So, a couple weeks ago, I joined the 16 million Americans who are unemployed. In my case, like many, it’s because of the economy. Y’see, the company I worked for sells presentation software to newspapers. The very same newspapers that are having budget issues and laying off their own employees by the score. And when you’re a company that’s laying off their employees, the last thing you want to be doing is buying some fancy new piece of software.

Now, when I started working for the software company, it worked out very well for Coverville. The show was making enough money through sponsorships that I was able to work a shorter day at the day job, and then spend the rest of the day working on show development and revenue projects. And as I’m going back out into the job market, I know it’s not very likely I’ll find as good an opportunity, and I’m fully prepared to have to move Coverville back to my evenings, where it worked out well for the first couple years. Gotta keep the heat on and feed the family.

But Coverville (and the assorted shows under its umbrella) are still a source of revenue for me. And as a listener, you can continue to expect them as you have been for however long you’ve been listening.

When I announced news of the layoff on Facebook and Twitter, I received a tremendous response from folks who offered their condolences. And it just amazes me that people I’ve never met, who maybe I’ve only talked to through email, took the time to post a message back to me, wishing me luck, offering positive thoughts, and just generally being terrific. If you’re one of the people who sent one of those messages, and I didn’t already thank you, then I thank you now.

Another thing that came up were a lot of people asking how they could help.

Now, I’m not at all willing to accept any charity. If you enjoy the show, and layoff or not, you would have donated anyway, that’s terrific, and I’ll happily accept your donation. But I’d rather you get something out of it. So if you were thinking of doing any of the the following, I’m happy to tell you that there’s no better time than now.

1. Become a Coverville Citizen
It’s a fantastic way to support the show, and you get lots of swag in the process. You can also “gift” a subscription to someone this holiday season. Find out more here.

2. Buy a set of Coverville DVDs
Get all 600 episodes of Coverville on a three-DVD set! Find out more about that here.

3. Subscribe to Lyrics Undercover
Many folks don’t know that I do a show where I analyze (with the amazing help of Dianne Cooke) a history and background of a specific song. It’s a nice short show, and you get four a month for only $3. Click here for more info.

4. Buy individual episodes of Coverville: Bonus Tracks
If you’re not a Coverville Citizen, you can buy individual episodes of Coverville: Bonus Tracks (and soon, individual episodes of Lyrics Undercover) at the Coverville Media Store (link)!

5. Get a web site from BlueHost or SquareSpace
If you were planning to start a website anyway, you really can’t go wrong with either of these fantastic options. With BlueHost, you get your domain and hosting for just $6.95 per month. It’s a great option if you like to dig into the nuts and bolts of your site. Click Here when you’re ready to sign up.

Or, if you think more visually, you’ll prefer SquareSpace. Using their amazing automated tools for customizing your website or blog, you can see how things are going to look as you make the changes. Incredible stuff. When you sign up, use the coupon code “Cover” to save 10% on your order. Click here to check out SquareSpace.

4. Do your Amazon shopping through Coverville
Even if you don’t buy the albums or MP3s that I link to on my site, just by using those links, I still make a commission on most things you order. So if you’re going to buy a big-screen TV, click one of my Amazon album links first, and then once you’re at Amazon’s site, search for whatever products you were going to buy anyway. When you buy them, I’ll still get commission. (Here’s a link)

I’m also starting up a Business Podcast Consulting service, so if you or anyone you know needs help with a podcast for their business, please let me know. I’ll have more information on the site very soon.