Forgive the spate of personal news, but I wanted to close the loop and reply to the many inquiries I've received. Last week, I let everyone know I am moving to Denver this month, and that I would soon have pretty big career news. So in the interest of closing that loop, I wanted to let folks know what that news is: I have been asked to write a weekly, nationally syndicated column for Creators Syndicate - one of the biggest newspaper syndicates in the world.
Some background: My wonderful editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, which had been running my columns about once a month, put me in touch with Creators a few months after my friend (and their writer) Molly Ivins tragically passed away. It is really an honor to be walking in Molly's footsteps, though let me be very clear: I have no illusions that they think I alone could fill her shoes. Creators has some really great and well-known progressive political writers, including Robert Scheer, Joe Conason, Froma Harrop, Mark Shields and Norman Solomon. They have also very recently brought on another friend of mine, Connie Schultz - the Pulitzer Prize winning columnist from the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It is really a thrill for me to join such great writers and to have the opportunity to carry a progressive economic perspective to more readers.
The column will begin syndicating in early August on Creators website, and should start being marketed to newspapers in September. I will, of course, put up a note when that happens with the specific web address to find the columns, as it would be helpful if folks who like the column got in touch with their local newspaper editors and asked them to run the column (again, don't do it now - the column hasn't launched yet, and many editors might have no idea what you are talking about). As an FYI - we won't know how many publications - or even which publications - will carry the column until it starts being syndicated. Also, this column will not affect my regular blogging right here.
A final word of thanks to readers and editors who have really supported my work for a long time now. This is a tough business, and launching this column is going to be a big challenge (especially with my next book deadline fast approaching). But at those times that I feel beaten down, it is that support that I have relied on for inspiration. So really - a heartfelt thank you to all of you who have made writing so rewarding for me personally, and more importantly who continue to support the progressive movement in our fight to take this country back. The more voices we get into the media's political discourse, the better.
Ok, now I've got to get back to plugging away at the book, and packing up for the move to Denver. Onward!