We welcome your comments. Be advised, however, that it is our policy to delete the following:
• Comments that are abusive, off-topic, or excessively foul in language
• Comments celebrating the death or illness of another person
• Comments containing racist, sexist, homophobic, or ethnic slurs
• Comments posted elsewhere on the site (thread spam)
• Comments posted with the intent of provoking others
We encourage authors to approach us about promoting their work. However, we reserve the right to make editorial decisions about what we promote and how it is promoted, and we discourage comments made solely for the purpose of soliciting or advertising products or services that are not within our scope and mission.
Email addresses on file at 49 Writers will be neither sold nor, as a matter of policy, distributed without permission. We send emails judiciously and at our discretion. While we are happy to post news and information on the blog, our policy precludes third party email solicitation using our address bank.
Our community of readers benefits from a diversity of voices. If you would like to write an occasional guest post or if you’d like to be featured as a guest blogger, check out our guest blogger hints and guidelines.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
GUEST BLOGGER HINTS, IDEAS, AND GUIDELINES
By serving as a guest blogger, you're helping build the community at 49 Writers, and you're also seizing an opportunity for free (though not blatant) promotion of yourself and your books. Our goal is to feature an Alaskan author each month. We'll post your photo and a photo of one of your books. In return, you email one or more short posts a week - by short, we mean a few paragraphs that you write in fifteen minutes or so.
If you're not interested in a month-long commitment, we still love to publish occasional guest posts of interest to our readers. Contact us with your idea and we'll see how it fits in.
Even well-published writers can be put off by the idea of blogging. What will I talk about? How will readers respond? And most off-putting of all, how much of my valuable time will I spend writing something for which I won’t get paid?
The good news: Blogging is fun. It’s easy. And while we won’t be sending a check, we can (just about) promise a nice pay-off in connections with readers and spreading the word about the great stuff you write (and get paid for).
When blogging, you don’t need to labor over every sentence. Be spontaneous! Have fun! Celebrate your voice! (But please, while we want you to get excited, tuck those exclamation marks away for another use.)
Now - serious tips, some from our own experience and some gleaned from The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging – with 260,000 registered members posting up to 20,000 comments a day, we figure they know what they’re talking about.
• Your audience: Our readers love books and writing and Alaska. Some are well-published; others are somewhere on the road to publication. Others have no aspirations to write but love to know how writers think (scary, isn’t it?)
• What to write: What engages you will engage your readers. Spin off something you read or heard or saw online. Or share a random thought, a snippet of what might develop into a full story or article if you had the time or inclination. Or focus on a specific detail, whether it’s the view from your window or a factoid that gets you riled up or pondering. If you’re really stumped, try a short op-ed formula: state your point, illustrate with an anecdote, give a short history of the debate, argue your side, consider the opposition, and end with a good walk-off. But that’s only if you want to op-ed.
• How to write: No need to fully develop your ideas. Get them out there and let readers join the dialogue. Write like you speak. Your readers want authenticity, not perfection. And write short. More than 800 words probably won’t get read.
And courtesy of Gretchen Rubin (Happiness Project Blog), a few for-what-they’re-worth, take ‘em-or-leave’em tips:
• Be funny (not required, but a little humor never hurts)
• Give smart information (when you have it; some days it’s all we can do to type a complete sentence)
• Reveal your character
• Tell a story
• Give a picture of what it’s like to live where you live
Skim through our posts, and you'll get an idea of how blogging differs from formal publication. Pay special attention to the posts that generate comments. They're not necessarily the longest or the most thought-out; often, it's the short and immediate that connects with readers.
A few mechanical points: Use ALL CAPS for titles of your own books, italics for titles of other books. You can include links to other websites and blogs within your post - in fact, we encourage it. Just copy/paste the URL into your post and we'll magically transform it into a link.
Ready to sign on? Fill out our contact form if you haven't already. We'll assign you a month or give the green light to your topic. Copyright remains yours, of course; if we receive a request for a repost on another site, we'll run it by you first.
If you're not interested in a month-long commitment, we still love to publish occasional guest posts of interest to our readers. Contact us with your idea and we'll see how it fits in.
Even well-published writers can be put off by the idea of blogging. What will I talk about? How will readers respond? And most off-putting of all, how much of my valuable time will I spend writing something for which I won’t get paid?
The good news: Blogging is fun. It’s easy. And while we won’t be sending a check, we can (just about) promise a nice pay-off in connections with readers and spreading the word about the great stuff you write (and get paid for).
When blogging, you don’t need to labor over every sentence. Be spontaneous! Have fun! Celebrate your voice! (But please, while we want you to get excited, tuck those exclamation marks away for another use.)
Now - serious tips, some from our own experience and some gleaned from The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging – with 260,000 registered members posting up to 20,000 comments a day, we figure they know what they’re talking about.
• Your audience: Our readers love books and writing and Alaska. Some are well-published; others are somewhere on the road to publication. Others have no aspirations to write but love to know how writers think (scary, isn’t it?)
• What to write: What engages you will engage your readers. Spin off something you read or heard or saw online. Or share a random thought, a snippet of what might develop into a full story or article if you had the time or inclination. Or focus on a specific detail, whether it’s the view from your window or a factoid that gets you riled up or pondering. If you’re really stumped, try a short op-ed formula: state your point, illustrate with an anecdote, give a short history of the debate, argue your side, consider the opposition, and end with a good walk-off. But that’s only if you want to op-ed.
