Author Kaylene Johnson, a long-time Alaskan who lives in Eagle River, Alaska, will be featured at the 49 Writers First Friday book signing tonight at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art, 427 D. St. in Anchorage from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. She has written several books about Alaska including A Tender Distance: Adventures Raising My Sons in Alaska
Mark your calendars: Classes are underway now, and you have until Saturday at noon to register, write a resolution (send to lax@alaska.net), and have a chance to win a free book. (See Jan. 5 post for more info. In addition to the “Resolve to Write” mentioned below in Anchorage and Homer, there will be an event in Juneau on January 14th. More event info at our website.
And while you’re making plans, mark Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 7 pm as the night to attend our first new CROSSCURRENTS event: an onstage discussion, “Environmental Writing and Activism,” with Nancy Lord, Marybeth Holleman, and Charles Wohlforth, at Out North Theater. This event, presented by the 49 Alaska Writing Center, is being co-sponsored by Cook Inlet Keeper and the Alaska Center for the Environment. Thanks to those new sponsors and to board member Jeremy Pataky and program director Deb Vanasse for pulling this exciting new series together.
Speaking of Charles Wohlforth, here is a review of his recently released Fate of Nature: Rediscovering Our Ability to Rescue the Earth. The review was written by our own Jeremy Pataky. Wohlforth has quite a content-rich website (including video clips) dedicated to the book as well, if you want to check it out here.
A big thank-you to poet Tom Sexton, our featured author for December, and a welcome to Marybeth Holleman, our featured author for January.
49 Writers members and volunteers are invited to an Anchorage potluck gathering to share their writing resolutions for 2011 and to visit with writers Don Rearden and Bill Streever about their own resolutions, successes, and challenges. Kent Sturgis from Epicenter Press will also be on hand to chat with guests about editing and trade publishing. Bring comfort food to share (consolations for our 2010 shortcomings) and your own beverage. January 14 from 6:30-8:00pm at the Moderow home: Take Abbott past Service High toward Hilltop Ski Area, right on Homestead, immediate left on Grover, go up one hill and partway up the next, look for Raven Place sign on the right. Call 907-388-9303 or 360-0727 if you need help. RSVP’s would be greatly appreciated, to debbie.moderow@gmail.com.
If you’re not in Anchorage, we have similar gatherings in Homer and Juneau; check our website events page for details or read on. If you’re in another location and would like to host a “Resolve to Write” gathering this month, email Deb at 49writers@gmail.com.
A few of us thought it would be fun to do a spin-off of the Anchorage “Resolve to Write” Event in Homer. Please come to a gathering of writers to chat about what you plan to be working on in 2011 and/or to seek solace over your 2010 shortcomings with food and drink. Nancy Lord will give us a peek of her soon to be released Early Warming. Tuesday, January 18, 6-7:30ish pm, upstairs at Alice’s….they should still have their $10 burger and brew special going. Please spread the word, and if you’re coming, please let Miranda Weiss know.
On Saturday, January 8, 1:00pm, the Pulpwood Queens Book Club host their storytime at Barnes & Noble, 200 East Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK
A bookdrive for Native Hospital hosted by UAA Latino Club will take place Monday January 10th throughThursday January 13th at 10:00am; UAA Student Union, 2921 Spirit Way, Anchorage, AK.
This book drive will stock the weekly book cart in patient care units at the Alaska Native Hospital. They especially need magazines, preferably National Geographic. Louie L’Amour books are also very desirable. They are accepting any book donations! For more information, please contact Kimmy Bowman.
Coming up: the 17th Annual presentation of Under:30, a showcase of short dramatic pieces by Alaskan writers who double as their own solo artist. Works are original and/or new with each running less than thirty minutes. Come watch four states of mind unfold before your very eyes and ears. January 13, 14, 15 at 8:00 PM and January 16 at 3:00PM. At Out North, 3800 DeBarr Road, Anchorage AK 99508
This year’s featured participants:
Olga Livshin
Linda Lucky
Ellen Maling
Duff Pfanner
Runs approximately 2 hours including intermission. This event is part of Out North’s 2010-2011 Live Arts series.
The next SCBWI meeting is Wednesday, Jan 19th, 7-8:30 PM.
The location will be Starbucks, 1005 E Dimond Blvd, Anchorage – (907) 344-4160. Bring writing news, questions, and information to share. If you know of any contests, please bring that information. There will be a little workshop on writing a synopsis, as these are usually requested when entering contests. Bring one along if you like. Hopefully you will leave with a good blueprint for this very challenging piece of work. There will also be time for critiques. Feel free to bring a short manuscript, (3-5 pages or 750-1500 words).
Cindy Bell of Flashquake, an online journal for the flash forms, is looking for an Art Director, Business Development Specialist, Web designer, four guest editors (one per quarterly issue) and an artist to draw the logo design. Great shoes to fill, as the bar has been set high by the previous team. They publish flash fiction (1,000 words or less), flash non-fiction(1,000 words or less), and poetry (35 lines or less)/prose poetry (300 words or less). Experience in these fields is important. All positions are non-paid. Please send letters of interest/resumes to thegraphichaibuneer@gmail.com
From Bruce Farnsworth, poetry editor of F Magazine: Excellent poetry submissions needed.
1. please contribute by sending ms word documents to Bruce’s email address.
2. title your file “poetry_Feb_yourlastname” (leave out the quotation marks).
3. send by the end of january 10th.
4. revise the title and do the same thing again next month.
5. thanks.
New materials on LitSite Alaska:
Anchorage, the Tent City, with image gallery.
Family Features–on a child with synaesthesia.
…And a new Peer Work search page.