Thus far 300 authors have become Supporter/Subscribers to B.C. BookWorld. If you’re one of those 300 authors who have thus far responded by becoming one of our Supporter/Subscribers, THANK YOU.
We need at least 300 more Supporter/Subscribers to counteract the provincial government’s sudden retraction of $31,000 in annual funding.
If you are one of the approximately 5,000 authors of British Columbia who has yet to become a Supporter/Subscriber for 2010, it’s pretty simple to join this grass roots movement. It’s not charity. As a subscriber, you get B.C. BookWorld delivered to your door, four times per year. Remarkably, lots of authors send more than $25. It’s not at all necessary to do so.
Either go to BC Bookworld and use PayPal; or send a cheque for $25 made out to Pacific BookWorld News Society, 3516 West 13th Ave., Vancouver, B.C. V6R 2S3.
Meanwhile planning goes forward for the presentation of Gordon Campbell’s $40,000 annual literary non-fiction prize for Canadian authors. Each year he presents this publicly-funded prize at a lavish, free luncheon for 250 people at the Pan Pacific. Total production costs for this event are likely twice the amount that was rescinded from Pacific BookWorld News Society. (This year, the winning author’s prize money for the premier’s book award has been lowered from $45,000 to $40,000.)
Thank you to everyone who has written letters to Premier Campbell, Culture Minister Kevin Krueger, local MLAs and their local newspapers. This week Gordon Campbell’s constituency office received copies of 100 letters, all written in October, to protest the withdrawal of all funding for B.C. BookWorld. More letters are welcome.
The Winter issue of BC BookWorld will be printed on Friday, 44 pages as usual. The Winter issue will be distributed via more than 900 outlets in B.C., as usual. With your participation, it will be ever thus.
Alan Twigg


