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It seems like a simple question: When will movie theaters reopen in Austin and elsewhere, and when will we be able to see the traditional summer blockbusters?
<p>But the answer is far from simple. In fact, most theater owners don't want to talk about it or make any promises. And that's probably to be expected, since no one knows whether the novel coronavirus that shut everything down in March will be causing trouble through the July holiday box-office bonanza.<br/> </p>
<p>Representatives of the Alamo Drafthouse, which operates six theaters in the Austin area, say they are not ready to talk about reopening plans and re-released an earlier statement, saying that any reopening will be "a very complex project that involves countless new procedures and equipment, all of which will require extensive training."</p><p>Another large chain, Plano-based Cinemark, said the company is "currently working toward a mid-summer opening date, contingent upon health and safety regulations, as well as availability of studio content." The Cinemark representative said that the first major release currently scheduled is Christopher Nolan's "Tenet," set for July 17. But the representative said that it's important to note that a return to "normalcy" might span multiple months.</p>
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(Warner Bros.
<p class="caption"><em>Robert Pattinson and John David Washington star in Christopher Nolan's movie, "Tenet." (Warner Bros.)</em></p><p><em></em>Cinemark's mention of "Tenet" is key. It's a major Warner Bros. release, with a budget of around $200 million, according to various industry sources, and if lots of theaters aren't in a position to be open by mid-July, then it might be pushed to a later date. And that would probably delay the opening of theaters even longer. </p><p>So far, Warner Bros. is sticking with the July 17 release date, but a new trailer released online in late May does not mention a specific date for a theatrical debut. And that has set off a new round of internet speculation about whether the movie will be pushed back to August or even later.</p><p>The key point is this: If Hollywood isn't releasing any big movies because of fears about the coronavirus, then theaters have little reason to reopen. </p><p>That's not to say that some theaters haven't bucked conventional wisdom. Evo Entertainment in Kyle and Santikos Entertainment in San Antonio have opened a few screens but with significant safety requirements and much-reduced capacity. But since Hollywood has stopped its new releases, they have reduced ticket prices and are showing older movies, like the Harry Potter series, "Dirty Dancing," "Grease" and some movies like "The Invisible Man" that were released just before the virus-related closures.<br></p><p>The Austin Film Society, which operates an art theater off of Middle Fiskville Road, is still closed, even though it's offering streaming of arthouse movies on its website, as are the Violet Crown and the Alamo Drafthouse.<br></p><p>A spokesperson for the AFS Cinema said that any reopening of the theater "is going to take careful consideration."</p>
<p>Cinemark representatives say they, like everyone else, are waiting to see what happens with the transmission of the virus as well as what Hollywood ultimately decides. Here's some of what they've compiled for what they hope will be the summer and fall seasons, although it's all subject to change:</p><p><br></p><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Tenet</strong></td><td><strong>July 17</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Mulan</strong></td><td><strong>July 24</strong></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>The Spongebob Movie</strong></td><td><strong>Aug. 7</strong></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>WW84</strong></td><td><strong>Aug. 14</strong></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>A Quiet Place Part II</strong></td><td><strong>Sept. 4</strong></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>The Conjuring</strong></td><td><strong>Sept. 11</strong></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Black Widow </strong></td><td><strong>Nov. 6</strong></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>No Time to Die!</strong></td><td><strong>Nov. 27</strong></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>If studios keep pushing back films like "Tenet," then there will be a domino effect. And theater owners in Austin and across the country could face even more problems with rent and upkeep of properties. <br></p><p>Sky Cinemas in Dripping Springs has already closed—permanently. "With our business closed due to COVID and no revenue coming in, we were unable to pay our rent," the company said in a statement posted on the web in May.</p><p>Sky Cinemas was founded by Bill Banowsky, who also founded the Violet Crown Cinema in Austin, which eventually expanded to Santa Fe, N.M., and Charlottesville, Va. </p><p>"I don't think anyone knows when Hollywood will start releasing films again," Banowsky wrote in an email. "This is not a three-month problem, with the movie theater business opening up again in July and carrying on where it left off. There will be substantial lingering effects from this virus. It may take a year or more before the movie industry returns to pre-COVID levels of business."</p><p><span></span>About half of U.S. theaters operating under the Alamo Drafthouse name are franchises. And like Sky Cinemas, they're apparently feeling the economic pain.</p><p>On May 15, three Alamo franchise locations in the Phoenix area filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to Craig Paschich, majority owner of the franchises.<br></p><p>In a statement issued to the news media, Paschich said he hopes the theaters will reopen eventually. "Our intention is to use this opportunity to reorganize our finances and plan for the road ahead," the statement says. "We're also currently working closely with the corporate team in Austin to determine our next steps."</p>
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Nearly 50 Austin musicians got together through the nonprofit All ATX to create the release of "Someday We'll Be together," a take on The Supremes song by Robert Harrison and Suzanna Choffel.
