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NASJA eBulletin
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Top News Story
Sun Valley Annual Meeting Reflections. Click here
Vicki Andersen appointed NASJA's Executive Secretary / Treasurer
After a three-month search and consideration of a half-dozen candidates, Vicki Andersen has been
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| Vicki Anderson |
appointed to replace the late Mitch Kaplan as NASJA's Executive Secretary / Treasurer. This almost brings our organization full circle because her father, John Hoefling, held the same position from 1971-1986.
Being a "chunk off the old iceberg" (snowsport-speak for "chip off the old block"), Vicki's first published - and paid - articles occurred when she was 16, including regional correspondent to SKI Magazine's "Ski 20 Below" column and her own weekly column, Snow Scoop, in a local newspaper. Since then, she has been a contributing editor, on staff or contributor to over three dozen snowsports publications and websites. Vicki has also had hundreds of travel and adventure articles published.
In addition to her 26-year membership in USSWA/NASJA, Vicki belongs to the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and Northwest Outdoor Writers Assn. (NOWA). She says she retired from 23 years as a Level III Alpine ski instructor and ten years as Technical Director because she was missing out on too many great ski writer trips. Twenty-four years as NASJA--West's regional Executive Secretary, juggling renewals and directories and other sundry duties, as well as a lengthy and varied background in the financial world, will keep our organization on track. Vicki can be reached at ExecSec@nasja.org or skicat1@comcast.net.
A message from the National Writers Union about e-book contract amendments
With e-books starting to surge, many publishers are asking authors to amend their existing contracts to include e-book and other electronic rights. If you receive such an amendment from any publisher, please don't sign it before you read the National Writers Union's primer on e-book amendments located at: https://nwu.org/sites/nwu.prometheuslabor.com/files/ebook%20contract%20amend.pdf.
It's important to remember that you are under no obligation to sign an amendment to an existing contract. You should only sign an amendment if you get the terms you want. If you don't agree to a proposed amendment, the original contract remains in force. So, take your time and negotiate the best deal you can.
As negotiating an amendment or a contract can be an intimidating proposition, be sure to check out the NWU's Negotiating Contracts Over the Phone primer beforehand which is located at: https://nwu.org/sites/nwu.prometheuslabor.com/files/NegotiatingOverPhone.pdf. This document is filled with useful information that will help you negotiate from a position of strength.
The National Writers Union provides free book contract advice and grievance assistance to our members, many of whom are snow sport writers.
To learn more about book contract advice, check out: https://nwu.org/contract-advice-0.
To learn more about grievance assistance, check out: https://nwu.org/grievance-assistance.
To learn more about the NWU, check out our website at https://nwu.org/.
If you have any questions or concerns about a book contract and/or an e-book amendment, please contact us at advice@nwu.org.
E-books present tremendous opportunities for authors, but only if you are fairly compensated for your work.
Sincerely,
Paul J. MacArthur
Assistant National
Contract Advisor
Vice President
of External Organizing
National Writers Union
NASJA Announces Award Winners
Sun Valley, Idaho-March 27, 2010 -The North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA) honored three notable persons who made significant contributions to winter sports endeavors and presented Harold S. Hirsch Awards for excellence in snowsports journalism at Sun Valley Resort in Idaho, during the organization's annual meeting.
The 2010 Carson White-Golden Quill Award, went to the late Stu Campbell. Campbell, a Vermont native was a ski racer, instructor and writer who fashioned a career from his own understated elegance both on skis and his ability to put words to the act of gliding on snow. Campbell died December 4, 2008 after a 20 year battle with cancer. He was 65. The Carson White-Golden Quill Award is named after NASJA's first president, and honors an individual who has made a significant contribution to snowsports in North America.
NASJA's 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring a lifetime of snowsports-related innovation, competition, design and other endeavors, went to the last Charlie Meyers, a Denver Post hunting, fishing and skiing columnist for four decades, who covered six Winter Olympics. "Charlie was a gem of a writer, a master wordsmith and storyteller," according to Denver Post sports editor Scott Monserud. Meyers, a Louisiana native, was inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1993. He died at age 72 on January 5, 2010 from complications due to lung cancer.
Tom Meyers, Marketing Director at Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, Mass.was the recipient of the 2010 Bob Gillen Memorial Award.
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The Harold S. Hirsch Awards, named after the ski-clothing pioneer-creator of the White Stag Company, honors the best in the snowsports journalism.. The awards were underwritten by prize grants from the Salomon, and Sport Obermeyer.
In Magazine Features, Jay Cowan of Snowmass, Colo., who has written for Ski, Mountain Gazette, Cross Country Skier and more, captured the Hirsch trophy for his 2009 stories. An honorable mention went to Ken Castle.
