Congratulations to our own Deb Vanasse, Program Director for 49 Writers, who is one of three winners in the Guide to Literary Agents “Dear Lucky Agent” contest for literary fiction. Agent judge Lindsey Clemons of Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents selected Deb based on an excerpt from her current novel-in-progress. The winners receive a free year of WritersMarket.com access as well as a critique on their first 10 pages from Lindsey. Along with Matt Roesch, Deb is teaching a 49 Writers Fiction Workshop beginning February 17th: there’s one more week to sign up. This class is structured to help you share your work in a rigorous, supportive environment and set a project completion goal; don’t miss it.
Courses also coming soon: Alaskan Screenwriting 101 with Don Rearden (starts March 15), and — a great choice for teens looking for a spring break option — The Graphic Novel with Lee Post (starts March 7).
Anchorage Press Wanna write for the Press? Think you’ve got what it takes? Wanna prove it? We’re meeting with prospective freelancers on Friday, February 11 at an undisclosed location. If you’re interested, email .
On Friday February 11 from 1:00pm-2:00pm, FSDC Co-Chairs Present Global Civil Rights Stories with Dr. Natasa Masanovich and Dr. Patricia Fagan. Dr. Patricia Fagan presents “The Guise of Self-Serving Philanthropy: Vestiges of Colonialism in Contemporary Latin American Docudrama”. And Dr. Natasa Masanovic presents “Black Tea with three Cubes of Sugar: Cosmopolitan Anxieties in Turkish-German Novel”. Sponsored by DAC and Languages Department.
On Friday, February 11, 2011 at 8 pm, ACT-SO presents SpeakEasy featuring Baltimore Poet Komplex with R&B Musical Guest “Jaquisa” hosted by Wisdom. Wilda Marston Theater – Loussac Library 3600 Denali. $15 in advance; $20 at the door. For tickets & info call (907) 444-1199
Middle Way Cafe presents “Text Me,” opening Friday, February 11th and running through April 6th; opening reception Friday, February 11th, 6-8.30pm. Over 30 local artists were invited to interpret ‘text’ in some way and create an art piece based on their interpretations. Northern Lights Mall, Anchorage.
Mike Dillingham presents Rivers: Unknown Trails
Rilke’s “Duino Elegies
Fireside Books, 720 S Alaska St., Palmer, Alaska. We’ll be reading Stephen Mitchell’s translation. Each week we’ll delve into one of the Elegies. We’ll take a very simple approach to each week’s poem. First we’ll read it out loud together, taking turns doing the reading. Then we’ll do a closer reading of as much of the poem, to see how much of the poem we can make sense of. Finally, we’ll read the poem again to see what the poem has to say to us in the 21st Century.
On Monday February 14 from 1:00pm-2:00pm: Love in the Afternoon–Love poems recited from UAA faculty and staff in celebration of Valentine’s Day. UAA Campus Bookstore.
Are you a Fablehaven Fan? Excitement is growing about author Brandon Mull‘s upcoming visit next Tuesday, February 15th at 4:30pm in the Loussac Library, Wilda Marston Theatre, level one. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the presentation. This event is open to school-age youth and interested adults.
Gregory Button presents Uncertainty in the Wake of Environmental Disasters on Wednesday, February 16, at 6:00pm, UAA/APU Consortium Library, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK. This event is sponsored by EPSCoR and the UAA Campus Bookstore. All events are free and open to the public with free parking.
Poetry Parley is here again on Wednesday February 16th, at 7:00pm, featuring Nikki Giovanni. Out North, 3800 DeBarr Road, Anchorage.
UAF Visiting Writers will feature poet Jeanne E. Clark on Friday February 18th, at 7:00pm
UAF Museum of the North, Fairbanks, AK
Have you taken the Alaska Council on the Arts Strategic Planning Survey? http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/456068/Final-ASCA-Strategic-Planning-Survey-2011
Speak up for literary arts funding/programming and your own interests as a writer and reader, as well as your views about the arts in general. Deadline is February 28th.
Short Story Contest for all Alaska Women:
Each entry must contain a cover sheet with author’s name, address, phone number, email, story title, and word count.
The short story must be between 250 and 5,000 words and contain some lesbian content. Stories should be on 8.5-x-11 size paper, double spaced, 1-inch margins, no less than size 10 font. Do not put author’s name on the story. The fiction and lesbian stipulations may be interpreted by the author, but we are not seeking poetry or non-fiction. Erotica is acceptable. Electronic submissions are not accepted. Unpublished submissions only.
Author must be a woman living in Alaska as of January 2011.
April 1, 2011 is the postmark deadline for entries.
There is no entry fee.
Winner receives $500 and the winning short story will appear on and may also be published in the Alaska LGBT literary journal.
Honorable mentions will be given at the judges’ discretion.
Winners will be announced at Celebration of Change April 23, 2011. For list of complete list of winners, include a SASE with entry.
Mail entries by April 1 to: Radical Arts for Women Short Story Contest, PO Box 244436, Anchorage AK 99524-4436.
Librarian and author Ann Dixon has posted an interview with Alaska author Debby Dahl Edwardson, author of Blessing’s Bead
Fairbanksian Sue Ann Bowling’s science-fiction novel, Homecoming, is a finalist in the 2010 Reader Views literary awards.
Writer Ann Chandonnet will be reading from and signing her two latest books on April 6, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Burke County Library, 204 South King Street, Morganton. Write Quick: War and a Woman’s Life in Letters, 1835-1867
Ann is also going to be going to be one of the presenters at the Blue Ridge Bookfest, May 20 and 21, in Flat Rock near Hendersonville, on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College.
For screen and story structure, suggest http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html ; there's a youtube channel too.