<p>The video, by filmmaker David Reyes, is meant to raise awareness and support for the city's musicians, many of whom are struggling during the coronavirus pandemic <a data-linked-post="2645924693" href="https://austonia.com/lifestyle/austin-festivals-canceled" target="_blank">due to canceled gigs</a> and <a data-linked-post="2645865019" href="https://austonia.com/fate-of-acl-2020" target="_blank">closed venues</a>. Proceeds from downloads and donations benefit the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (<a href="https://myhaam.org" target="_blank">HAAM</a>). </p>
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The Statesman layoffs were a part of layoffs across Gannett, the nation's largest newspaper chain, which also owns 260 other newspapers in 46 states. (Michael Barera)
(Editor's Note: Oppel is editorial advisor to Austonia.com. From 1995-2008, he was editor and vice president of the Austin American-Statesman.)
Veteran sportswriter Suzanne Halliburton and culture critic Joe Gross were among seven staffers laid off on Friday by the Austin American-Statesman. The layoffs come at a time when most Statesman employees are on unpaid furloughs one week each month.
<p>The Statesman layoffs <a href="https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2020/after-coronavirus-furloughs-gannett-newspapers-lay-off-journalists-around-the-country/" target="_blank">apparently</a> were a part of layoffs across Gannett, the nation's largest newspaper chain, which owns the Statesman and 260 other newspapers in 46 states. </p><p>Those dismissed by the Statesman were:</p><p>—Arianna Auber, who was the "liquid Austin" columnist covering beverages in the features department.</p><p>—Joe Gross, who was the pop culture, film and literature writer. He was considered one of the strongest writers on the Statesman's staff. </p><p>"May 1 will be my final day at the Austin-American Statesman, where I have worked fulltime for 18 years and had a byline for nearly 20," Gross tweeted Friday. "I was informed this morning my position was eliminated. Thank you for reading my stuff there."</p><p>—James Gregg, who was a photojournalist and deputy director of video and photography. Gregg is a University of Kansas graduate who previously worked for the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson and the San Diego Union-Tribune. He has been in Austin since 2014.</p><p>—Suzanne Halliburton, who covered Texas A&M football and was an expert on recruiting and on the NFL draft. She was among the female pioneers of sports journalism who gained access to the once male-dominated press boxes and locker rooms. She joined the Statesman in August 1986. </p><p>"So, let me tell you about my day," Halliburton wrote on a Facebook post Friday evening. "Woke up late after working til after midnight. Heard rumors about layoffs. Noticed I had a had a text message and a Zoom invite from the editor. I had time to fix my face and find out I'd been laid off from a job I've had for almost 34 years.</p><p>"To say this sucks is an understatement. I feel like my family filed for divorce. But this is what happens when your paper is bought out, then one chain merges with another. Got any job ideas? Please send them my way." </p><p>The Statesman was purchased from Cox Enterprises Inc. of Atlanta for $47.5 million by GateHouse in April 2018. In August 2019, GateHouse bought Gannett for $1.4 billion. In the combined company, GateHouse took on Gannett's name. </p><p>—Mike Parker, who graduated from Texas State University in 2002 with a B.A. in mass communications, for the last five years has been editor of the Round Rock Leader and Pflugerville Pflag, both in the Statesman's community newspapers group. </p><p>—Nick Wagner, who graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2017, was a photojournalist with the Statesman. </p><p>Wagner tweeted, "Hey editor! I'm your newest freelancer available for hire in Texas/northern Mexico. I am fluent in Spanish, excel under pressure & nothing stops me from making photos (just ask Bevo XV). @Gannett just laid me off from @statesman as a result of its latest merger. DMs are open!"