Photo caption: Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861), Ukraine’s beloved poet, playwright, and painter is honored in this bronze statue installed in 1960 in Washington, D.C. and dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Its inscription says it is “Dedicated to the Liberation, Freedom, and Independence of All Captive Nations.” Shevchenko spent many years imprisoned for his pro-Ukrainian sovereignty […]
Poetic Interference by Kathleen Tarr Read More »
Today I did an itty-bitty trail run following strict doctor’s orders: fifteen minutes maximum; alternate running with walking; stop at the faintest niggle of discomfort. All went well and I’m hoping that after I manage three of these in a row, pain-free, I’ll slowly return to regular running following a six-week prescribed break. If not,
During an early February walk in the Chugach Front Range, a skier said to me while passing, “Hey, I like your writing. I’ve enjoyed your articles for forty years.” I naturally thanked the skier for his appreciation of my work. But his comments also prompted me to do some mental calculations. It turns out that
A Brief Look Back at 40 Years of Writing in Alaska by Bill Sherwonit Read More »
Along the Kobuk River in the early 1970’s books were rare. People shared what they had, and a few stray paperbacks got beat up and tattered as they were hauled to camps and in the load on dog sleds. I remember Don Williams bringing a “new” Louie L’amour western downriver one spring, in his plank
The Trail to Words #1 by Seth Kantner Read More »
I’m sitting in the parking lot of the local public pool, reading and drinking lukewarm coffee, knowing my bladder won’t let me fully relax, watching the clock and feeling the pain in my lower back from this unhealthy sitting position. The lap lanes close at 2:00. I need precisely one hour to do my workout
49 Writers had the honor of interviewing Julia Izumi, an award-winning playwright, Theater Alaska workshop instructor, and Brown University playwriting professor. Below, she shares her thoughts on the writing process, what she’s learned from her mistakes, and the limits of American theater. How do you approach a new play? What is your process? I’ll get
An Interview with Playwright Julia Izumi Read More »
I put away my scale for the month of January. Generally, I believe in weighing myself daily, which research supports as helping with weight control. But I could tell I was investing too much in the flashing numbers, being buoyed or dismayed by small fluctuations instead of putting emphasis on real health: how I feel,
In Search of Lost Time, 2022: Not Another Productivity Post by Andromeda Romano-Lax Read More »
When I was considering what to write for this blog post, I thought about what superpowers playwriting can share with other writing genres. One major difference between most forms of writing and playwriting is that a play is incomplete on the page. As a novel requires a reader and their imagination to participate in consuming
Spectacle and the Art of Blowing Things Out of Proportion by Carey Seward Read More »
Whether you are pro-Amazon or hate the powerful marketing juggernaut, you have to admit it the company is the master of sales, delivery, and marketing of everything from books to bras to bonbons. Now Amazon has introduced the serialized novel as part of their Kindle bookshelf. It’s called Kindle Vella and it allows the reader
Kindle Vella, Serial Time Killer? by Dan Walker Read More »
As the year turns in Alaska, outdoor rituals mark shifting seasons. Picking berries, harvesting gardens, splitting wood, first frost… Upon my family’s return from an overdue trip to Cape Cod, I’ve been thinking about how vacation fits into this puzzle. And what a boon it can be for a writer. For many, vacation is a
Vacation Returns by Sean Ulman Read More »
