Celebrate!

What fun to open Sunday’s Anchorage Daily News and find the front page of the Life and Arts section devoted almost entirely to Alaskan writers. There’s a great write-up, complete with photos, on Dan Coyle and his new book The Talent Code (you read about it here first, remember?). Oh, and there’s the reprint from the New York Times, “Practice really does make perfect,” also about Dan’s book. We’re celebrating with you, Dan, and not just because we’ve got something other than crazy politics getting recognition for Alaska.

We’re also celebrating, with much hoopla, toasting, and chocolate, the three Alaskan authors who were awarded $12,000 each in unrestricted funds under the Rasmuson Foundation’s Individual Artist Fellowship program: Nick Jans of Juneau, Catherine Rexford of Anchorage, and our own (extra whoops and hollers) Andromeda Romano-Lax. Nick, who has published nine books and hundreds of articles, editorials and poems, is embarking on a novel. Catherine Rexford (Anchorage) plans to complete a manuscript of poetry, digitize historical photographs from Kaktovik, and complete a stage-play, “The Namesake.” Andromeda Romano-Lax, my co-blogger here at 49 writers, will travel to Rome for research on a novel in progress.

If you’ve been hanging around 49 writers for any length of time, you know that we’ve got some astounding creative talent in these parts, and we’re so fortunate that the good folks at Rasmuson have embarked on this ten-year program to invest in it. Nick, Catherine – if you’re reading, we’d love to hear more about your projects. Andromeda, we definitely know where to find you. And we expect virtual postcards from Rome.

So here’s to deep practice, motivation, and great coaching – talent factors identified in Dan’s book. Our Alaskan authors are putting them to good use.