</p><p>Wagner was <a href="https://www.statesman.com/news/20190102/statesman-photographer-says-hell-pay-bevo-more-respect-in-future-after-close-encounter" target="_blank">struck</a> by Bevo during the 2019 Sugar Bowl when the Longhorns' mascot charged Uga, the Georgia Bulldogs' mascot. He was not hurt. </p><p>—Aaricka Washington, the K-12 education reporter, who has a degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and joined the Statesman in September 2019.</p><p>She tweeted, "It's been taking me hours to muster the courage and strength to write this. I was one of seven reporters who just got laid off from @Statesman. It hurts. It feels unreal. But I'm grateful for everything I've learned as an edu reporter working for this great org."</p><p>Poynter.org <a href="https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2020/after-coronavirus-furloughs-gannett-newspapers-lay-off-journalists-around-the-country/" target="_blank">reported on its website</a>, "It's unclear if the layoffs are in response to the economic impact of the coronavirus or the result of the merger with Gatehouse, though one source told Poynter the cuts relate to the Gatehouse/Gannett integration and that sites with overlap were getting the cuts. Gannett executives told The New York Times in November that they would look for 'efficiencies' after the merger."</p><p>The Poynter Institute for Media Studies is a nonprofit journalism school and research organization located in St. Petersburg, Fla. </p><p>It is not clear how efficiencies would be achieved at the Statesman by reducing "overlaps," since no other Gannett newspapers operate in Central Texas. However, the Statesman has been well-staffed among its Gannett peers, given the tough environment for newspapers. </p><p>Statesman editors declined to comment.</p><p>On March 30, the Statesman newsroom was among Gannett newsrooms that were <a data-linked-post="2645619410" href="https://austonia.com/coronavirus-devastates-some-local-news-outlets-carving-out-bright-spots-for-others" target="_blank">directed to furlough employees</a>. Those making more than $38,000 a year were required to take one week of unpaid leave for April, May and June.</p><p>A Gannett company spokesperson told Poynter.org, "We remain steadfast in our efforts to integrate our new company in order to realize the full potential of our combined resources and scale to sustain and preserve quality journalism for the long term. The moves, while imperative, are tough. The elimination of any job and the loss of valued colleagues is deeply felt."<br/></p><p>Wagner, the photojournalist, tweeted that at the time of the GateHouse-Gannett merger, "CEO Paul Bascobert said front-line reporters are 'the last place we want to touch' with cuts. A week ago I was 'front line' in every sense or the term, covering a protest an risking my health. Yesterday I was laid off." </p><p>He added later, "I can only hope Gannett keeps its hands off my favorite newsroom." </p>
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Without restaurants, bars or festivals, Austin's cottage industry of influencers gets creative
21 April
Jane Ko
A laid-off service industry worker gets a free meal at Old Thousand thanks to Hundred For Hospitality, a local fund created by influencer Jane Ko. (Jane Ko)
Welcome to Austonia, a new, locally owned news company here to report on news, business, and politics in Austin, Texas. Like what you see? Sign up for our daily newsletter to get our latest stories in your inbox.
Last month, in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19, Austin Mayor Steve Adler canceled South by Southwest and ordered the closure of all restaurants and bars in the city. While generally praised for his decision, Adler essentially shut down the city's hospitality industry at a time when it usually sees its highest sales.
Since then, many restaurants have pivoted to curbside delivery and selling bulk staples. But others have laid off staff or closed permanently. Cottage industries built around the city's dining scene have also been deeply impacted.
"I'm not making income," said Jane Ko, who runs the Austin food and travel blog A Taste of Koko. "I lost all of my projects, too."
