Literary Roundup | April 20-26, 2018

Literary Roundup | April 20-26, 2018   SOUTHCENTRAL

ANCHORAGE | April 2018 | The UAA Campus Bookstore will be hosting four more literary events in April 2018.

• Friday, April 20, from 4–6 PM: George Gee presents Flutters from Side Street: Dry Erase Drawings, Social Discourse, and Political Ramblings. In 1992, George Gee and his wife Deborah Seaton opened Side Street Espresso, on G St. in downtown Anchorage. Soon the daily white boards for the cafe mirrored the intensity of contemporary American culture with social and political caricatures and commentary. In 1997 he began to preserve the artwork, which resulted in the book, Flutters from Side Street: Volume One, Dry Erase Drawings, Social and Political Commentary, and Reflections From A Morning Walk To Work.
• Saturday, April 21, from 1-3 PM: Author and artist Mary Ida Henrikson presents The Mystery of the Fire Trees in Southeast Alaska, with Dr. Steven Langdon and Lael Morgan. Mary Ida Henrikson, born and raised in Ketchikan Alaska, learned that she had an ancient cedar on her property that appeared to have been altered for fire storage. Soon she discovered dozens of other centuries-old trees with deeply burned interiors. After much research, investigation, and speculation, Henrickson wrote The Mystery of the Fire Trees, An Artists Quest for an Ancient Truth, recently published by Epicenter Press.
• Monday, April 23 from 5-7 PM: Ginger Hudson presents The Legacy of Verna E. Pratt. When Hudson purchased her first Field Guide to Alaskan Wildflowers in 1999, she had no idea she was destined meet the author, Verna Prat—twelve years later. Today Hudson edits Master Gardeners in Anchorage and is enrolled in the UAA MFA Creative Writing and Literary Arts Program to complete her forthcoming publication, The Life and Legacy of Verna Pratt, Alaska’s Wildflower Wizard.
• Saturday, April 28 from 1-3 PM: Historical Fiction Author Don Neal discusses Cold War Activities in Alaska. At this event, Neal, author of the Ben Hunnicutt series that includes Cross Kill and Washtub Gold, discusses the Nike missile system, the top-secret anti-espionage campaign Operation Washtub, and other Cold War activities in Alaska. Raised in southern Virginia, Neal enlisted in the Army after the Chinese entered the Korean War in late 1950. After 28 years in the forces, he spent his last 10 with the Nike Hercules Air Defense missile units which protected Anchorage and Fairbanks. He and his family have resided in Anchorage for 50 years.

SEWARD | Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at 6:30 PM | Seward Writers Collective will be holding a celebration of National Poetry Month in the Seward Community Library Community Room. Featured poets include Christy Everett, Justine Pechuzal, Jason Flowers, Sean Ulman, and Shauna Potocky. For more information please contact Shauna Potocky at SPotocky@hotmail.com. ANCHORAGE | Thursday, April 26, 2018, 5:30-7 PM | Danger Close Alaska 2018 | 49 Writers and the Alaska Humanities Forum are proud to present the 2018 offering of Danger Close Alaska, the third consecutive year of joint programming with the goal of building a literary community of civilians and veterans. This year, Danger Close Alaska will take place one night a month, for six consecutive months, beginning in the community room at Hearth, next to Middle Way Cafe on Northern Lights. Over an hour and a half of pizza (included) and drink (not included), participants will tackle one craft issue per session and conclude with a generative writing exercise, facilitated by a 49 Writers or Alaska Humanities Forum mentor. Registration is open for each session; participants need not have attended prior sessions to participate. During this first session, join currently-serving veteran and writer Matthew Komatsu at Hearth for a community-building evening of food, drink, discussion, and writing around the topic of fear. Over Hearth’s outstanding fare and beverage selection, we will discuss ways to write about our fears, read how others have done so, and then turn to some generative writing prompts. During our time together, we’ll cover a couple of techniques, to include the elusive “objective correlative” (writing scene to convey emotion), finding powerful action verbs, and the use of pacing. Finally, we’ll put our learning into practice, so bring your favorite writing tools and at the end of the night, those willing can share what they’ve generated. Learn more and sign up.

ANCHORAGE | Thursday, April 26, 2018, 7 PM | David Stevenson is holding a launch party for his new novel Forty Crows at Writer’s Block, 3956 Spenard Rd.

HOMER | Thursday, April 26, 2018 at 6 PM | Author Kathleen W Tarr reads her book, We Are All Poets Here, about Trappist monk Thomas Merton in Alaska. Part memoir and part biography, Tarr tells the story of her own spiritual awakening alongside Merton’s profound observations and reflections, in a portrayal of what he might have experienced. Homer Public Library. Event listed on author’s website. ANCHORAGE | Friday, April 27, 2018 | Anchorage Museum’s Unbound Book Club will meet to discuss The Discovery of Slowness by Sten Nadolny. Unbound Book Club explores art, science, history, design and culture through fiction and non-fiction Friday evenings. Books are available for purchase in the Museum Store. Book club discussion is included with museum admission (free for members) and is part of the museum’s Unbound experimental literary series.

WASILLA | Saturday, April 28, 2018 from 7:30 AM-Noon | Mat-Su Young Writers Conference seeks more volunteer writers. Participants will have the option of leading workshops and selling their books. Contact Sharon Russel at 761-4140 (day), or email sharon.russel@matsuk12.us. Event located at Sherrod Elementary School, Palmer. Learn more in this blog post

ANCHORAGE | Saturday, April 28, 2018 from 10AM-12:30 PM | Anchorage Imagination Library Free Family Event: craft activities inside and outside, reading of Little Owl’s Night written by Divya Srinivasan, and book swap. Free for families with children 0-5 yrs. Located at the Campbell Creek Science Center, 5600 Science Center Dr. For more information see the Facebook event or call 907-297-3305.

