By Dawnell Smith (and on behalf of her Block partners: Vered Mares, Teeka Ballas, Kathy McCue) In the fall of 2015, we walked into the Adults Only sex store on Spenard Road in Anchorage to lay the groundwork for building a community bookstore art space and cafe. The property held not just a storied past, […]
Dawnell Smith | Opening in 2018: The Writer’s Block Read More »
There are so many reasons I chose to quit my full-time job, start writing fiction, earn my MFA, and complete a novel. In part, I was frustrated by inequalities I observed in the world and angry about how helpless I felt to change them. I wanted to talk about racism and sexism, ask questions, challenge
Guest Blogger Meagan Macvie | Wading Into Deeper Water Read More »
The cold was back with a vengeance; she almost expected to see her breath hanging in the air like a frosted cloud. Very carefully, Ivy looked around the room, peering into the corners and shadows. She only saw her various twinned shadows twitching as she turned her head, tiny whirlpools of dust spinning at her
Spotlight on Alaska Books | Court of Twilight by Mareth Griffith Read More »
This piece was originally published in Anchorage Daily News and is reprinted here in our Active Voice series with permission. In the wake of World War II, as the extent of Nazi atrocities came to light, many nations of the world came together to articulate the basic rights of all human beings. The Universal Declaration
Active Voice | Barbara Hood: Stand in the Cold for Human Rights Read More »
I was a teen in 1990s Soldotna, Alaska—the setting for my debut novel—so people often ask me if The Ocean in My Ears is a thinly disguised memoir. The short answer is no. Sure, I was probably every bit as frustrating, angsty, and confused as Meri, my teen protagonist. She attends a high school that
Guest Blogger Meagan Macvie | The Fabricated Truth Read More »
Sure, language always changes. And, the fiction writer—the poet and essayist, too—needs time to process.
Active Voice | Bradford Philen: Trumping Linguistics Read More »
“Guess what, Auntie C?” my niece tells me on the phone. “My class visited Emily Dickinson’s house in Amherst! We saw her room—her bed and her desk and everything. It was amazing.” Tamar is 13, an avid reader, and one of my favorite people. I ask her if she’ll go again with me when we
Guest Blogger Christine Byl | Investigating Emily Read More »
#GivingTuesday connects individuals, communities, and organizations around the world for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving. 49 Writers sees #GivingTuesday as a chance to help equip Alaska’s current and future thinkers, writers, and citizens to be as creative, thoughtful, and skilled as they can be. Please join us in that work by renewing or
In celebration of National American Indian Heritage Month, Leslie Hsu Oh interviewed Ilarion Merculieff, author of Wisdom Keeper: One Man’s Journey to Honor the Untold History of the Unangan People. Ilarion is Unangan (Aleut) of the Pribilof Islands. He’s served his people for four decades in roles such as City Manager of St. Paul Island
Leslie Hsu Oh Interviews Ilarion Merculieff Read More »
One year into what for many Americans is a bewildering change in the leadership of our country, we gathered around Thanksgiving tables to share food and gratitude. At many gatherings was a heightened sense of thankfulness for community and family in tumultuous times. In 2017 we lost good people standing for what they saw as
Active Voice | Katie Bausler: Hate and Love, Power and Privilege Read More »