numbers add up to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer. Contact: Russ Wild, Rwild3@cs.com, 610-530-0078.
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ABOUT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF JOURNALISTS AND AUTHORS
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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.
