We live in strange times.  There’s no denying it.  Our economy is struggling to get back on track, and the leaders we’ve elected seem more interested in bickering over ideology than in fixing the underlying root causes.  Many of us feel frustrated and powerless to change things.  But there are ways we can have a positive impact on our economy and improve some of the fundamental problems with our systems.  First, if you haven’t done so already, you can move your money to a credit union and stop dealing with behemoth banks.  And we can all spend more money at small, locally owned businesses.

Today is Small Business Saturday, a day in which you’re encouraged to make purchases at mom and pop stores, instead of a corporate chain.  Small, independent businesses are what made this country and this economy so diverse and vibrant in the first place.  When you shop at a small business you guarantee that your money stays in your local economy, instead of flowing to some far away home office, where the money more than likely will be transferred to an offshore account to avoid taxation.  You also help keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive.  If you are frustrated by the current state of our country, make the one change that’s guaranteed to have an impact.  Vote with your pocket book.

Today, if you are looking for a Christmas present for the reader in your family, please take a look at Seventh Star Press and their lineup of outstanding authors.   Seventh Star is a small, independent publisher that produces high quality speculative fiction at competitive prices.  They also pay their authors one of the highest royalty percentages in the industry, so you are helping the authors earn more of a living from their craft.

Another alternative is to shop The Literary Underworld, a cooperative of independent publishers.  They carry a wide array of titles, from romantic horror to high fantasy, and everything in between.

If you really want to make a change in this country, start spending more money with small businesses and help rekindle local economies.  Vote with your wallet!