ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT CHANGES IN 2013 AWARDS\' PROCEDURE

Hi everyone, I have a couple of announcements. I was holding off until Dispatches could be published, but we are dealing with some software issues and I don\'t want to wait another day. First, please participate in the Book Discussion Forum that is going on now through Sunday evening. Walt Shiel is the host and the conversation is lively and interesting. Supporting other authors will have many advantages -- first you will learn how others do it and maybe make some great contacts. Second, when it\'s your turn -- the people you support now will be more likely to participate in your programs...and finally it helps us understand the needs of the membership in terms of programming.

Second, I\'d like to introduce our new editor for Dispatches -- James Enderle. He will be setting up new rules and deadlines once he gets comfortable with the tools at his disposal. 

Third, the Board has voted on a change to our Review/Awards program. Starting on July 16, 2012, when an author submits a book review query, the award program will no longer be automatic or free. If you just want your book reviewed, you will indicate it at the time you submit your query to the lead reviewer. However, if you do want to participate in the awards program in a given year, you will need to indicate that and the lead reviewer will send you an e-invoice for $25 per book. We are doing this for many reasons...first, right now, awards expenses (medals, certificates, media releases, award banquet incidentals, etc) are currently funded through member dues. As we have grown, we have more and more people who do not have books in the process in a given year or who do not write books or music at all. Rightfully, those funds should go to programming that benefits the membership as a whole. In the new procedure, those people who are submitting books for awards will fund that program through the $25 submission fee which is still much lower than most programs of this kind.

If you have a book that you want to submit before July 16, it will still be handled the old way, even if the volunteer reviewers don\'t get it done before that date.