• How to write: No need to fully develop your ideas. Get them out there and let readers join the dialogue. Write like you speak. Your readers want authenticity, not perfection. And write short. More than 800 words probably won’t get read.
And courtesy of Gretchen Rubin (Happiness Project Blog), a few for-what-they’re-worth, take ‘em-or-leave’em tips:
• Be funny (not required, but a little humor never hurts)
• Give smart information (when you have it; some days it’s all we can do to type a complete sentence)
• Reveal your character
• Tell a story
• Give a picture of what it’s like to live where you live
Skim through our posts, and you'll get an idea of how blogging differs from formal publication. Pay special attention to the posts that generate comments. They're not necessarily the longest or the most thought-out; often, it's the short and immediate that connects with readers.
A few mechanical points: Use ALL CAPS for titles of your own books, italics for titles of other books. You can include links to other websites and blogs within your post - in fact, we encourage it. Just copy/paste the URL into your post and we'll magically transform it into a link.
Ready to sign on? Fill out our contact form if you haven't already. We'll assign you a month or give the green light to your topic. Copyright remains yours, of course; if we receive a request for a repost on another site, we'll run it by you first.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
ALMOST LIKE CHRISTMAS
The anticipation. The longing. The excitement of waking up early on the long-awaited morning to find...
Alaskan Authors and 49 Writers have merged! No, it hasn't happened yet, but it will in just two more days. More scoop and heads-upping tomorrow, but today Andromeda suggested we share the results of our reader survey (her reader survey, really - I just begged and pleaded with you to hop over there for a moment to share your thoughts). So here it is, copied with permission from 49 Writers, No Moose:
Your favorite features are about Alaska books (95%), as well as personal musings or commentaries (90%), though the numbers were fairly well spread out, which tells us you like a mix, and that's what we'll keep doing. You also appreciate the sense of community fostered by the blog (75% said that).
You want more events and opportunities listings and a reliable calendar that can become THE go-to place for Alaska readers and writers. Heard ya' -- doing it! And we'll need your help to keep the listings current. Please send all announcements after Jan. 1 to Deb Vanasse, who will put them into the Friday Alaskan Authors Roundup; we'll both keep a calendar of listings running at the bottom of the blog.
You don't care that much about contests. (We'll still try to do one every few months, but thanks for giving our wallets a rest.)
Other comments that warmed my heart included:
You are just fine as is. Would hate to see you become like someone else.
You're great the way you are--an original and fun-to-read and informative blog
I like opportunities for lots of folks to weigh in on writing issues/questions, because I like to hear how other writers are dealing with some of those issues.
It's a super blog, and one I find myself checking several times a week. Just keep it up. You have a good mix of material, and you're great at updating it regularly. I wouldn't mind more recommendations about other websites, blogs etc. in the publishing industry, but I do enjoy the ones you already recommend. Thanks!
You're doing a great job, Andromeda, keep it up. And congrats on getting some blogging help, to prevent burnout (I hope).
Yee-hah and amen! (That's Deb talking.) Thanks to Andromeda for putting this all together.
Alaskan Authors and 49 Writers have merged! No, it hasn't happened yet, but it will in just two more days. More scoop and heads-upping tomorrow, but today Andromeda suggested we share the results of our reader survey (her reader survey, really - I just begged and pleaded with you to hop over there for a moment to share your thoughts). So here it is, copied with permission from 49 Writers, No Moose:
Your favorite features are about Alaska books (95%), as well as personal musings or commentaries (90%), though the numbers were fairly well spread out, which tells us you like a mix, and that's what we'll keep doing. You also appreciate the sense of community fostered by the blog (75% said that).
You want more events and opportunities listings and a reliable calendar that can become THE go-to place for Alaska readers and writers. Heard ya' -- doing it! And we'll need your help to keep the listings current. Please send all announcements after Jan. 1 to Deb Vanasse, who will put them into the Friday Alaskan Authors Roundup; we'll both keep a calendar of listings running at the bottom of the blog.
You don't care that much about contests. (We'll still try to do one every few months, but thanks for giving our wallets a rest.)
Other comments that warmed my heart included:
You are just fine as is. Would hate to see you become like someone else.
You're great the way you are--an original and fun-to-read and informative blog
I like opportunities for lots of folks to weigh in on writing issues/questions, because I like to hear how other writers are dealing with some of those issues.
It's a super blog, and one I find myself checking several times a week. Just keep it up. You have a good mix of material, and you're great at updating it regularly. I wouldn't mind more recommendations about other websites, blogs etc. in the publishing industry, but I do enjoy the ones you already recommend. Thanks!
You're doing a great job, Andromeda, keep it up. And congrats on getting some blogging help, to prevent burnout (I hope).
Yee-hah and amen! (That's Deb talking.) Thanks to Andromeda for putting this all together.
Monday, December 29, 2008
LOOKING BACK
It's that reflective time of year. Being an odd combination of practical, disciplined, and impulsive, I make a business/writing plan every year but refuse to punish myself over any goals I fail to meet. Today, I'm looking back even further, to when I first started publishing, both offline and on.
