First, a big thanks to those of you who are using a small part of your PFD checks to support 49 Writers by joining and donating.We appreciate your support of programs that benefits Alaska’s writers and books. While we’re on the subject of support, we’re enjoying a great response to our book bag fundraiser. If you have autographed books or literary services to donate, please email us. Book bags go on sale Nov. 11.
A big week as well, as we wrap up a hugely successful yard sale with thanks to a great team of workers and to Jana Latham at Arctic Rose Gallery, who donated boutique clothing and shoes – the remainder are now on consignment at The Closeline. The yard sale proceeds exceeded our expectations, and even as our first week of classes got underway, we’re looking ahead to our move to 645 W. 3rd Avenue on Nov. 1.
Speaking of classes, the first two are now closed, but we have great options ahead. On Oct. 16, expand your creative potential in Sandy Kleven’s one-day workshop Working the Edge: A Guide to Creative Risk-taking. On Oct. 23 and 30, Deb will help you infuse new life into old projects with Revision Intensive. And come November, we’ve got David Marusek’s Flash Fiction, along with Dana Stabenow’s Promoting Your Book in Your Pajamas. December brings Deb’s Crash Course: Characters and Cindy Dyson’s gift to us Writer v. Grinch: The Fine Art of Micro-Editing. Did we mention investing some of your PFD in yourself and your writing? Or that writing instruction makes for great holiday gifts?
Looking for something totally free? We’ve got a few slots left for our 49 Writers Benefit Book and Tea Talk Sunday, Oct. 17 from 2- 4 p.m. at 415 L St. Alaska tea matron Marge Arnold plans to share the history of tea and methods of brewing. While we sample fourteen different blends, we’ll hear from Sara Juday, Wayne Mergler, Carol Sturgelewski, and Rachel Epstein about their favorite Alaskan books. Of course we’ll be happy to take your donations. Spread the word to bookies and book groups – we’d love to make new friends at the event. Email to hold a spot.
We’re looking for a few great volunteers: “posters” responsible for hanging flyers in their part of Anchorage; facility staff to help with the move-in and upkeep at 645 W. 3rd Ave. (nothing like all that work at 415 L!); a numbers person with 5 hours a week to devote to our bookkeeping; and volunteers to join the great people already at work on our fundraising team (especially with that fun book bag fundraiser looming). Email if you’d like to help with any of these projects.
Peggy Shumaker has been announced as the new Alaska State Writer Laureate for the 2010-2012 term. See Dermot Cole’s article at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Andromeda’s post here earlier this week.
Don’t Blink One-Page Play Marathon is going up on October 9 & 10 at 7:00 p.m. at Grant Hall. The evening will feature 30 performances of tiny plays by Alaskans and writers from across the country. The Alaskans in the line-up this year include Clif Bates, Paul Brynner, Ryan Buen, Fawn R. Caparas, Matthew S. Fosberg, Steven Hunt, Arlitia Jones, Kyra Meyer, P. Shane Mitchell, Dawson Moore, Tom Moran, Mollie Ramos, and Billy Wilder. Admission $12. More info: Dawson Moore, Prince William Sound Community College, (907) 255-5325 or (907) 834-1614.
On Wed, Oct 13, 4:00pm, at the UAA Anchorage Campus Bookstore Steve Kahn discusses his book, The Hard Way Home: Alaska Stories of Adventure, Friendship, and the Hunt. Everyone is invited to attend this presentation and uncover the uniqueness in living here. This event is free, open to the public, with free parking. For more information contact Rachel Epstein at (907) 786-4782.
WritingRaw.com are currently looking for Halloween related material for their October 15 issue. So, let the dark side in you take over… send your Halloween related submissions – short stories, poetry, essays, etc – to weeb@writingraw.com. Stop in at www.WritingRaw.com today and discover a new and emerging voice.
UAA Professor Jo-Ann Mapson’s Solomon’s Oak (Bloomsbury), will be on sale NEXT WEEK (including Target Stores nationwide). On October 12th, look for an interview with her on Caroline Leavitt’s blog.
Blue Hour Press has published a long poem by 49-Writers board member Jeremy Pataky as a digital chapbook called Fata Morgana, accessible here.
Good news for those of you who already have a stake in the National Gallery of Writing beginning this year individuals may submit more than one piece of writing per gallery! Do tell your friends and colleagues and encourage them to join you. The National Gallery of Writing now boasts over 24,000 pieces of writing housed in over 2,500 partner and local galleries. While this first year accomplishment was worthy of the Association’s Advance America Award, the Gallery is looking to double its content by October 20, the second National Day on Writing. Resources include: Association’s Advance America Award, The National Gallery of Writing, Start a Local Gallery.
Read a new interview with UAA’s new associate faculty member, Carolyn Turgeon titled, “You Will Believe,” on UAA’s CWLA website, under the heading LITERARY CAFÉ.
A follow-up to the notice about the radio program Kids These Days! in last Friday’s roundup. They are looking for contributors and are able to offer a small sum of $50 for personal commentary/essays. They would like to include more voices and points of view on all childhood/parenthood-related topics on the show. Some upcoming topics through the end of the year that could be perfect for an essayist to address are:
“The Family Vacation”
“Raising a Family in the Digital Age”
“Grandparents These Days” – what does modern-day grandparenthood look like?
“Family Nutrition” – what I feed my kids for dinner, how I get my picky kids to eat, how I deal with my overweight child’s hunger.
“The Pediatric Mental Health Care Crisis in AK” – or, the lack of providers available in the state.
Contact the producer, Sarah Gonzales with submissions by email or phone – cell: 907-315-0006 or show: 888-KTD-RADIO
Congratulations to Paula Bryner – 49 Writers volunteer and First Friday co-ordinator, for winning the 200 word Very Short Story contest for the week of 9/20 on Twitter. You can read the piece over at her blog.
Elizabeth Bradfield, founder and editor-in-chief of Broadsided Press is excited to announce a writing contest. It’s a writing contest, it’s a collaborative grab-bag, it’s a panoply of voices and visions…. it’s the Haiku Year-In-Review. To celebrate, examine, and honor the coming of 2011, Broadsided Press would like to publish your haiku addressing the events of 2010 alongside visual work by Broadsided artists. See their website for a full explanation and guidelines. Deadline for haiku submissions: November 1, 2010. December 5, 2010, they will post the five best haiku for each season online, along with the art created by the four artists. You will have a chance to vote for the haiku that best fits the art for each season. Deadline for voting: December 20, 2010.
Alaska Writers Guild member, Elizabeth Tower, passed away at her home on September 27. She had written more that seven books including Icebound Empire which received the Alaska Historical Society’s 1996 Historian of the Year award. Her online obituary.