Desk Notes Newsletter, December 15, 2021
Inside the December, 2021 issue: 'Tis the season to submit an award entry! Apply for an Idea Grant, volunteer for a committee, meet a new member, & more.
Featured news
Matt Bille—Of Books and Beasts: A Cryptozoologist's Library
Cryptozoology has a bad rep. Wikipedia calls it a pseudoscience fixated on Bigfoot and other fantasy creatures. Think instead, Matt Bille says, of Alan Rabinowitz, Robin Baird, and others who use established zoological methods to study “hidden” animals and identify new species. In Of Books and Beasts: A Cryptozoologist's Library, he reviews 400 books exploring scientific research in the field.
Meet new member Alex Baluku
Alex Baluku, a journalist based in Western Uganda and a new addition to the NASW community, shares #WhySciWri in this short Q&A.
Alice Callahan—The Science of Mom: A Research-Based Guide to Your Baby's First Year, 2nd Ed
Is it safe for babies to share their parents’ bed? Do pacifiers interfere with breastfeeding? Are organic baby foods better than those that are conventionally grown? Which vaccine information sources are most trustworthy? In The Science of Mom: A Research-Based Guide to Your Baby's First Year, 2nd Ed., Alice Callahan provides authoritative answers to these and other parenting questions.
Book Publishing in the Pandemic
In this informal conversation, several authors whose books came out in the past year share their experiences with book marketing in the time of pandemic.
NASW Diversity Reporting Grant recipients for 2021 announced
Congratulations to Sayantan Datta, Andrew Meissen, and Duy Linh Tu, on being selected as recipients of NASW’s 2021 Diversity Reporting Grants.
Natasha Vizcarra—Spikeys, Prickles & Prongies: A Coronavirus Discovery Story
To teach kids about Covid, use familiar scenes, activities, and characters, Natasha Vizcarra suggests. In Spikeys, Prickles & Prongies: A Coronavirus Discovery Story, she traces the path of one woman’s infection to explain what the coronavirus is, how it spreads, how it’s treated, and why we need vaccines. Jamie Bauza’s illustrations complement the Filipino and English text for readers aged 9+.
Special Freelancer Coffee Chat: Professional Liability Insurance
Join us for an informal chat with a representative from Dinghy insurance about professional liability insurance. Come with questions! Dinghy has partnered with the Freelancers Union and is trying to fill a niche for freelancers/creatives who need or want some coverage but want the cost to be reasonable.