John Fry of Katonah, N.Y., Senior Contributor at Large for Ski Magazine, and many time NASJA winner received the Newspaper or Magazines Columns honors for 2009. An honorable mention went to Heather Burke.
Tops in Newspaper Features for 2009 was North Conway, New Hampshire's Tom Eastman, Eastman is a radio columnist, historian and lecturer. An honorable mention went to Marty Basch.
In the category of Internet Writing, it was a tie for the 2009 award between Roger Leo from Princeton Mass. and Peggy Shinn from Rutland, Vt. Leo is an award winning photographer/reporter and Executive Editor at Mountain News Corp. Shinn contributes to Ski Racing, Vermont Life and many other publications. An honorable mention went to the late Mitch Kaplan.
In the category of Snowsports Photography Tom Winter of Vail, Colo. was awarded the Hirsh Honors. His work appears in Powder, Ski, Skiing and many other publications. An honorable mention went to Dino Vournas.
The final Hirsch Award, Book Writing, judged every 3 years, was presented to John Fry for his definitive book "The Story of Modern Skiing." An honorable mention went to Peter Bronski.
-By Greg Snow-
Andersen appointed NASJA Secretary/Treasurer; Griff elected VP of Communications
Vicki Andersen, the Executive Secretary of NASJA- West, has been appointed interim Secretary/Treasurer of NASJA. Andersen replaces Mitch Kaplan who died on March 15, 2010.
Contact information:
Vicki Andersen
11728 SE Madison
Portland, OR 97216-3849
503 255-3771
Skicat1@comcast.net
Martin Griff was elected Vice President of Communications by the NASJA Board at the Sun Valley meeting. Griff is the outgoing ESWA President.
Contact information:
Martin Griff
609 883-6757
Timesgriff@aol.com
Bob Cox continues as President of NASJA.
Dino Vournas continues as Meetings Vice President and Greg Snow continues as Awards Vice President.
View photos from the Idaho trip. Click here!
View the 2009 Harold Hirsch Awards Video. Click here!
View the Mitch Kaplan Memorial Video. Click here!
Notes from the NASJA Convention at Sun Valley, Idaho - March 24 to 28, 2010
by Connie Lawn and Charles Sneiderman here!
NASJA Executive Secretary Mitch Kaplan passed away March 15, 2010.
Here are the details from his wife Penny as published on Mitch's blog. (http://mdsmitch.blogspot.com/)
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Mitch Kaplan |
MDS Become AML - the Final Chapter
Mitch never regained any ground with the ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) and today his kidneys had started to shut down and his heart rate (slowed by drugs) was irregular. His lungs continued to hemorrage. Transfusions and a battery of drugs caused no improvement. By late afternoon we decided that it was time to let him go. His condition was so deteriorated that we felt it was cruel to keep him alive artificially.
It was a very hard decision, but the right one. The nursing staff was wonderful helping us with the decision and through it. They made sure he was comfortable. And once the decision was made, the morphine drip started, and the breathing tube removed, it was only minutes until he let go. It was time.
Yes, there is no justice. But I could not bear to think of him having to undergo more chemo and more extended stays in the hospital. We will miss him terribly and he should have had many more years, but this is what is. Laina and Ish are with me, and Nardi and Mary have been incredibly supportive as have all our friends.
Keep him in your thoughts and honor him by doing the things he would have done had he more time.
Love from all of us
Penny, Laina, Ish and all the family
P.S. There will be no funeral according to Mitch's wishes. We will schedule a memorial at some time in the future. If you'd like to do something, please make a donation to your favorite charity.
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Those wishing to create a post in memory of Mitch may do so by clicking here!
Alaska in 2011...
By Chris Dehnel
NASJA VP, communications
Plans are in the works for a NASJA Visit to America's Last Frontier in 2011.
The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau and Alyeska Resort are teaming up to host NASJA's upcoming annual meeting March 2-5, 2011.
The Alaskan trip will have a different look to it because we will all be in a position to see - and report on - one of America's most unique sporting events - The Iditarod. We will travel by bus from Alyeska to Anchorage on Saturday to watch mushers and their dogs in the race.
Board meetings, regional meetings, our general membership meeting, dine-arounds, the NASJA race, and our gala dinner and awards ceremony will take place earlier in the week.
Skiing and riding Alyeska will also generate a lot of stories. Nestled in the Chugach Mountains on Alaska's south central coast, the mountain has been known to receive about 1,000 inches of snow yearly. Its views and runs are legendary.
With 2,500 vertical feet, 68 runs, and a 60-person tram, Alyeska will keep us busy. The average temperature in early March is 32 degrees with nearly 14 hours of daylight.
Stay tuned to www.nasja.org for more details.
Check out the NASJA NEWS ARCHIVE. Click HERE!