Politically hopeful, economically devastating, 2008 was a year of transition for me. Defying all logic, I plunged into a full set of life changes in 2007, including a transition to writing full time that began when I moved to Anchorage in April. Living on half a pension and the diminishing returns from my investments, I focused first on the bottom line, taking on any and all writing projects that would keep my bank account in the black.
Now I know I can support myself by writing, even if it means shopping at Value Village instead of Nordstroms. In the last months of 08, with the economy in a tailspin, I've given myself permission to return to my first love, fiction, and to move beyond the children's market, where I first published. That's not to say that writing for children is in any way inferior to writing for adults or that I won't return to it one day. But I have stories to tell that go beyond the genre.
Like many, I tiptoed through the backdoor to embrace my passion for writing. In college, I studied journalism, then switched my major to English. Given the tough road to employment for English majors, my advisor suggested certification in teaching, and in 1979, I became one of three high school teachers in the Yupik village of Nunapitchuk, Alaska. Teaching was a joy, but I set my sights on Alaska's twenty-year teacher retirement so I'd have the time, and hopefully the money, to write.
Twenty years went by fast. I got a Masters in Humanities because an MFA seemed impractical while working fulltime and raising a family. In 1994, I took a summer writing course for teachers. Claire Rudolf Murphy encouraged me to develop a story into a novel for young adults, and when I was done, she suggested I send it to her editor, the venerable Virginia Buckley. In 1997, A Distant Enemy came out, followed by a Out of the Wilderness in 1999, the year I retired from teaching.
My plan to sashay from teaching to writing failed to take into account the outrageous cost of college for my children. So I detoured into real estate, working the market in what proved to be its best years, for the first time making really good money, but always with an eye on exiting once I'd made what I needed to help the kids. Rising early, I'd juggle some writing between real estate calls. I drafted two novels and got an agent. In retrospect, the novels suffered from my lack of attention and my agent, while enthusiastic, didn't have the perspective to see they needed work.
I did what good kids' writers should do - signings and school visits and speaking at state and national conferences. But there were too many plates to juggle. I scaled back, discovered a fantastic regional publisher, and did commercial books that continue to sell nicely.
Fairbanks is a great community for children's writers, thanks to Nancy White Carlstrom starting a chapter of SCBWI that remains active decades later. Anchorage - not so much. I attended the Bouchercon sponsored by Alaska Sisters in Crime in the fall of 2007 not because I wrote mysteries but because I was desperate to connect with other writers. There I attended a couple of sessions on blogging, including a panel by five mystery writers blogging together at Naked Authors. Wouldn't it be cool, I thought, if Alaskan authors could blog like that? A couple authors at the conference seemed enthusiastic, but when it came down to the wire, I did a solo launch of Alaskan Authors a few days later.
Enter Andromeda Romano-Lax, who began blogging at 49 Writers, No Moose with the same idea of creating a forum and platform for Alaskan authors and their work. Acknowleging our similar vision, we began almost immediately to look toward merging our blogs down the road.
And here we are, down the road and approaching the intersection. Beginning January 1, Andromeda and I will both be posting at 49 Writers, No Moose. Knowing how you love to read and re-read my deep thoughts and passing fancies, I'll transfer all my archival posts over there, and next year we'll find other good uses for the Alaskan Authors domain.
Andromeda and I couldn't be more excited about the growing online community of Alaskan authors and their readers. Welcome aboard!
Politically hopeful, economically devastating, 2008 was a year of transition for me. Defying all logic, I plunged into a full set of life changes in 2007, including a transition to writing full time that began when I moved to Anchorage in April. Living on half a pension and the diminishing returns from my investments, I focused first on the bottom line, taking on any and all writing projects that would keep my bank account in the black.
Now I know I can support myself by writing, even if it means shopping at Value Village instead of Nordstroms. In the last months of 08, with the economy in a tailspin, I've given myself permission to return to my first love, fiction, and to move beyond the children's market, where I first published. That's not to say that writing for children is in any way inferior to writing for adults or that I won't return to it one day. But I have stories to tell that go beyond the genre.
Like many, I tiptoed through the backdoor to embrace my passion for writing. In college, I studied journalism, then switched my major to English. Given the tough road to employment for English majors, my advisor suggested certification in teaching, and in 1979, I became one of three high school teachers in the Yupik village of Nunapitchuk, Alaska. Teaching was a joy, but I set my sights on Alaska's twenty-year teacher retirement so I'd have the time, and hopefully the money, to write.
Twenty years went by fast. I got a Masters in Humanities because an MFA seemed impractical while working fulltime and raising a family. In 1994, I took a summer writing course for teachers. Claire Rudolf Murphy encouraged me to develop a story into a novel for young adults, and when I was done, she suggested I send it to her editor, the venerable Virginia Buckley. In 1997, A Distant Enemy came out, followed by a Out of the Wilderness in 1999, the year I retired from teaching.
My plan to sashay from teaching to writing failed to take into account the outrageous cost of college for my children. So I detoured into real estate, working the market in what proved to be its best years, for the first time making really good money, but always with an eye on exiting once I'd made what I needed to help the kids. Rising early, I'd juggle some writing between real estate calls. I drafted two novels and got an agent. In retrospect, the novels suffered from my lack of attention and my agent, while enthusiastic, didn't have the perspective to see they needed work.
