Thanks to all who turned out last Friday night for our Crosscurrents event featuring Susan Orlean in an onstage conversation with Julia O’Malley. We counted over 170 people in attendance. Thanks are in order as well to our event co-sponsors, Copper Whale Inn and ATIA; and especially to the Alaska Press Club, which was responsible for bringing Susan Orlean to Alaska with help from the UAA College of Arts & Sciences and the UAA Creative Writing and Literary Arts Graduate Program, and the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Bookstore.
Next up in our Crosscurrent series is “Writing Memoir: Exposure and Betrayal,” featuring Dani Shapiro in conversation with Sherry Simpson. Save the date: August 31, 7 p.m., Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Auditorium.
Memoir writers will also want to take note of our upcoming summer “staycation” June 24-27 with author Kim Rich, who’ll guide participants in four concentrated days of memoir work. If you’re looking for something lighter, we’re also offering a two-hour clinic on “Funny Business” June 16 with acclaimed children’s author Bruce Hale. For details and registration, visit http://www.49writingcenter.org./
Winter doesn’t want to let go of Alaska, but that doesn’t keep us from charging toward spring with fresh, fun opportunities for writers. First, there’s the fabulous Write-a-thon tonight, organized by Andromeda and her super fundraising team. In Anchorage, the fun starts at Snow City Café, 5 p.m., where participants will gather to write for 4.9 hours and then celebrate their achievements with an after party featuring prizes and local celebrities. We’ve had a tremendous response and are of course still accepting donations to support writers and their work throughout the state; for details, see the Write-a-thon FAQ page above or follow the links in the sidebar to the right. Any Homer-dwellers interested in getting together to write are welcome to contact Ela directly.
Next weekend we’ll pull out all the stops for National Poetry Month, beginning with a three-hour course taught by Fairbanks poet John Morgan (April 16, 1 p.m., www.49writingcenter.org to register). That evening at 7 p.m. at the MTS Gallery (3142 Mountain View Drive) we’re offering a free community event, the first in our Synergies/Still North Reading and Performance Series. Titled “Land Beyond Landscape: Honoring Alaskan Poetry,” the event features reading by Morgan and Kelsea Habecker as well as the first public airing of a documentary in progress featuring John Haines.
On Saturday, April 9th at 1pm, the ladies of the Pulpwood Queens book club will share a storytime at Barnes and Noble, 200 E. Northern Lights, Anchorage.
Also on Saturday the 9th, at 2pm, author Julie Rahm presents Bessie the Amazing Cow
at Fireside Books, Palmer.
at Fireside Books, Palmer.On Tuesday, April 12th, 6-7.30pm, Bill Sherwonit presents Changing Paths
— a slide show and talk about his solo trek through the Brooks Range wilderness and Gates of the Arctic National Park at the REI Store, 1200W. Northern Lights, Anchorage. He will also gladly sign copies of his book.
— a slide show and talk about his solo trek through the Brooks Range wilderness and Gates of the Arctic National Park at the REI Store, 1200W. Northern Lights, Anchorage. He will also gladly sign copies of his book.On Wednesday April 13th at 11am, the UAA Campus Bookstore presents What’s Left of Us
, Richie Ferrall’s memoir of family violence, drug use, survival and redemption.
, Richie Ferrall’s memoir of family violence, drug use, survival and redemption.UAA‘s CWLA, with co-sponsorship from the College of Arts and Sciences, Experience the Art 2011, presents a free public reading and Q&A with UAA MFA alumnus Don Rearden. The event will take place on Wednesday April 13th, 7.30-9pm.
On Friday, April 15th there will be a special exhibit and benefit for the Wrangell Mountains Center at MTS Gallery titled “Wrangellia: The Art of Breakup,” and featuring a new series of artwork by photographer Sarah Davies and work from many of Alaska’s outstanding visual and craft artists. Admission is free and kids welcome. For information, info@wrangells.org or call 907 244 7717
Also on April 15th, at 7pm, the UAF Visiting Writers series presents Dawn Raffel; Schaible Auditorium, UAF, Fairbanks. Dawn Raffel‘s most recent book is Further Adventures in the Restless Universe
.
.Friday April 15th is also the deadline for the 29th Annual Statewide Anchorage Daily News Creative Writing Contest. Only electronic submissions will be accepted, no later than 5.30pm. Entry forms are here and questions can be sent to creativewritingcontest@adn.com
The deadline for F Magazine‘s first Statewide Writing Competition is also approaching, on April 24th. You may submit Poetry (up to three pages), or Prose (Short Fiction, Essays, Creative Non-Fiction) (1,000-5,000 words). Send entries to fwritingcomp@gmail.com or to
F Magazine
3142 Mountain View Drive
Anchorage, AK 99501
There is a $5 reading fee: pay on the website fhideout.org under “donation,” or enclose a check payable to F Magazine.
Registration is underway for the 10th Annual Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference in Homer, June 10-14 with keynote speaker Rita Dove. Special early registration date ends April 29th
Three titles from Epicenter Press have been shortlisted for 2010 Book-of-the-Year from ForeWord Reviews Magazine, an award program intended to spotlight distinctive books from independent publishers. The books are The Fishes and Dishes Cookbook
, by Kiyo Marsh, Tomi Marsh and Laura Cooper (cooking); Boom Town Boy, by Jack de Yonge (autobiography/memoir) and Purely Alaska
, edited by John Creed and Susan Andrews (regional books). For more information on these titles, visit www.EpicenterPress.com. Winners will be announced at Book Expo American in New York in June.
, by Kiyo Marsh, Tomi Marsh and Laura Cooper (cooking); Boom Town Boy, by Jack de Yonge (autobiography/memoir) and Purely Alaska, edited by John Creed and Susan Andrews (regional books). For more information on these titles, visit www.EpicenterPress.com. Winners will be announced at Book Expo American in New York in June.