Kären Matison Hess dies

Kären Matison Hess

TAA member Kären Matison Hess died December 19, 2010. Hess was a charter member of TAA and served on the TAA Council as secretary for two terms in the early 1990s. She was a member of the TAA Council of Fellows, which honors distinguished authors who have a long record of successful publishing. She was also a member of the TAA Foundation Board.

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Book Review:

Publish and Flourish: Become a Prolific Scholar by Tara Gray

Reviewed by Tamara Bertrand Jones

As a first-year assistant professor at a Research I institution, my job is to write. My college and institution have provided a great foundation for my success so all that's left is for me to get to it.  Some days I sit with a black screen, fingers poised above the keyboard, waiting for the words and ideas to flow.  Unfortunately, they don't always flow as plentiful as I would like.  So, when I was asked to review Tara Gray's Publish and Flourish: Become a Prolific Scholar, I jumped at the chance, eagerly anticipating learning something new. Gray's book provided me, and gives other writers, a blueprint for academic publishing. The book, while small in presentation, is chock full of tips, tools, and techniques for novice and experienced writers. Her 12 steps are like rehab for the unproductive scholar.

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Audio Conference: 

An Introduction to Electronic Rights Clauses in Publishers' Contracts

Tuesday, February 15, 1 p.m. EST

Presented by Mark L. Levine, a former partner at

Mark Levin

Sullivan & Worcester LLP,

and author of Negotiating a Book Contract: A Guide for Authors, Agents and Lawyers

Get your questions about ebook rights answered! This 60-minute introduction to electronic rights clauses by experienced publishing lawyer Mark Levine will discuss grant of rights provisions and the difference between verbatim and non-verbatim electronic rights, important changes that should be made in the out-of-print clause, the importance of reversion clauses, royalties and other sources of income, and author approvals.

Please Note: This audio conference will offered live only. It will not be available as a podcast.

Register  

Column:  

The Statutory Termination Right: One Copyright Act Provision Your Publisher Hopes You Never Hear About
 

by Zick Rubin

In the fall of 1977, Ralph Little had just received

Zick Rubin

his Ph.D. in Elfin Studies and was beginning his first faculty job as an assistant professor at Middle Earth College. Elfin Studies was in its infancy - many universities did not even recognize it as a legitimate discipline -- and there was no introductory textbook on the market. Each week Ralph prepared lecture outlines on ditto masters for the dozen intrepid undergraduates in his Elfin Studies 101. When a representative of Colossal Publishers, Inc., came by his office, Ralph, sporting the sideburns and bell-bottoms of the day, told him about his idea of writing an introduction to Elfin Studies.

Soon afterward, Colossal offered Ralph a contract to write his Introduction to Elves, for a royalty of 5 percent of Colossal's receipts on every copy sold. The royalty sounded almost as diminutive as the subject matter. But Ralph was thrilled to become a textbook author, and the editor promised him that when the book came out, he would be invited to Colossal's Midwestern sales meeting in Minneapolis. He signed the contract early in 1978, and the first edition was published on January 10, 1980.

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Davis awarded $750 TAA Publication Grant

Dannielle Joy Davis, an associate professor of

Dannielle Joy Davis

educational leadership, policy and law at Alabama State University, has been an awarded a $750 TAA Publication Grant to cover the costs of preparing an article and book chapter.

"This grant from TAA will cover publication related expenses that my department was not able to cover," says Davis. "It is so nice to have my research supported in this way!"

The grant will cover editorial, book, and program costs for the Hat Trick Program, a Productivity Program that helped her complete the project, she says.

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New members-only discount

Rochester, New York based book manufacturer, Book1One, is offering TAA members a 10 percent discount. Learn more in Member Discounts.

For full grant requirements or to apply for a grant, click here.

Scholarships available for 2011 ASJA Conference

Professional nonfiction writers can apply for a scholarship from the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) Educational Foundation to cover the cost of attending the 40th Annual ASJA Writers Conference in New York City, April 30-May 1.

Three scholarships are available for writers in the following categories: blogging, nonfiction article, and nonfiction book. The scholarship will cover registration fees for the full conference, including the Continental Breakfast, keynote luncheon and cocktail reception, and one 30-minute mentoring session with an established, professional writer specializing in the scholarship recipient's area of expertise.

The deadline for applying for an ASJA scholarship is February 15, 2011. Winners will be announced no later than March 15, 2011. Learn more 

How to Be a Successful Freelance Writer for College Textbook Publishers    

An Academic's Introduction to Trade Book Authorship 

State of the Textbook Indexing World 

How Recent Changes in the Textbook Publishing Industry Could Affect Authors 

Worst Legal Mistakes a Textbook or Academic Author Can Make

'Professional Nag' Shares Creative Tricks, Tools & Techniques to Get Motivated

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Audio Conferences & Podcasts

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2011 TAA

Conference

Sponsors 

24th Annual

TAA Conference

"Let Your Writing Soar!"

Learn from and network with your textbook and academic author peers and industry leaders by participating in sessions, roundtable discussions, and networking events at the 2011 TAA Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 24-25 at the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town.

"TAA conferences are WONDERFUL!!! I love everything -- from the outstanding quality of the presenters, to the creative special features (roundtables; having an expert from the region come in to talk; the mentoring sessions etc)."

- Janet Belsky, author of Experiencing the Lifespan

Pre-Conference Workshop: Writing and Publishing Your Scholarly Journal Article

Keynote Speaker: Robert Christopherson, author of Geosystems, "Geo-primer: Enchantment, TAA, and Albuquerque"

Interactive Educational Sessions:

General & Academic and Textbook Track

Moderated, Small-Group Roundtable Discussions

Networking Opportunities:

Hospitality Networking Suite

Group Trip to Sandia Peak Tramway

Mentoring

Welcome Orientation Breakfast

Registration Information:

Hotel & Travel Info

Register

Register early and receive two free books! The first 30 conference registrants will receive two free books, Writing and Developing Your College Textbook, and It Works For Me: Becoming a Publishing Scholar/Researcher.