I did what good kids' writers should do - signings and school visits and speaking at state and national conferences. But there were too many plates to juggle. I scaled back, discovered a fantastic regional publisher, and did commercial books that continue to sell nicely.
Fairbanks is a great community for children's writers, thanks to Nancy White Carlstrom starting a chapter of SCBWI that remains active decades later. Anchorage - not so much. I attended the Bouchercon sponsored by Alaska Sisters in Crime in the fall of 2007 not because I wrote mysteries but because I was desperate to connect with other writers. There I attended a couple of sessions on blogging, including a panel by five mystery writers blogging together at Naked Authors. Wouldn't it be cool, I thought, if Alaskan authors could blog like that? A couple authors at the conference seemed enthusiastic, but when it came down to the wire, I did a solo launch of Alaskan Authors a few days later.
Enter Andromeda Romano-Lax, who began blogging at 49 Writers, No Moose with the same idea of creating a forum and platform for Alaskan authors and their work. Acknowleging our similar vision, we began almost immediately to look toward merging our blogs down the road.
And here we are, down the road and approaching the intersection. Beginning January 1, Andromeda and I will both be posting at 49 Writers, No Moose. Knowing how you love to read and re-read my deep thoughts and passing fancies, I'll transfer all my archival posts over there, and next year we'll find other good uses for the Alaskan Authors domain.
Andromeda and I couldn't be more excited about the growing online community of Alaskan authors and their readers. Welcome aboard!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
COMFORT AND JOY
Though it's far from family Outside, Alaska is a great place to enjoy the holidays. There's always snow (usually fresh) and good reason to enjoy a warm fire. If you can't find fun outdoors, you're just not looking. Indoors, no excuse is needed for snuggling up with a good book.
Here's to all good books, written and yet to be written. Merry Christmas!
Here's to all good books, written and yet to be written. Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
NAVEL GAZING
In the midst of a beach read, my daughter pointed out that she liked the term "navel gazing." I broke my "not over fifty" bikini vow so was engaged in some literal navel gazing at that moment. Take-away point: belly skin burns.
I just finished reading a book on blogging - yes, the irony of reading about an electronic form in print - as an exercise in navel-gazing. Lots of blogs are born every minute, so there are lots of little blog navels to behold. I'm just looking at mine, of course. And Andromeda's over at 49 Writers, if that doesn't sound too kinky or weird.
Blog stat services tell us who's reading when and from where. What they don't tell us is why. Do you like posts about books? Interviews with authors? Random thoughts from authors who happen to live in Alaska? Musings on the joys and traumas of writing and publishing? Whatever pulls you in, we'd like to know. Swing by 49 Writers and take the one-minute survey (I know, I know, I've mentioned it before) or email me at debv@gci.net.
I just finished reading a book on blogging - yes, the irony of reading about an electronic form in print - as an exercise in navel-gazing. Lots of blogs are born every minute, so there are lots of little blog navels to behold. I'm just looking at mine, of course. And Andromeda's over at 49 Writers, if that doesn't sound too kinky or weird.
Blog stat services tell us who's reading when and from where. What they don't tell us is why. Do you like posts about books? Interviews with authors? Random thoughts from authors who happen to live in Alaska? Musings on the joys and traumas of writing and publishing? Whatever pulls you in, we'd like to know. Swing by 49 Writers and take the one-minute survey (I know, I know, I've mentioned it before) or email me at debv@gci.net.
Monday, December 22, 2008
I'M BACK!
Let me just say that non-stop flights from Anchorage to Maui on Alaska Airlines are a very good thing. The red-eye return took a little getting used to, but a couple of hours in my own bed and a full day of fun back home revived me quite nicely. My daughter had a tougher time of it. She battled snow on Vancouver Island to get to Maui, and thanks again to snow, she had to overnight in Seattle and take the train to Portland, where she's now hunkering down for the holidays.
On yesterday's solstice, fog settled in and then lifted to a long and glorious sunset that inked the mountains in shadowy pinks and blues. The boxer went for a long trot in the snow. She's toughening to the cold. Unlike the poor folks to the south, we're hoping for a good dusting of snow to celebrate the lengthening days.
Please remember to take a moment for the survey at 49 Writers, where I'll be posting beginning January 1. Your thoughts will help much with our 2009 launch.
On yesterday's solstice, fog settled in and then lifted to a long and glorious sunset that inked the mountains in shadowy pinks and blues. The boxer went for a long trot in the snow. She's toughening to the cold. Unlike the poor folks to the south, we're hoping for a good dusting of snow to celebrate the lengthening days.
Please remember to take a moment for the survey at 49 Writers, where I'll be posting beginning January 1. Your thoughts will help much with our 2009 launch.
Friday, December 19, 2008
ALASKAN AUTHORS WEEKLY ROUND-UP
Confession: I am pretty much completely out of the loop this week. But I do want to make sure you take a moment for the survey at 49 Writers. Your input is vital as Andromeda and I wile away the last few days of 2008 forging a new and improved blog for you in 2009.
