wonderful turnout last week for our first 49 Writers literary salon of the
season—a great opportunity for our members to gather, get to know or reconnect
with one other, and share some of their work. These gatherings are hosted in a
member’s home and invitations go out to current members only due to space
limitations. Be sure to renew your membership if it has expired! Many thanks to
Martha and John Amore for hosting, to Morgan Grey for organizing, to our ten
writers who read from a variety of work, and to all who attended.
How have you been celebrating
Alaska Book Week? Do let us know what you’ve been up to
this week, October 6-13,
and we’ll post your report and photos on the website. Events are listed at
the Alaska Book Week website and on the website calendar. Don’t forget to
enter the daily drawing for a free Alaska book on the website or the 49 Writers
Facebook page.
On October 13, 7-8:30pm
, Linda Gregerson and Arlitia Jones will
be joining forces for a unique Synergies event at Out North, Workaday: New
Poems, New Play. Book signing
and no-host after party at Kinley’s to follow. Note: Play contains strong adult
language.
There is still time to register for
Linda Gregerson’s workshop “The Poetic Line,” October 14, 10am-noon
. We encourage you to take advantage of the
opportunity to learn from this fine poet and accomplished educator on her brief
visit to Alaska. Writers of
both poetry and prose are welcome, as well as readers looking to broaden their
knowledge of poetic craft. For information and to register, click here. Thanks to the Alaska State Council on
the Arts for their support of this workshop.
Pass this on to the young writers
and the educators in your lives! The deadline for our first
WYAK writing contest of the year is October 31. You will find tips for educators on the Teachers page of the website.
Debbie Miller
reports that she is currently on an extensive tour that relates to
On Arctic
Ground,
a new adult photo essay book published by Braided River. To write the book she
traveled by canoe and on foot for more than 600 miles, exploring a vast and
magnificent landscape. Visit the website to find out about planned events in
your area. Debbie looks forward to seeing some of you on the road!
Can you spare a few hours to
volunteer at Loussac Library’s Teen Underground to assist with their writing
program? TU VISTA Candace Blas is looking for help with organizing and leading
teen workshops for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), November 1-30
. If you are interested, please contact
her at BlasCM@ci.anchorage.ak.us. Thank you!
If you have news to share of
publishing success, a book signing, or any other literary activity in your
community, email us at
49writers@gmail.com and we’ll help to spread the word.
Friday October 12, at 7pm,
poet Linda Gregerson will read as part of UAF’s Midnight Sun Visiting Writers
Series. Schaible Auditorium, UAF, Fairbanks.
Saturday October 13, between 12-2pm, Carol Sturgulewski will be signing books
and telling stories about life in ‘the house,’ about which she wrote her book White
House of the North: Stories from the Alaska Governor’s Mansion. Fireside Books, Palmer.
Out Loud is Monday October 15. The registration form and information on the Alaska state
Competition is posted at http://jahc.org/arts-education/poetry-out-loud/.
Having done so well last year, it’s likely that Alaskan teens will put on a
strong showing again!
encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through
memorization, performance, and competition. During fall and winter
2012-2013, schools are invited to participate in classroom and schoolwide
contests, advancing to a state competition. State champions will advance to the
National Finals, to take place on April 29-30, 2013, in Washington, DC.
October 17, 5-7pm, everyone
is invited to the UAA Campus Bookstore for an Open Mic Night with the Alaska Native
Oratory Society—an evening of poetry, stories, music, and song. Sponsored by
Alaska Native Studies.
takes place Wednesday October 17, 7pm, at Out North Contemporary Art House, 3800 DeBarr Rd. the
local poet is Leslie Fried; the ‘marquee’ poet is Kevin Patchen.
October 18, 5-7pm, UAA
Civil Engineering Professor Dr Tom Ravens will give an overview of his work on
climate change in Alaska. UAA Campus Bookstore. Free and open to all.
next three Thursdays through November 8, 2 – 3pm, mothers are invited to bring children age two and under to Writing
Playgroup at Sprout,
(3691 Ben Walters Lane, 235-6044). While your baby or toddler plays, writer and
mom Miranda Weiss will provide some writing prompts, and we’ll discuss ways to
record parenting moments–lows and highs. Bring a notebook and pen, or whatever
you want to write on. This is an excuse for some adult headspace within a life
with young children. Free.
announced. The honorees will be celebrated and the awards presented during a dinner at the Hotel Captain Cook in
Anchorage on Thursday, October 18th, beginning with a champagne reception at 6pm. The
awards are sponsored by the Alaska Humanities Forum, the Alaska State Council
on the Arts, and the Office of the Governor with generous support from
ConocoPhillips Alaska and BP. Tickets:
$85 per person. Corporate and VIP sponsorship tables may be reserved through Gina
Brown at the Alaska State Council on the Arts at gina.brown@alaska.gov or by calling 907-269-6610. To
register for this event, go to http://bit.ly/GovernorsAwardsRegistration. For
more information about the Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities, or
the 2012 awardees, call the Alaska State Council on the Arts at 907-269-6610 or visit: http://education.alaska.gov/aksca/ ;
or call the Alaska Humanities Forum at 907-272-5341
or visit: http://www.akhf.org/governors-awards.
show to Homer, Friday October 19, 7 pm
at the Bunnell Gallery. The show “Nervous for Love” is described
as, “Random and rowdy.
Reckless and tender. Six poets blend their aesthetic in juxtapositions
and collisions of the spoken word. Dancers and musicians conspire to take
it to the next level, in a collaboration centered on the poem.” The group
is performing as Venus Transit. It
includes Sandra Kleven, Elizabeth L Thompson, Peter Porco, Gabrielle Barnett,
Tamara Rothman, Brian Hutton, Melissa Wanamaker, and Corliss Kimmel. It’s a pay
what you can event, with a chunk of the revenue going to support Cirque
Literary Journal.
The Alaska Chapter of Sisters in Crime, now called the Arctic Cliffhangers is hosting a daylong conference on October 20. The 2012 Forensic Foray will be held at the Dimond Center Hotel (go to http://www.arcticcliffhangers.
Awareness Month, and Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska is excited to offer the
opportunity for writers professional and amateur statewide to be
involved. They are holding a writing contest for ages 12 and up. Age
categories and prizes are as follows:
Package
Miles
Through My Eyes’ and it is designed to raise awareness of a disease that
affects over 6000 Alaskans and over 5.4 million Americans. Contest rules
can be found on the website at www.AlzAlaska.org
along with information about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. All
entries must be received by 5:00 PM on Friday, November 16. Entries can be emailed to aging@alzalaska.org , mailed or dropped
off at our office at 1750 Abbott Rd. Anchorage, AK 99507. Please contact
Mariel Fonteyn, with questions.