By Cameron Marschall

Ink & Paper Group is proud to announce its new custom book program, Partnership Books. The program is designed to use the power and authenticity of the book to help nonprofits advance their mission. Ink & Paper Group provides the entire production package, from initial concept, editing, and cover & interior design, providing one-to-one interaction with the client, even offering to interface between client and printer. We work closely with the client, to ensure the finished book mirrors in look and feel the values and core beliefs of the nonprofit client. Ink & Paper Group takes its knowledge and experience producing commercial books and applies it to the custom book program—building a book the organization will proudly use and sell for years to come.

How can a nonprofit use their book to further their mission? A book that reflects the nonprofit’s mission serves as the organization’s ambassador 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. It allows potential donors the opportunity and pleasure to read about the organization’s history, mission, and core values through thought-provoking stories, attention-grabbing statistics, and vivid color photos that bring the nonprofit and its cause to life.

With reduced levels of funding expected in 2009, donors are thinking even more carefully about which charities and nonprofits to give their time and money to. Chances are very good that the prospective donor will favor the nonprofit that better demonstrates their mission and the community outreach / services they provide.

Two facts, when taken together, point to the cost effectiveness of a custom book:

• Compared to costly organized events and commercial radio or television advertising that serve only the short term, a custom book is both affordable and effective for long-term public awareness efforts.

• Due to the recession, donations will be even harder to obtain next year. Contributors want to feel emotionally involved in the organization they give their money to.

Combine the long-term return on investment of a custom book with the beauty and personal attachment a well-made book provides, and the decision to add the custom book to a nonprofit’s toolkit becomes a wise, well-targeted move.

How can a nonprofit use a custom book to grow an organization?

• A debut book is a great way to attract and win media interviews
• Using public radio and television as a model, a well-made custom book can be positioned as an enticing fundraising tool
• When members of a nonprofit present at area conferences and seminars, “back-of-the-room sales” can garner needed revenue and attract new members
• A well-made custom book that mirrors the nonprofit’s mission and core values is a powerful giveaway gift to major donors
• If the custom book attracts widespread attention and recognition, the nonprofit can decide to repackage it as a trade book for sale to the public nationally and worldwide

Is a book a static object with gradually outdated information? Not today! Updates can be created as downloadable e-books on a nonprofit’s web site. Or, with the use of digital print technology and on-demand production, minor alterations to the text can be made as necessary—easily and inexpensively—allowing each book to be printed with up-to-the-minute information. The client’s book need never be out of date.

Please visit our web site for more information, including the 8 points below:

• Increase Donations
• Champion Your Vision
• Reward Core Donors
• Celebrate the History, People & Stories
• Differentiate Your Programs
• Attract New, Motivated Volunteers & Staff
• Be Recognized as a Leader in Your Mission Area

Copyright © 2008 Cameron Marschall

We’re always looking for new writers and story ideas, so please contact Manager of Misc. Wonders, Jen Weaver-Neist, if you are interested: jen.weaver-neist@inkandpapergroup.com. Our stories are typically 350 to 500 words long, and turnaround times should allow for at least one week of editing and production.

This is the info we need from you:

• Name
• E-mail address
• Phone number
• Brief overview of writing experience (1 paragraph)
• Area(s) of expertise and/or topic preferences
• One writing sample (max. 250 words)
• Two references

Welcome to the first post card correspondence from our beloved Hate Mail author. Though there are plenty of lush picture books and travel guides to reference from the land of fish-n-chips, the view through garcia’s eyes is guillotine sharp while Mary Poppins savvy. Rubbish clichés aside, we think you’ll enjoy these monthly musings in the same way that you feel both humor and pity for the cool guy who steps in horse manure right before the romantic carriage ride. For him, we recommend wearing cheaper shoes next time, and for you, we recommend a careful review of the following…

Dear Ink & Paper:

Ah, glorious London and the things she has shown me.

• Corner of Oxford & Tottenham—A group of men wearing the clown masks from Batman 2 (DK). I almost ran into The Joker, hunched over and wearing a nursing uniform. They pose in front of a theater boasting a giant, gold Freddie Mercury statue.
• Randall & Aubin, Soho—I have seen what happens when you combine a gay bar with a fish restaurant. It involves thumping club music, hot dancing waiters, and a lot of parasols hanging from the ceiling. Oh, and tasty fish. It’s like heaven with fish.
• The Sunset Strip—Overheard in front of seedy/scary strip club in Russian accent: “When you are like me, you have spent many years in prison.” YIKES! Eastern Promises, anyone?