Watching a hula revue last night (yes, this is what's passing for literary stimulation here at the beach), I was struck by the similarity of dance as story across cultures. Drums, graceful hand gestures, skilled movements, an overriding sense of gratitude for the provision of the land. Cover some skin, add dance fans, and you've got something very close to native dancing, Pamyua style. And in case you haven't heard, Barrow's Suurimmmanichuat dance group will be performing as part of Barack Obama's inauguration festivities. Read all about it over at the Alaska Dispatch.
Watching a hula revue last night (yes, this is what's passing for literary stimulation here at the beach), I was struck by the similarity of dance as story across cultures. Drums, graceful hand gestures, skilled movements, an overriding sense of gratitude for the provision of the land. Cover some skin, add dance fans, and you've got something very close to native dancing, Pamyua style. And in case you haven't heard, Barrow's Suurimmmanichuat dance group will be performing as part of Barack Obama's inauguration festivities. Read all about it over at the Alaska Dispatch.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
FOLLOW YOUR GUT
Does karaoke count as creative work? As in, I have no talent so I have to compensate by flailing limbs and gyrating? Ah well. I'll be back at real work next week.
Recently an author did an experiment. He asked writer to critique stories which, unbeknownst to them, had already been published. They told him all sorts of changes for making them publishable.
That's not an excuse to ditch good critiques. Rather, it's a reminder to solicit valid feedback and then follow your gut.
Recently an author did an experiment. He asked writer to critique stories which, unbeknownst to them, had already been published. They told him all sorts of changes for making them publishable.
That's not an excuse to ditch good critiques. Rather, it's a reminder to solicit valid feedback and then follow your gut.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
LONE WOLVES
A couple of postcards make up my body of work for the past couple of days, but I did cart Writer magazine to my poolside perch, where I read NBA finalist Anne Spollen's article "A lone wolf meets the pack."
In writing about how she eschews writers' groups, I suspect Spollen channeled the thoughts of a fair number of Alaskan writers. A lot of us are lone wolves by nature if not circumstance. Support - no thanks. We'll tough it out.
Like Spollen, I'm not interested in rah-rah groups. And while I love a good critique, I'd rather swallow the cold, hard truth about my WIP from a writing friend who knows my thick skin and like me, wants my work to be my best. Still, interaction with creative, focused writers energizes my work.
As we plan for next year, Andromeda and I hope our blog will give writers the best of all worlds - no-strings camaraderie and a platform for promoting our work, a place for lone wolves to howl together when they feel like it.
In writing about how she eschews writers' groups, I suspect Spollen channeled the thoughts of a fair number of Alaskan writers. A lot of us are lone wolves by nature if not circumstance. Support - no thanks. We'll tough it out.
Like Spollen, I'm not interested in rah-rah groups. And while I love a good critique, I'd rather swallow the cold, hard truth about my WIP from a writing friend who knows my thick skin and like me, wants my work to be my best. Still, interaction with creative, focused writers energizes my work.
As we plan for next year, Andromeda and I hope our blog will give writers the best of all worlds - no-strings camaraderie and a platform for promoting our work, a place for lone wolves to howl together when they feel like it.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
BEACH READS
A little time at the beach, and I'm wondering if there are Alaskan equivalents of the beach read. Or does Alaska not lend itself to that type of reading?
Monday, December 15, 2008
PIPI HOLO KA'AO
That's Hawaiian for "A well told tale travels far and wide." Have a few to tell already but mostly I'm stockpiling Vitamin D for the rest of the winter. I do miss Alaska, but there's something about the beach...
Friday, December 12, 2008
ALASKAN AUTHORS WEEKLY ROUND-UP
The optimism was short-lived. Nielsen reports book sales for the first week of December are down 2 million as compared to last year. The bright spot is children's fiction, up 24%, mostly attributable to a couple of blockbusters. We won't detail all the latest layoffs and pay freezes in publishing. Suffice to say no one's holding out for $77 per hour.
Writers, one of Alaska's political blogs wants your help. The Alaska Dispatch, launched last August, is soliciting commentaries and stories from Alaskans and former Alaskans. For details, read their post, "Where Do We Go From Here?"
Kudos to Willie Hensley, interviewed here earlier this week. His memoir Fifty Miles From Tomorrow was a Publisher's Weekly Pick of the Week.
Finally, if you've been keeping up at 49 Writers, you know that Andromeda Romano-Lax and I are plotting furiously toward a blog merger to launch (we hope) January 1. Look for us to double the fun (and serious stuff, too) with new and exciting features. We'd love your input, so leave a comment or two about any changes you'd like to see.
Writers, one of Alaska's political blogs wants your help. The Alaska Dispatch, launched last August, is soliciting commentaries and stories from Alaskans and former Alaskans. For details, read their post, "Where Do We Go From Here?"
Kudos to Willie Hensley, interviewed here earlier this week. His memoir Fifty Miles From Tomorrow was a Publisher's Weekly Pick of the Week.
Finally, if you've been keeping up at 49 Writers, you know that Andromeda Romano-Lax and I are plotting furiously toward a blog merger to launch (we hope) January 1. Look for us to double the fun (and serious stuff, too) with new and exciting features. We'd love your input, so leave a comment or two about any changes you'd like to see.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
FROM THE ROAD
Fairbanks author Debbie Miller reports from Boston, where she's doing school visits - the children's author's version of a book tour. In the works, she has:
Survival at 40 Below: Life in the Arctic: illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. (Walker, 2010) This picture book explores the unusual adaptations of animals that live above the Arctic Circle including the Arctic ground squirrel, wood frog, Alaska blackfish, musk ox, caribou, chickadee, and willow ptarmigan.