<p>Ko is an influencer—someone who generates interest in consumer products by posting about them on social media—who has more than 75,000 Instagram followers. Her blogging business and others, including local public relations firms, are experiencing a sharp loss in revenue as restaurants and bars slash budgets—or close their doors altogether. </p><p><br/></p><div id="d880c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="971f820ec7fefb52dc1e311278faf641"><blockquote class="instagram-media"
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_L-S8aHfFi/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif;
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word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">KOKO | Austin Food Blogger on Instagram: “😷 DIY face mask with a bandana, coffee filter & hair ties via the @cdcgov! If you do need to go out in Austin, face masks are now…”</a></p>
</div></blockquote></div><p><br/></p><p>"We've definitely had a reduction in our business because of COVID, and it's been really difficult," said Samantha Davidson, founder and president of Say My Name Public Relations, which represents local beer bar Craft Pride and restaurant group FBR Management, which includes Mean Eyed Cat and Lala's Little Nugget. </p><p>Davidson has applied for assistance from the Small Business Administration is waiting to hear back. In the meantime, she and her four employees are working to adapt their business model.</p><p>"With people sheltering at home and on their computers and on their phones—very engaged digitally—it's [a question of]: how do we get the information about what our clients are doing out to the people who are interested in to-go [meals]," Davidson said.</p><p>Say My Name's clients have worked with influencers such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shelbysorrel/" target="_blank"><u>Shelby Sorrel</u></a> (43,900 Instagram followers) and sisters <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eatingatx/" target="_blank"><u>Lindsay and Morgan Vandygriff</u></a> (97,700 Instagram followers). Since the pandemic arrived in Austin, some have also produced their own social media content in an effort to engage customers. Local chefs, including <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-2oJCeFyNk/" target="_blank"><u>Loro Beverage Director Jason Kosmas</u></a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-z86b4HfOC/" target="_blank"><u>Uchi Sous Chef Blake Luecke</u></a>, have been recording themselves cooking at home and sharing the videos on Instagram and TikTok.<br/></p><p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-2oJCeFyNk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-2oJCeFyNk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"> View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-2oJCeFyNk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Jason Kosmas, our Beverage Director for @haihospitality, is here to show us how to make the best homemade margaritas, cause well, there's not much else to do on the weekend right now. Jason's mixing up a delicious marg using common ingredients you have stashed away in your kitchen like zest from an orange to a citrus jazz and cinnamon sticks to create depth and character to the cocktail. You can make this as a single-serve using a hand juicer or batch it up to last all quarantine. Single Serve •2 oz Blanco Tequila (really any kind, let's not be picky) •1 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime) •.75 oz orange-scented agave nectar (see below) •1 lime wheel, for garnish Directions: Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with salt (optional) and lime wheel. Orange-Scented Agave Nectar (12 oz) •1 cup agave nectar •.5 cup boiling water zest (peel) of 1/2 an orange •1/2 cinnamon stick Directions: Stir all ingredients into a container. Allow to cool. Remove zest and cinnamon. Batched This recipe is good for storing in the fridge and pouring over ice (no shaking required). •1 (750ml) bottle of tequila •12 oz lime juice (1 dozen limes) •9 oz orange-scented agave nectar (see above) •12 oz cold water Directions: Combine all ingredients into a pitcher. Store in the fridge to keep cold. Pour over ice as needed. #loroaustin #haiathome</a><br/> A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/loroaustin/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Loro Austin</a> (@loroaustin) on Apr 11, 2020 at 1:14pm PDT<br/></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p><br/></p><p>Chelsea McCullough, owner of the PR firm Mylk Collective, which works with restaurants and beauty businesses, has also been "greatly affected" by this pandemic and is waiting to hear about the status of her SBA loan application.<br/></p><p>In addition to helping her clients adapt to the current marketplace—such as by developing family-style take-out menus and offering meal kits—McCullough has teamed up with Ko on Hundred for Hospitality, a restaurant fund that serves 100 meals a day to laid-off service industry workers around Austin. </p><p>"I was really distraught the first week [restaurants were closed]," Ko said. "I had over 200 restaurants reach out to me for help."</p><p>On March 20, Ko <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/hundred-for-hospitality" target="_blank"><u>started a GoFundMe</u></a>, which has since raised over $14,000 to fund Hundred For Hospitality. </p><p>With these donations, Hundred For Hospitality has paid local restaurants such as The Peached Tortilla, Austin's Pizza and Easy Tiger to provide daily meals to service workers since March 30, with plans to continue through May 8. </p><p>McCullough said other local influencers have reached out to her to see how they can offer support, even as their own businesses are struggling. </p><p>"Let's be frank, influencers are used to getting a lot of complimentary dining experiences, but they really stepped up and said …. 'How can I support? Where can I eat out? Where can I purchase food?'" McCullough said. </p><p>Supporting these businesses now may mean protecting their own futures.</p><p>"It's not just about keeping the brand alive," Davidson said, "but keeping the industry alive." </p>
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"When the SBA Paycheck Protection Program was announced, we jumped on it," Elizabeth Christian said.
With billions of dollars in forgivable loans available from the Small Business Administration, Elizabeth Christian, CEO of the well-known Austin public relations firm, took action immediately.
She got a loan in five days.
