Alaska Book Week display at Gulliver’s Books in Fairbanks
Thank
you to everyone who contributed to the success of this year’s Alaska
Book Week—participants came from all over the state, including Barrow,
Bethel, Chugiak, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Haines, Homer, Juneau, Nenana,
Seward, Sitka, Skagway, and Wasilla, and even from Outside (Georgia, New
Jersey, Texas, and Washington). We would particularly like to
acknowledge our sponsors, the University of Alaska Press and Epicenter
Press, whose support made this event possible. Authors, bookstores,
libraries, publishers, and teachers around the state stepped up to
celebrate Alaska writers and their books in many ways. A special thanks
to 49 Writers volunteer Alaska Book Week coordinator, Kirsten Anderson,
for working behind the scenes to ensure that everything ran smoothly.
For more information on ABW activities, visit the Alaska Book Week website.
We
are grateful too to everyone who offered to donate books for the
popular daily book giveaway: Kaylene Johnson, Don Rearden, Sherry
Simpson, Barbara Lipton, Marguerita McManus, Boone Brux, Colleen Mondor,
Maxine Mansfield, Tam Linsey, Jackie Ivie, VP&D House, The Babbling Book,
Epicenter Press, and University of Alaska Press. Some winners still need
to contact us with their mailing address so we can send their prizes:
Tom Rogge, Laura Sullivan-Weekes McDonell, Suzanne Miles, Patrick Dixon,
Erin Kirkland, and Kersten.
49
Writers would like to thank everyone who attended the Synergies event
at Out North on October 13 to hear visiting poet Linda Gregerson read
from her new collection of poetry, The Selvage, and to enjoy the premiere of The Children of Light,
a one-act by Arlitia Jones staged by her production company Toss Pot.
We are fortunate indeed to be able to showcase literary talent of such a
high caliber. We also wish to thank 49 Writers volunteer Susanna
Mishler, who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this event.
Linda Gregerson also taught a workshop the following day, The Poetic
Line, with support from the Alaska State Council on the Arts, which
“really packed a wallop” and gave participants “much to think about and
aspire to.” We appreciate the way in which she engaged so graciously
with our community of writers. Special thanks to our sponsors for the event- Fire Island Rustic Bakery, Alaska Center for the Book, and Craig and Barbara Mishler-and to Fireside Books for donating profits of The Selvage sales to 49 Writers.
We
are still taking registration for upcoming Anchorage workshops by
Lorena Knapp (Building an Online Platform as a Writer) on Saturday, October 27 and Jonathan Bower (Writing Wrongs) on Saturday, November 3 and 10. And the three-week series Character: Fiction’s Master Key with Andromeda Romano-Lax (Tuesdays, November 6, 13 & 20). In Juneau, Amy O’Neill Houck will be teaching Writing in the Rain on Saturdays, November 3, 10 & 17. Don’t delay – register today!
49 Writers is delighted to welcome Nora Marks Dauenhauer as the new Alaska State Writer Laureate. We look forward to working with her during her tenure. We would like to take this opportunity to thank outgoing Writer Laureate Peggy Shumaker for her invaluable contribution to the Alaska literary community during the past two years, and for her strong support of 49 Writers since the organization’s foundation. We know that Peggy will continue to promote Alaska writers and their writing, and appreciate her championship of our wonderful authors.
Remember the deadline for our first WYAK writing contest of the year is October 31.
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, feel free to email us at 49writers@gmail.com and we’ll help to spread the word.
Tonight, Friday October 19, 7pm,
Derek Burleson and Sean Hill will perform as part of UAF’s Midnight Sun
Visiting Writers series. Schaible Auditorium, UAF Campus, Fairbanks.
Tonight, Friday October 19, 7.30pm,
Sandra Kleven and the Spenard JazzFest poets, now performing as Venus
Transit, will perform “Nervous for Love” at the Bunnell Street Gallery,
Homer. An evening of poetry with music and dance, to raise funds for
Cirque www.cirquejournal.com
Don’t forget, Arctic Cliffhangers’ “Forensic Foray” is tomorrow, Saturday October 20. Go to www.arcticcliffhangers.com for more information.
Sandy Kleven’s newest book, Talk About Touch,will be launched Monday October 22, 5.30pm,
at the Anchorage Hilton, McKinley Room as part of the Child
Maltreatment Conference. An honest, approachable and crafted look
exploration of child abuse in the culturally relevant setting of an
Alaskan village.
Starting next Saturday, October 27, 10-12 noon, Miranda Weiss
will be teaching a four-week writing workshop, “Writing Motherhood.”
The topic of motherhood will be inspiration and ‘excuse’ for creative
writing, focusing mainly on personal essay and nonfiction techniques.
R.E.C. Room, 3957 Nielsen Circle, Homer. To register, or for more
information, contact writingmotherhood@gmail.com or call (907) 299 5550.
Congratulations to Cinthia Ritchie, whose “Running” won the Sport Literate essay contest and will be featured in the upcoming issue.
Big thanks to all of YOU, 49 writers staff and volunteers, for making a second year of Alaska Book Week happen! SUCH a good new tradition.
Thanks, Tele – it's always a lot of fun to connect with lovers of Alaska literature around the state and we hope to grow this event even more next year.