About three years ago, I was coerced by Randy Ray into joining an outfit called Ottawa Independent Writers (OIW). Randy Ray is a first string journalist with a national reputation and co-author of a string of best selling books. His work has been promoted in True North almost since we began publishing. I didn’t want to join OIW because I imagined it would be a collection of would-be writers who would write very little and then sit around talking about it. I was wrong.
About a year ago I was hauled onto the OIW board of directors with the responsibility of editing the OIW catalogue of about 300 books. I couldn’t have been more impressed by the quality and quantity of the work. OIW members may talk but they sure are serious writers. They should all be visited by fame and fortune. However, there are many excellent works of prose and poetry that are ignored by the major publishing companies. An editor at McClelland and Stewart told me a few years ago, “We don’t publish new authors anymore.” I don’t know if she’s still there or if their policy has changed but it gives you an idea of how difficult it is to peddle your wares if you are a creative writer.
With this in mind, I decided that each Friday True North will publish an OIW author’s profile, a synopsis of the book, and a photo of the cover. These will not be book reviews. The authors will write the material themselves and you will learn about them in their own words along with descriptions of their work. Included will be information about how to obtain each book.
The books are written at various levels to appeal to everyone from young children to adults. I wouldn’t help to promote these works if I wasn’t favourably impressed. I hope you will be too.
The series will begin Friday, December 25 and will continue until all books find their place in the True North sun.
Meanwhile, you may note that George Laidlaw, a prolific author, and president of OIW is now writing a column for True North that will appear in each issue from now on. The columns are based on interesting books he’s written.
Looking forward
Carl Dow
Editor and Publisher
True North Perspective
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Meanwhile, please find below a third repeat of Shaking the Money Tree.
A long-time girl friend used to say on greeting, “Hey! What’s shakin’?”
I haven’t seen her for a few years but if she were to ask me today I’d say, “The Money Tree!”
And that would be the True North Readers Money Tree. Today marks edition 116 since we began publishing in December 2006. From a naturally slow start we grew from about 14 hits that month to more than 10,000 hits a month by October 2007.
While mostly from Canada and the United States readers are tuning in to True North in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Mexico, China, and the Seychelles on the Indian Ocean. Google is one of the vehicles that bring readers to True North. A substantial number of hits are from academic institutions in the U.S.
Our previous issue was December 21 when he took time off to shovel the snow. We’re back now with a publication that will prove to be even more interesting and sophisticated. Because of our working holiday it’s as if we’re into it from a standing start so it’ll be another issue or two before we hit our usual stride.
I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to those who have made financial donations to True North — all of them, with one exception because of a misunderstanding, without urging from here. The fact is, however, that True North is being run at a serious deficit. This considerably cripples what we can do.
Just one example: a story crossed my desktop about ruthless exploitation of the weak and the sick by American drug companies. I fantasized about what it would be like if I could turn to a freelancer and say, “Let’s get a Canadian angle on this.” Of course we couldn’t afford this luxury so the story sits in my In File.
There is much about True North that could be improved if we had a few bucks, including the length of stories. Some of them deserve to be long; others could be edited. But editing takes time and time is money. So we do what we can.
This then is about gently shaking money out of our readers. It’s something for which I don’t really have any talent. I don’t know how to do it. I don’t know when to do it. So I’m simply asking for it here and now. Don’t be shy about the amount — seriously, anything from a penny up will be welcomed.
Thee are several ways you can throw us a lifeline and it’s all protected. Just click here.
Meanwhile, take it easy, but take it.
Looking forward,
Carl Dow
Editor and Publisher
True North Perspective.
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