Copyright © 2008 m.m. garcia and Ink & Paper Group, LLC

By Jen Weaver-Neist

When I learned recently that Portland’s In Other Words bookstore is experiencing dire financial troubles, I wanted to go straight to the source to find out all that I could about its circumstances. As the president of WiPP (Women in Portland Publishing), I’ve had positive contact with the store as a drop point for our annual summer book drive, and the store has also served as a meeting place for some events that I’ve attended. Though I’ve always known that my experiences just scratch the surface of what In Other Words does, I am even more impressed by what I learned from Johanna Brenner for this interview. I can’t stress strongly enough how tragic it would be to see yet another indie bookstore close its doors—especially one that does all that you’re about to read—and I hope every reader out there considers the ways in which we can join together to rescue this valuable community resource.

Please tell us of your recent troubles. What is the exact status of your situation as it stands today?
Like other independent bookstores, over the past several years, we have struggled to keep our head above water, facing competition from internet bookstores and the big chains. Many feminist bookstores around the country have closed. In recent years, we have increased our fundraising, and our wonderful community of supporters has helped us survive. We have a sustainer program, Every Woman Strong [to which] individuals can contribute yearly or monthly.

Last year we were fortunate to receive a $15,000 grant; however, this was nonrenewable. Our fundraising continues to build but not rapidly enough to compensate for the loss of that grant and the economic downturn that has further reduced our sales income. To keep books in stock and gear up for the holidays, we received a short-term, $11,000 loan that must be paid back in January. Using contributions to pay back the loan, we will then be able to use sales from the holidays to pay rent and salaries, and keep our doors open.  Once we get through this immediate crisis, we will need to continue our fundraising push. Our long-term goal is to become sustainable by the end of our fiscal year, June 30.

How long has In Other Words been in business, and what/who inspired its founding?
We were founded in October 1993 by three women who mourned the loss of Portland’s original feminist bookstore (A Woman’s Place), [which was] established in the early 1970s but closed in 1989.  They felt that something important for the community had been lost, so they organized in the community to re-establish a feminist bookstore. In Other Words was founded as a nonprofit organization in recognition that we would not rely only on sales—because we did not want the bookstore to be primarily market-driven but to be a resource and educational center. We carry books that are crucial to different communities, whether or not they are best sellers.

To open In Other Words, we raised over $60,000 from people in the community who provided no-interest or very low-interest five-year loans. Many of those were paid back [and] some of the loans were converted into gifts by generous supporters. A committee of over 40 individuals came together to choose the books that originally stocked the store. In Other Words has always been a community-based project—one of the main reasons we have survived when other bookstores closed their doors. Now we need our community more than ever.

Through the years of your business, what would you consider your most important work—your greatest contribution to the community?
Our greatest contribution has been to provide a space for dialogue, education, personal discovery, and grassroots organizing. In Other Words is a hub of activities where diverse groups and individuals can find their voice, their power, and their home. In Other Words promotes feminist movement and the many different feminisms that inspire activism for social change.

Feminist ideas and actions don’t come out of the air. They emerge when people find each other, come into dialogue, build trust and social networks. In Other Words provides the structure, the materials, the space, the support for this process.

What would be the most immediate negative impact of your closure? What would be the long-term effect?
The most immediate impact would be that the thousand or so people who come to In Other Words every month to attend events would no longer have access to free, inspiring, cultural, and educational experiences. And the artists and writers who perform their music, show their art, and read their poetry would be less heard and seen. The long-term effect would be a loss of connection and community, and the further marginalization of feminist ideas and voices.

Is the answer to your survival purely financial? Is there anything else that we can do to help? The answer to our survival is building our community, so you can help by getting the word out to your friends about In Other Words, by participating in events, and by volunteering. You can shop at In Other Words when you want a gift for someone special; in addition to books, we have a wonderful selection of crafts by local women artists.

Where can contributions be sent? Are they tax deductible, and do you accept credit cards and checks?
Contributions are tax-deductible. You can send a contribution to In Other Words at 8 NE Killingsworth, Portland OR  97211. Better yet, you can contribute from your checking account or credit card at our web site: inotherwords.org. Consider becoming a monthly sustainer—deduct $8.33 from your account every month and we’ll receive $100 a year. How easy is that!

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
In Other Words is a volunteer driven organization—over 50 people build and sustain the store and community space. In addition to our many cultural and educational events, we are the first place that many young women discover feminist ideas and the fun of connecting to feminist community. We provide a safe space for women of all body sizes to do yoga and aerobics classes free of charge. We believe in a diversity of feminist perspectives and strive to be an inclusive organization.