ANCHORAGE | On Saturday, May 5, 2018 in conjunction with the Spring Friends of the Library book sale, Z. J. Loussac Library will host their first ever Local Author book fair. Authors and illustrators will be featured in the atrium of the library for this one-day local author sale. Authors can begin registering on Monday, February 12 at 10 am. Spots will be on a first come, first reserved basis. Learn more and register here.

ANCHORAGE | May 11-13, 2018 | Passage Writes: Stories from Alaska Birth-Moms. Passage Writes is hosting an adoption-themed writing workshop. The group is looking for women to fill 20 spots in order to ensure a wide range of voices. The workshop is open to all of Alaska’s birth-moms, regardless of writing ability. Click here for details and here for Facebook page.

ANCHORAGE | Thursday, May 17, 2018 from 6:30 – 8 PM | Reflections on Attu: Art Show and Reception at Anchorage Public Library. Join USFWS Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge for a slideshow and talk by author Nancy Lord followed by a reception and art show opening.   INTERIOR NA   SOUTHEAST

WRANGELL | Friday, April 20, 2018 from 7-8:30 PM | Tidal Echoes Launch. Wrangell writer Vivian Faith Prescott will read and Juneau artist Chris Taylor will discuss his recent work. Copies sold at the door for $5. Facebook event JUNEAU | Friday, April 20, 2018 at 7 PM | Launch reading for Tidal Echoes, featuring Vivian Faith Prescott and writers from all across the region. Located in the Egan Lecture Hall, UAS.

WRANGELL | Flying Island Writers & Artists group meets every other Monday 6:30-8 PM. Contact Vivian Faith Prescott for more information doctorviv@yahoo.com HOONAH | June 30 – July 6, 2018 | Environmental Rhetoric: A 3-credit course through University of Alaska Southeast. Join professor Dan Henry at Inian Islands institute for this intensive course on environmental Rhetoric and become a stronger, more persuasive environmental leader. 12 participants. Fee: $400. Meals, lodging, and transport from Juneau provided. For more info please contact professor Dan Henry at mudbase@gmail.com and include a short paragraph on what the class could do for you.

SOUTHWEST | ARCTIC | OUT OF STATE | CONFERENCES, RETREATS, and RESIDENCIES

PALMER | May 11-13, 2018 SCBWI Alaska’s 2nd Annual Alaska Big Thaw Retreat For all Authors: picture book, middle grade, young adult, adult literature, and illustrators at the Knik River Lodge.  Workshops by Stephen Barr of Writers House Lit. Agency, optional critique groups and loads of quiet writing and illustrating time, optional professional critique, AK cuisine, a cabin, a classroom yurt with a wood burning stove, and amazing views, and more. Register

SKAGWAY | May 30 – June 2, 2018 | North Words Writers Symposium in Skagway is now taking registrations for its 2018. Pico Iyer is the keynote writer. Other faculty include Juneau Writer Laureate and Ernestine Hayes, Portland novelist Willy Vlautin, Juneau poet Emily Wall, Ketchikan writer-artist Ray Troll, Washington writer Colleen Mondor, and Fairbanks writer Frank Soos. Features include author panels, writing workshops, and outdoor activities. Limited to 40 participants. Organizers include Buckwheat Donahue, Jeff Brady, Daniel Henry, and John Straley. For more information, click here.

HOMER | June 8-12, 2018 | Registration is open now for the seventeenth annual Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference. Held in Homer, Alaska, this nationally recognized writing conference features workshops, readings and panel presentations in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and the business of writing. Keynote presenter Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize winner and National Book Award finalist, will be joined by fifteen other writers, poets, and publishing industry professionals. Optional manuscript reviews, agent/editor meetings, post-conference workshop at Tutka Bay Lodge and boat cruise. Scholarships available. All information and faculty bios at our website: http://sites.kpc.alaska.edu/writersconf/.  The deadline for “early-bird” registration rate is May 1^st.

TUTKA BAY LODGE | The 9th Annual 49 Writers Tutka Bay Writers Retreat with Hannah Tinti will take place September 7-9, 2018. Applications are being accepted now; don’t delay! 

OPPORTUNITIES and AWARDS for WRITERS Scholarships to Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference 2018 | Deadline May 1, 2018, at 5 PM | Scholarships cover $395 registration fee only; transportation, activities, housing, etc. are the recipient’s responsibility. Applicants must submit a letter describing why they want to attend the conference and reasons for scholarship assistance. Details. Email application to: KachemakBayWritersConf@alaska.edu

ANCHORAGE | Tuesday, May 1, 2018 | Deadline for Contributions to Literacy in Alaska (CLIA) awards is May 1. This award aims to create a better Alaska through the spoken and written word. Since 1993, the CLIA awards have been presented by the Alaska Center for the Book, Alaska’s liaison with the U.S. Library of Congress Center for the Book. The awards go to people and institutions who have made a significant contribution in literacy, the literary arts, or the preservation of the written or spoken word. Nomination forms, a list of previous winners, and more information are available on ACB’s website at www.alaskacenterforthebook.org, or call (907) 764-1604. Alaska Women Speak is now accepting written submission and cover art ideas for the upcoming Summer 2018 issue, Walls. Deadline is May 15, 2018. Details

NEW RELEASES McRoy & Blackburn Publishers of Ester has recently released a new novella by Eric Forrer of Juneau, Colors of the Morning Sky, to excellent reviews in Alaska newspapers. The Southeastern-set tale has illustrations by Lue Isaac of Seattle and Juneau. What’s missing? Submit your announcement for the next Roundup. Send an email with “Roundup” as the subject to 49blog@gmail.com 

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