49 Writers Weekly Roundup

This year’s Alaska Book Week is revving up thanks to 49 Writers member and volunteer Mary Kudenov, who is coordinating our annual celebration of Alaska’s authors and their books for her MFA practicum. She has already secured the participation of many libraries and bookstores across the state, and is now seeking authors who are available for readings or presentations at the various venues where special displays and events will occur. If you’re interested, do fill out the online participation form and she’ll get in touch with you. The University of Alaska Press is sponsoring Alaska Book Week once again, and we are in the process of securing additional sponsors – if you’d like to support the event with a sponsorship, please contact us to discuss. This year, for the first time, the Alaska Writers Guild and Alaska Pacific University are partnering, with our support, to hold a Book Fair at APU, October 11-12. If you’re an Alaska author, look soon for details of how to register for a table at this event.

Poetry Parley is on hiatus until September 18 (third Wednesday), when a new year will begin with a slate of ten local poets. You can sign up by email (poetryparley@gmail.com) and read your own work or another’s (five minutes only). Meanwhile, thanks to everyone who participated in the 2012-2013 season!

July 6, 11am-4pm, join the free First Saturday celebration in Hope with various authors and artists on
the lawn at the library. The Sherritt Fine Art Gallery will host a wine and cheese tasting party
and in the evening there will be live music at the Seaview Cafe.

July 8, 6-9pm, Blue Hollomon Gallery, Anchorage: There’s still time to register for Revision: Become Your Own Best Editor, the SCBWI workshop with Newbery Prize winner Linda Sue Park. Suitable for both picture book authors and novel writers. $25 for SCBWI members, $30 for non-members. Register here. Linda Sue Park will also be appearing at the following Anchorage libraries as part of the Summer Reading Celebration: you can catch her July 9, 2pm at the Loussac’s Wilda Marston Theatre; July 10, 2pm at Muldoon Branch Library and 6:30pm at the Girdwood Neighborhood Library; and July 11, 1pm at Chugiak-Eagle River Neighborhood Library and 3:30pm at Mountain View Neighborhood Library.

One of the beautiful illustrations by Mindy Dwyer for Monica Devine’s Kayak Girl

July 11, 5-7:30pm, Blue Hollomon Gallery, there will be an artist reception for “The Art of Children’s Books,” currently on display at the gallery until July 31.

July 11, 6-9pm, there will be a book launch for Weathered Edge: Three Alaskan Novellas, just published by VP&D House, hosted by Martha Amore. Kris Farmen and Martha Amore will read from their work and Vered Mares will read for the third author in the collection, Buffy McKay. Artist David Kennicott will also be in attendance. For directions, contact Vered at vered@vpdhouse.com. Help us to celebrate the fine work of these Alaskan authors, who have each contributed a strong and engaging story to this unique publication.

July 13, 7pm, Fairbanks Arts Association’s Bear Gallery: Literary Reading Series 2013 presents the Alaska Writers Guild with featured readers Scott Sexton (poetry), Priscilla Delgado (suspense fiction); Laura Lancaster (science fiction), and Amy Jane Helmericks (blogger, UntanglingTales.com).

July 15, the featured presenters at the 2014 AWP Conference in Seattle will be announced! Good luck, if you’re one of the Alaskans who submitted a proposal. We’re hoping for strong representation and attendance – save the dates, February 26-March 1, 2014.


At the UAA Campus Bookstore:

• July 12, 4-6pm: Tracks & Treks features Alaskan authors George Harbeson (Homesteaders in the Headlights), Marguerita McManus (Sew & Quilt in Comfort and Crazy Shortcut Quilts), and Tam Linsey (Botanicaust and cookbook You Can Eat This!), who will come together to read and discuss their books, works in progress, and their deep connections to Alaska.
• July 17, 1-3pm: Gary Freeburg, photographer extraordinaire and author of Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes will share stories about living with volcanoes, Katmai, and Alaska geology.
• July 18, 4-6pm: Tom Reed presents his book Moved by a Mountain: Inspiration from an Alpine View in Alaska. Tom’s ability to expose the magnificence of “The Throneroom” through his photography and prose is a remarkable feat, and his book a gift to hold and to share.
• July
  24, 4-6pm: Weathered Edge: Three Alaskan Novellas. Kris Farmen and Martha Amore come
  together to read and discuss their stories in Weathered
  Edge, published by VP&D House. In “Edge of Somewhere” by Kris Farmen, Alaskan surfers tangle with sharks in Australia: “It was midmorning and already hot when the shark grabbed Charlie Deacon.” In “Weathered In” by Martha Amore, Anchorage provides the backdrop for her story: “The day we were to move to Eagle River, I woke
  up to the sound of a woman screaming.”

All UAA Campus Bookstore events are free and open to the public. There is free parking for bookstore events in the South Lot, the West Campus Central Lot (behind Rasmuson Hall), and in the Sports Lot. Find out about future events here. If you missed an interesting event, check out the UAA Campus Bookstore podcasts here.

Wrangell Mountains Writing Workshop, July 27-August 1: The Wrangell Mountains Center is please to present “Writing on the River” with visiting writers Derick Burleson and Sherry Simpson, and workshop director Nancy Cook. The workshop will convene for one full day (two nights) at WMC in McCarthy, before embarking on a four-day float along the Kennicott, Nizina, and Chitina Rivers. $825 per person with 10% discount for WMC members. Click here for more information and to register.