Copyright © 2008 Jen Weaver-Neist

Thank you to the sixteen people who took the time to participate in our post-Wordstock survey. We know there are more of you out there with an opinion, so we’ll look forward to hearing from you next year. In the meantime, here are the highlights, and a PDF is included if you’d like more detailed results. (The favorites and improvements are particularly insightful.)

• The majority of the respondents were female, and most of those surveyed were between the ages of 18 and 35.
• Of the 16, 11 had attended Wordstock before, with 4 being return visitors and 3 being return exhibitors.
• There were a variety of favorites from the show, but the one that came up most often was the opportunity to be among like minds, whether they were readers, writers, book lovers, or book makers.
• Among the suggested improvements for next year, the elimination of early tear-down was mentioned three times. In addition, others would like to see an improved venue—one with better lighting and/or atmosphere conducive to the (indie) book scene.
• And finally, though some were neutral or could live without those signature Wordstock buttons, the majority would like to have access to more buttons next year!

This is what Wordstock’s executive director, Greg Netzer, had to say when we shared the results with him:

Thanks so much for sending this feedback along. There are several ideas in here for future programs that we’ll absolutely consider, and it’s gratifying to hear that people are really responding to what we are trying to do with this festival.
—Greg

Copyright © 2008 Ink & Paper Group, LLC

On Monday, December 8, we were pleased to unite the famed winner of the 2008 Wordstock bike, YASMINE BRANDON, with her prize. In addition, we wanted to learn a little more about this one Wordstock attendee among many. Here’s what we discovered:

What brought you to Wordstock this year?
I love reading and discovering new local authors.

What do you do for a living? Are you involved in publishing in any way?
VP of Production for Neil Kelly Company (residential remodeling)

How long have you lived in Portland?
8 years

Do you enjoy the city as one of its many readers, frequenting Powell’s, etc.?
Absolutely! I always take my out-of-town visitors to Powell’s, and I love hunting through local bookstores wherever I travel.

Assuming you answered yes to the above, where’s your favorite place to read?
A cozy corner (winter) or soaking in the sun (summer)

Who’s your favorite author and why?
Currently, I’m reading essay collections about my hometown, Washington, DC. Katherine Graham’s Washington and Marjorie Williams’ The Woman at the Washington Zoo.

When someone comes to visit you as a first-timer in PDX, what do you show them first (after touring the Ink & Paper Group house, of course)?
Powell’s, of course!! We set a time to meet in the café, take off on our own, and then share our discoveries over coffee.

Tell us one interesting, little-known tidbit about yourself.
To select background music when hosting a dinner party, I close my eyes, pick 5 CDs . . . and hope for the best!

Copyright © 2008 Ink & Paper Group, LLC

Since the reading/party was due to occur this past Tuesday, you know by now that it was cancelled due to the winter weather we’ve been having in Portland this past week. By the time January rolls around, we’ll be ready for a party to perk up our spirits again! Please stay tuned for more details on the rescheduled event.

Take care, and have a safe & happy holiday!
~ Your friends at Ink & Paper Group

Due to icy weather, we have decided to reschedule our December 16 dual celebration. We’ll keep you posted, but at this point we are thinking that a post-New Year’s gathering will kick off 2009 in a good way, so we hope to see you in early January.

Stay warm and safe while you indulge in holiday goodies and a favorite book by the fire…

DUE TO BAD WEATHER, THIS CELEBRATION HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL JANUARY. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS!

Join us in our dual celebration of Duet with Hummingbird and Ink & Paper Group’s third annual holiday gathering. Irish poet Ana Callan will read from her lovely new poetry collection at 7:00 PM, and artist Lori Presthus will display original works from the book. Enjoy wine, sweets & savories, and holiday revelry throughout the evening. (Ah…the madness of the muses…)

When: Tuesday, December 16, 5:00 PM (reading at 7:00 PM)
Location: The home of Ink & Paper Group, 1825 SE 7th Avenue, Portland, OR 97214
Phone: 503.232.0103
Website: inkandpapergroup.com
RSVP to: linda.meyer@inkandpapergroup.com

Devoted divas of dark humor and pissed-off lovers of Jean Luc the cat’s (pissed-on) escapades, we are pleased to introduce our esteemed author, m.m. garcia, to the likes of Shakespeare and Spamalot, Queens and jaunty man-tights, bangers and mash. Yes, yes, our favorite voice of all things sleek-cheeky is now in London, and she will be gracing us with a monthly message via postcard to honor that public system that makes such an impression in the Dame Rocket Press favorite Hate Mail. The official website, ilovehatemail.com will also be undergoing some changes to reflect this new chapter in our less sweet / more meat prose. First installment to arrive in December, so stay in touch…or else.