Wild Moments: a new anthology edited by Michael Englehard (University of Alaska Press, 2009) This is a collection of essays by many nature writers from Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Each essay relates to a meaningful encounter with a wild animal. Debbie's essay, "Glad Singer", focuses on the American Dipper, the only aquatic songbird in North America. Other Alaska authors in this collection include Richard Nelson, Nancy Lord, Peggy Schumaker, Carolyn Servid, and Hank Lentfer. This one comes out in February.
Thanks, Debbie, for checking in.
Survival at 40 Below: Life in the Arctic: illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. (Walker, 2010) This picture book explores the unusual adaptations of animals that live above the Arctic Circle including the Arctic ground squirrel, wood frog, Alaska blackfish, musk ox, caribou, chickadee, and willow ptarmigan.
Wild Moments: a new anthology edited by Michael Englehard (University of Alaska Press, 2009) This is a collection of essays by many nature writers from Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Each essay relates to a meaningful encounter with a wild animal. Debbie's essay, "Glad Singer", focuses on the American Dipper, the only aquatic songbird in North America. Other Alaska authors in this collection include Richard Nelson, Nancy Lord, Peggy Schumaker, Carolyn Servid, and Hank Lentfer. This one comes out in February.
Thanks, Debbie, for checking in.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
BRING ON THE ALPHA
Winter solstice is just eleven days away. For us Alaskans, that's a big deal, because it means that we'll turn the corner and start gaining daylight. Right now, we're down to about five hours of daylight in Anchorage. Make that close to three in Fairbanks. And the folks up in Barrow - well, let's just say they might as well walk around with their eyes closed.
Which is how a lot of us spend our time in the winter. Lest we feel slovenly about the temptation to sleep, it's good for us writers to review studies on alpha brain waves. In particular, researchers say we're likely to wake from power naps bathed in alpha waves, which inspire concentration and enable access to our elusive subconscious.
Not that this is an excuse for writers to sleep the day away. In fact, if you nap too long, you're more likely to to delta waves that make you feel groggy and even more sleepy. And you can bring alpha waves to the fore with other activities, such as yoga and meditation. Even closing your eyes and rolling them upward activates a burst of alpha wave energy.
Still, I'll take an excuse for a power nap on just about any day in December.
Which is how a lot of us spend our time in the winter. Lest we feel slovenly about the temptation to sleep, it's good for us writers to review studies on alpha brain waves. In particular, researchers say we're likely to wake from power naps bathed in alpha waves, which inspire concentration and enable access to our elusive subconscious.
Not that this is an excuse for writers to sleep the day away. In fact, if you nap too long, you're more likely to to delta waves that make you feel groggy and even more sleepy. And you can bring alpha waves to the fore with other activities, such as yoga and meditation. Even closing your eyes and rolling them upward activates a burst of alpha wave energy.
Still, I'll take an excuse for a power nap on just about any day in December.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
NORTHERN LIT?
I'm glad Alaska's Writer Laureate Nancy Lord spoke of John Haines and his take on Alaskan Literature over at 49 Writers yesterday, because it spurred me to think some more about the question of whether there could be a serious course in Literature of the North.
Regional lit courses are nothing new. There's Literature of the American West, Literature of the American South. Granted, there's no Literature of the American East, but that's because the East thinks it IS literature. So what about Literature of the North? Is it true, as Haines contends, that we're generations away from a body of work that will stand on its own?
Note that in proposing Literature of the North, I'm conceding that we need input from our Candadian friends. And I'd include not only writers who live in the North, but also those writing about the North, like Barry Lopez. I'd start with Native legends, then segue into the Gold Rush (Jack London, Robert Service, Tappan Abney). Remember, nobody says it all must be stellar - rather, it needs to be representative, shedding light on where we've been and where we're headed. I admit there's a big dry spell spanning several decades, but then we get to Seth Kantner and John Straley and Nancy Lord and a host of other good writers who really have something to say.
I like the idea of a course in Northern Lit. Sometimes you have to set the bar so people will reach for it.
Regional lit courses are nothing new. There's Literature of the American West, Literature of the American South. Granted, there's no Literature of the American East, but that's because the East thinks it IS literature. So what about Literature of the North? Is it true, as Haines contends, that we're generations away from a body of work that will stand on its own?
Note that in proposing Literature of the North, I'm conceding that we need input from our Candadian friends. And I'd include not only writers who live in the North, but also those writing about the North, like Barry Lopez. I'd start with Native legends, then segue into the Gold Rush (Jack London, Robert Service, Tappan Abney). Remember, nobody says it all must be stellar - rather, it needs to be representative, shedding light on where we've been and where we're headed. I admit there's a big dry spell spanning several decades, but then we get to Seth Kantner and John Straley and Nancy Lord and a host of other good writers who really have something to say.
I like the idea of a course in Northern Lit. Sometimes you have to set the bar so people will reach for it.