<p>"When the SBA Paycheck Protection Program was announced, we jumped on it," she said. "For most small businesses, having a forgivable loan for two months of payroll and rent, with no personal guarantee by the small business owner, is an amazing benefit. For some, it will be the difference between life and death for the company."</p><p>Some Austin <a href="https://austonia.com/private-practices-coronavirus" target="_self">businesses have struggled to get answers</a> from the SBA, but Christian was able to secure a loan quickly.</p><p>She contacted Eddie Safady, vice chairman of Prosperity Bancshares. Prosperity is ECPR's long-term banker. With Safady engaged step-by-step, the company submitted its application on April 3—the first day the SBA accepted applications.</p><p>Christian said her firm executed loan documents on April 7 and were fully funded within 24 hours. She said she received the full amount of what she had applied for, enough to cover her payroll needs for two and a half months. She declined to reveal a specific amount.</p><p>ECPR employs 21 people in an office at 8008 Spicewood Lane. On March 27, President Donald Trump signed into law the $2 billion Cares Act, which includes $377 billion to small businesses. Any portion of a loan used to maintain payroll, keep workers on the books or pay for rent, mortgage or existing debt can be forgiven, provided workers stay employed through the end of June.</p><p>"Unbelievable!" said Christian. "Many businesses—I hope—are having the same experience, but we felt particularly lucky to be working with an independent bank with which we've had a 25-year partnership," said Christian.</p><p>ECPR, established in 1995, specializes in media relations, video production, legislative efforts, social media, event planning and crisis communications. Christian was an assistant business news editor of The Los Angeles Times in the 1980s, and she is the daughter of the late George Christian, press secretary to President Lyndon Johnson. Her husband, former Austin Mayor Bruce Todd, is of counsel to ECPR.</p><p>Founded in 1983, Prosperity Bank has 242 locations and is owned by Prosperity Bancshares In., a $22.7 billion Houston-based holding company.</p><p>"The government came through, and so did our bankers," Christian said.</p>
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Courtesy Robert Bryce
Robert Bryce's "A Question of Power" was published in March. (Courtesy Robert Bryce)
Austin author Robert Bryce has just come out with a new book, and it received a strong review from Wall Street Journal "Bookshelf" editor Gregg Easterbrook. The editor called "A Question of Power: Electricity and the Wealth of Nations" a "smart, important book."
I asked Bryce, who is a former writer for the Austin Chronicle, to answer three questions:
<p><strong>Q: </strong><em>You claim in "A Question of Power" that the generation of electricity worldwide must be increased substantially if we want to raise global living standards. You see that as a moral imperative. In Austin, many see moving from petroleum-based energy production to renewables as a moral imperative. Can those two goals coexist?</em> </p><p><strong>A:</strong> The all-renewable delusion pervades leftist ideology, and it is being promoted by numerous prominent Democrats, including Bernie Sanders. But it's just that: a delusion. There is no way that wind and solar can meet the vast amounts of energy needed by modern society at prices consumers can afford. That's not an opinion. It's simple math and basic physics. As I explain in the book, the biggest problem is land use. Communities from New York to Hawaii are resisting the encroachment of Big Wind. That doesn't get reported in the <em>Times</em>, but the facts are there for any reporter who wants to look at them. </p><p><strong>Q:</strong> <em>You wrote your book prior to the coronavirus outbreak. Yet, are there any lessons in your book where energy equity and fighting disease intersect?</em> </p><p><strong>A:</strong> Our medical systems are wholly dependent on cheap, abundant, reliable electricity. If you were a virus-stricken patient on a ventilator, what would you want powering that machine? Some solar panels and wind turbines or a 2,000-megawatt nuclear plant? </p><p><strong>Q:</strong> <em>How do you sell a book in a time of shelter-in-place and a shut-down economy? Book stores are closed, speeches and appearances aren't happening, and book clubs aren't meeting.</em> </p><p>A: I have to say it's been disappointing. After working on this book for three years, I was looking forward to doing several dozen events. Nearly all of them have been canceled. I did a Crowdcast event for Politics & Prose, and I've done some podcasts, but it's not the same. So I'm doing what I can: writing more op-eds, hoping for more reviews, and doing whatever I can online and on Twitter, Facebook, etc., to promote the book. </p><p>A Question of Power (PublicAffairs, 322 pages, $28) is available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Question-Power-Electricity-Wealth-Nations-dp-1610397495/dp/1610397495/ref=mt_hardcover?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>. </p>
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