Ela: 49 Writers Weekly Round-up

In this season of thanks, we’re grateful for each of our friends and fans, and we’re hoping your holiday weekend is full of both rest and joy. Fun links to check out when you’re lounging off that turkey:

Missed our course with award-winning author Melinda Moustakis? Not to worry – it’s now available as a podcast, thanks to media volunteer Jeff Oliver. There’s a link to the readings at the bottom of the sidebar on our home page
From Kay Vreeland, in case you missed it last weekend, a Simpson episode in which Bart and Homer pen the next tween fantasy novel.
If a writer seeks powerful inspiration, Dan Henry recommends a story called Writing Amidst the Ruins,” by Elif Shafak. She tells the story on The Moth podcast November 14, 2011
If you attended our April 1 Crosscurrents event, you heard Susan Orlean read from her new book Rin Tin Tin. She also appeared recently on The Colbert Report to talk about the book.

For young writers: On Monday, November 28, our WYAK writers group for ages 12-14 will meet, also from 6:30-8 pm, at Teen Underground. Stay tuned also for details on a free workshop with Lee Post “Comics: Turning drawings into stories” at Teen Underground December 27-29 from 3-5 pm. The workshop is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Visit www.wyakwriters.com or see our Facebook event for details.

Looking for a fun, informal gathering of writers? Want to hear more about craft and publishing? Look no farther than our free Reading and Craft Talks, debuting December 8 from 7–8.30pm at Café Felix/Metro Books with Don Rearden presenting “Writing is a Disease.” In this craft talk Rearden will share how he took a germ of an idea and cultured it into a full-blown epidemic novel, The Raven’s Gift. Don Rearden is an Associate Professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and is currently board president of 49 Writers. His poetry, short stories, and essays have appeared in Ice-Floe, Chronogram, Cold Flashes, Copper Nickel, and Haunted Encounters. His films have aired on TMC and Showtime. His novel The Raven’s Gift, debuted with Penguin Canada in 2011.

It’s the season for giving, and we’ve got great ideas for the literary-minded on your list. Thanks to a generous donation by Tom Sexton, we’re offering limited edition autographed broadsides of two JohnHaines poems, “On the Road” and “Poem of the Forgotten.” All proceeds benefit the John Haines Memorial Poetry Fund, which will help finance the 2012 Synergies series, an exciting line-up of dynamic events featuring well-known poets. Another great gift option: 49Writers Gift Vouchers, good for one year on fees for classes, retreats, and other 49 Writers goodies.

For a comprehensive calendar of literary events throughout Alaska, visit http://www.alaskalitevents.com/.

On Tuesday, November 29, 5pm, Mike Burwell and Randall Bruns will read from Chulitna II: A Further Conversation in Poems, at the UAA Campus Bookstore. Free and open to everyone.

Call for Readers: December’s Poetry Parley will feature Kay Ryan and more from Anchorage’s Ten Poets group. If you are interested in reading some favorite Kay Ryan poems, or in being assigned some to read, please contact DC McKenzie as soon as possible.