Monday, December 8, 2008
ALASKAN AUTHORS INTERVIEW: WILLIE HENSLEY
Coming soon (January 2009) from Inupiat elder and activist Willie Hensley is Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People . We caught up with Willie as he's preparing for his first book tour.
Deb: Fifty Miles from Tomorrow is your first book. What inspired you to write it?
Willie: I wrote Fifty Miles from Tomorrow, in part, to inspire our own people to tell their story and to convey their knowledge of culture, history and the natural universe--that we didn't need our story to be filtered through people from the Outside.
Deb: Tell us how the process of writing was for you. What were the greatest challenges, and how did you overcome them?
Willie: I was fortunate to have a good editor who took my early writing and described what she thought would be a successful way to write for me. My sentences tended to be too long and I didn't realize how much my early cultural upbringing affected how I wrote. It is very hard for an Inupiaq to take credit for anything due to our understanding that it takes many people to create success. I didn't find the writing too difficult and I did very little rewriting. I tried to describe the images in my life and my feelings and recollections of the various stages and efforts in my life.
Deb: Memoir is a tough genre, because you end up telling truths that may cause some discomfort for people you love. How did you resolve these issues when crafting your story?
Willie: Very early on I realized there were painful experiences that our people felt uncomfortable in expressing. We have lived in a harsh universe and for over ten thousand years, we learned to suffer through difficult circumstances without becoming whiners. To me, it was important that I not only try to describe our way of life before great changes began to occur--it was also important for us to expose the human toll of government and missionary policies and practices on our people. Before I started the book, I called my relatives to let know that I was going to write a book and they encouraged me--painful subjects and all.
Deb: What has been most rewarding about seeing your project through to completion?
Willie: The reward is the result. I never in my wildest imagination thought that I could write. The thought that I could write something that others will find worth their time and money is exhilarating. Also, I wanted our own people to know that despite my college degree and succession of good jobs and experiences, I also had to deal with my own adjustments to difficult circumstances that we all have faced due to forces beyond our control. I also am proud of that fact that other Americans and the world will have a book that sheds some light on a part of America that people know virtually nothing about.
Deb: What creative work has engaged you since finishing the book?
Willie: I had to work on the book at night, weekends, holidays and on planes--as I had not retired at the time I was writing. Since then, I have retired and tried to learn to be less driven--now beginning the effort to help my publisher publicize the book. I will spend most of January and the first quarter on the road. If the book sells reasonably, my publisher has first option on another book. I have not decided what the subject might be but I have some thoughts. I am not like most writers who are "driven" to write. I would like to try a novel.
(Deb’s note: For a schedule of Willie’s book tour, including stops in Seattle, Portland, California, Washington DC, and Anchorage, go to http://us.macmillan.com/Tour.aspx?id=246)
Deb: Fifty Miles from Tomorrow is your first book. What inspired you to write it?
Willie: I wrote Fifty Miles from Tomorrow, in part, to inspire our own people to tell their story and to convey their knowledge of culture, history and the natural universe--that we didn't need our story to be filtered through people from the Outside.
Deb: Tell us how the process of writing was for you. What were the greatest challenges, and how did you overcome them?
Willie: I was fortunate to have a good editor who took my early writing and described what she thought would be a successful way to write for me. My sentences tended to be too long and I didn't realize how much my early cultural upbringing affected how I wrote. It is very hard for an Inupiaq to take credit for anything due to our understanding that it takes many people to create success. I didn't find the writing too difficult and I did very little rewriting. I tried to describe the images in my life and my feelings and recollections of the various stages and efforts in my life.
Deb: Memoir is a tough genre, because you end up telling truths that may cause some discomfort for people you love. How did you resolve these issues when crafting your story?
Willie: Very early on I realized there were painful experiences that our people felt uncomfortable in expressing. We have lived in a harsh universe and for over ten thousand years, we learned to suffer through difficult circumstances without becoming whiners. To me, it was important that I not only try to describe our way of life before great changes began to occur--it was also important for us to expose the human toll of government and missionary policies and practices on our people. Before I started the book, I called my relatives to let know that I was going to write a book and they encouraged me--painful subjects and all.
Deb: What has been most rewarding about seeing your project through to completion?
Willie: The reward is the result. I never in my wildest imagination thought that I could write. The thought that I could write something that others will find worth their time and money is exhilarating. Also, I wanted our own people to know that despite my college degree and succession of good jobs and experiences, I also had to deal with my own adjustments to difficult circumstances that we all have faced due to forces beyond our control. I also am proud of that fact that other Americans and the world will have a book that sheds some light on a part of America that people know virtually nothing about.
Deb: What creative work has engaged you since finishing the book?
Willie: I had to work on the book at night, weekends, holidays and on planes--as I had not retired at the time I was writing. Since then, I have retired and tried to learn to be less driven--now beginning the effort to help my publisher publicize the book. I will spend most of January and the first quarter on the road. If the book sells reasonably, my publisher has first option on another book. I have not decided what the subject might be but I have some thoughts. I am not like most writers who are "driven" to write. I would like to try a novel.
