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| Photo courtesy of Lila Vogt |
Yes, the fall season of author events is officially over and plans are already underway for the spring program! Thank you to the warm crowd who turned out last night at Great Harvest Bread to hear Anchorage author Lee Goodman read from his new work and talk about his attempt as a writer to attain the right balance between commercial and literary fiction. How do you measure the ingredients of plot, character, and theme to create a meaningful story that resonates with enough readers to satisfy publishers that your book is a worthy investment? We’re glad that Lee continues to pursue this literary holy grail and write page-turners like Indefensible in the process. Look for the second in his series of three in the near future!
We are so fortunate to be able to hold this popular literary series at the bakery, thanks to the largesse of Barbara Hood and Dirk Sisson, and their wonderful staff at Great Harvest Bread Company, and wish them a delightful and prosperous holiday season.
TODAY is the deadline for course proposals to 49 Writers for Spring 2015 in Anchorage and Juneau. If you’re a published writer with teaching credentials and a passion for your craft, we want to hear from you!
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| Caroline Goodwin |
- Saturday, Nov. 22, 9am-12pm, 645 W. 3rd Avenue, Anchorage: Composition by Juxtaposition, creative writing workshop with Caroline Goodwin (Trapline), Alaska-born Caroline moved from Sitka in 1999 to attend Stanford as a Wallace Stegner fellow in poetry. She is currently serving as the first Poet Laureate of San Mateo County, CA and teaching in the MFA Writing program at California College of the Arts in San Francisco.
- Monday, Dec. 1, 6-9pm, Juneau Arts & Humanities Council: Composition by Juxtaposition, creative writing workshop with Caroline Goodwin. For more information and to register classes, visit our website.
- Saturday, Dec. 6, 12-2pm, 645 W. 3rd Avenue, Anchorage: 49 Writers Lit Mag Sale! In recent years we have accumulated a library of literary journals through generous donations from members and other writers. Until we secure our own long-term space, we are going to share the wealth with our members rather than hide the journals away in a basement. A second sale will take place in Juneau at the Thursday, Feb. 5 meeting of the Juneau writers group. This is a great opportunity to get your hands on some of the journals that might be interested in publishing your work!
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| Some Living Room writers read |
Tonight, Friday, Nov. 14, 7pm, Jitters in Eagle River: The Living Room holds readings every 2nd Friday 7-9pm in Eagle River, by writers and book lovers. Sign up to read, or come listen. Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EagleRiverWritersRead.
Tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 15, 1pm, Costco on Dimond: Author Glen Klinkhart will be signing copies of Finding Bethany.
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 7pm, Wilda Marston Theatre, Loussac Library: The Alaska Writers Guild monthly program features Raymond Lions, who will talk about “How to Submit to Writing Contests and Critiques.” Ray has been one of the judges who critiques and judges manuscripts for the Guild’s quarterly writing contests for several years. Learn what to expect and how to prepare your stories to be professionally critiqued and to enter contests that can win real money for your writing.
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 7pm, Hugi-Lewis Studio, 1008 W. Northern Lights; This month’s Poetry Parley features the work of Monica Devine of Eagle River, the award winning author of 5 children’s books. Her poetry, non-fiction work and photographs have appeared in Cirque, New Letters, Alaska Magazine, Children’s Television Network, StillPoint Arts Quarterly and three anthologies. Monica has selected Marie Howe as the Marquee poet. Start getting to know Marie at www.poetryfoundation.org. Readers still needed–guys?–email poetryparley@gmail.com if interested.
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 5-7pm, UAA Campus Bookstore: Popular Chinese Novels and Dramas: A Series. Everyone is invited to come and learn about the Chinese television series sensation Empresses in the Palace / Legend of Concubine by Zhen Huan, to read the highly acclaimed books Fortress Besieged by Qian Zhongshu, and Red Sorghum by Mo Yan– recipient of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature. Dr. Annie Zeng, members of the Confucius Institute, and UAA Faculty will participate. This event is sponsored with the UAA Confucius Institute.
Friday, Nov. 21, 4-6pm, UAA Campus Bookstore: Former Teachers as Writers. Former teachers Lynn Lovegreen, Deb Vanasse, Tam Agosti-Gisler and Julie Stafford discuss their books and the role teaching has in their writing. Julie Stafford is author of The Manual That Should Have Come With Your Child But Didn’t: A Teacher’s Guide to Healthy Parenting; Lynn Lovegreen is author of numerous young adult romance novels including Quicksilver to Gold, and author Deb Vanasee who has published more than a dozen books in a variety of genres including Lucy’s Dance and Cold Spell. Joining the authors will be Tam Agosti-Gisler who will discuss Dona Marie Wolking Agosti’s book Wilma, which is about a wolverine.
Monday, Nov. 24, 5-7pm, UAA Campus Bookstore: Poet Carolyn Goodwin: Trapline. Caroline Goodwin was born and raised in Anchorage. She moved to California from Sitka in 1999 to attend Stanford University as a Wallace Stegner fellow in poetry. Her first collection of poetry called Trapline, was published by JackLeg Press in ,2013. Currently, she serves as the first Poet Laureate of San Mateo County, CA and also teaches in the MFA Writing program at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Her first poem was published in the Anchorage Daily News in 1971.
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 5-7pm, UAA Campus Bookstore: UAA Undergraduate English Students: Readings and Writings. Faculty chosen undergraduate creative writing students in the English Department come together to present their course work. Everyone is welcome to attend and be enchanted.
All UAA Campus Bookstore events are informal, free and open to the public. There is free parking for bookstore events in the West Campus Central Lot (behind Rasmuson Hall), the Sports NW Lot.
Events around Alaska
NaNoWriMo is underway and we know that many writers across Alaska are participating. Good luck with your month of intensive novel writing! We’d love to hear how it’s going for you. For more information, go to www.NaNoWriMo.org.
Sunday, Nov. 16, 2-5pm, Hearthside Books, Juneau: Book Signing by Seth Kantner and Beth Hill at the Hearthside Holiday Event. Contact Brenda Weaver: 789.2750. www.hearthsidebooks.com.
Monday, Nov. 17, 7pm, Juneau Arts & Humanities Council (JAHC). A reading will be held featuring Juneau poets who are connected with the community in various ways and will say a few words about their connection before reading two or three poems. Susi Gregg-Fowler will speak about 49 Writers. Other readers are Emily Wall, Richard Stokes, Bill Merk, and Sarah Isto. A family designee will read from Richard Dauenhauer’s work. The gallery will be open, there is no admission charge and refreshments will be available.
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| Bill Sherwonit and friend |
Saturday, Nov. 22, 2-5pm, Hearthside Books, Juneau: Book Signing at the Hearthside Holiday Event. Contact Brenda Weaver: 789.2750. www.hearthsidebooks.com.
Saturday, Nov. 22, 11:30am, Fireside Books, Palmer: Bill Sherwonit will and sign his new book Animal Stories: Encounters with Alaska’s Wildlife. These essays of memorable, astonishing—and in some instances, life-changing—encounters with wild animals are a reminder that nature’s wondrous wild surrounds us wherever we are. “Whether writing about grizzlies, dancing cranes, or mad hares, Bill Sherwonit enchants and inspires, reminding us that wildness surrounds us.”
—Tim Folger, series editor, The Best American Science and Nature Writing.
Congratulations to Lynn Lovegreen for the release of Golden Days, the latest in her YA/NA historical romance series.
Member Lynne Curry reports that she received an advance from a major publisher on her next book, Outsmarting Workplace Bullies after high bidding interest–excellent news indeed!
Brooke Hartman has signed with 2013 AWG & SCBWI Conference speaker and agent Ruben Pfeffer of RP Content + Media for representation of her young adult speculative fiction novel, Axis. Great to hear of your success!
Registration is now open for the 2015 North Words Writers Symposium. Sign up now for 4 days of literary adventures!