(Deb’s note: For a schedule of Willie’s book tour, including stops in Seattle, Portland, California, Washington DC, and Anchorage, go to http://us.macmillan.com/Tour.aspx?id=246)
Friday, December 5, 2008
ALASKAN AUTHORS WEEKLY ROUND-UP
Forget Golden Apples. There's no greater reward for a teacher than seeing a student make good with her talent, so I couldn't have been more pleased than to read former student Nancy Slagle's "Fahrenheit Be Darned," subtitled "A Fairbanks Woman discovers the joy and pain of running in winter," in the December/January issue of Alaska Magazine. Nice work, Nancy!
In the December 3 issue of the Anchorage Press, there's nice coverage of Maia Nolan, one of two literary recipients of the Rasmuson Award. Maia blogs at ownthesidewalk.com.
In reading about Idaho author Anthony Doerr, I discovered a new anthology edited by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey called State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America. Seeing the book was billed as "original writing on all 50 states by 50 of our finest novelists, journalists, and essayists," I was eager to discover who they'd chosen to write about Alaska. The contributor is non-Alaskan John Greenberg.
In the December 3 issue of the Anchorage Press, there's nice coverage of Maia Nolan, one of two literary recipients of the Rasmuson Award. Maia blogs at ownthesidewalk.com.
In reading about Idaho author Anthony Doerr, I discovered a new anthology edited by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey called State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America. Seeing the book was billed as "original writing on all 50 states by 50 of our finest novelists, journalists, and essayists," I was eager to discover who they'd chosen to write about Alaska. The contributor is non-Alaskan John Greenberg.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
ARE BOOKS RECESSION-PROOF?
Before the massacre in publishing began last week, there was some talk that books were recession-proof. Thankfully a small shred of evidence now points that way. Nielsen BookScan shows that for the week ending November 30, bookstore sales are up 6% as compared with Thanksgiving week 2007. For the most part, that's without the literally door-busting discounts offered by general retailers. Sales were especially strong with independents and children's books.
Just as rising gas prices made us think more about where and how we drive, let's hope this nasty recession bug reinforces the true value of a book. What makes a better gift than a book that enriches, entertains, informs? Books are good for us individually, and they're good for society. And there's no dilemma about regifting. When you're done enjoying your book, you do the environmentally friendly thing and trade at your local used book store. Why buy anything else?
The company delivering this morsel of hope is the same Nielsen that compiles ratings used to decide which TV shows stick and which get canned. In a related development, Nathan Bransford reports there's a Harper UK website, Authonomy, where books are ranked by readers rather than reviewers in a more formalized version of the Amazon sales tracking phenomenon. But what do these rankings really tell us? This week satirist Stephen Colbert poked fun at the concept by urging viewers to all download his Christmas album at 5 p.m EST on Wednesday, with the idea of propelling it to number one in the iTune rankings.
What does the future hold for independent reviews? Were they ever really independent? And do we need them? Or do shall we all just follow the herd, tracking with the cult of the masses?
Just as rising gas prices made us think more about where and how we drive, let's hope this nasty recession bug reinforces the true value of a book. What makes a better gift than a book that enriches, entertains, informs? Books are good for us individually, and they're good for society. And there's no dilemma about regifting. When you're done enjoying your book, you do the environmentally friendly thing and trade at your local used book store. Why buy anything else?
The company delivering this morsel of hope is the same Nielsen that compiles ratings used to decide which TV shows stick and which get canned. In a related development, Nathan Bransford reports there's a Harper UK website, Authonomy, where books are ranked by readers rather than reviewers in a more formalized version of the Amazon sales tracking phenomenon. But what do these rankings really tell us? This week satirist Stephen Colbert poked fun at the concept by urging viewers to all download his Christmas album at 5 p.m EST on Wednesday, with the idea of propelling it to number one in the iTune rankings.
What does the future hold for independent reviews? Were they ever really independent? And do we need them? Or do shall we all just follow the herd, tracking with the cult of the masses?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
ABOUT THAT NOVEL
How much will you say about your work in progress?
It's a weird writer thing, the perception that only novices talk - and sometimes, indeed, talking supplants actually writing. We have a big need to feel safe, and telling too much means putting ourselves out there. Someone might expect us to actually perform, and from the initial spark of our project to actually seeing it in print there's an outrageous amount that's beyond our control. Some of us get downright superstitious, as if in saying too much we'll jinx the whole deal.
Dysfunction or survival? Non-fiction projects aren't such a problem. Even if you don't have a contract, it's not that tough to spit out what you're up to and where you are in the project. But novels are scary. We know how easy it is to fall short.
In this big fat recession, angst piles on angst. If you're feeling especially masochistic, check out Nathan Bransford's low-down on the latest blood-letting among publishers. Then remind yourself how people succeed. They take risks. They set goals. They persevere. And they're not afraid to believe in themselves.
I know, it would be a lot more fun to stick your head in a big mound of snow and hope by the time it melts things have turned around. But have courage and faith, and talk about that novel.
It's a weird writer thing, the perception that only novices talk - and sometimes, indeed, talking supplants actually writing. We have a big need to feel safe, and telling too much means putting ourselves out there. Someone might expect us to actually perform, and from the initial spark of our project to actually seeing it in print there's an outrageous amount that's beyond our control. Some of us get downright superstitious, as if in saying too much we'll jinx the whole deal.
Dysfunction or survival? Non-fiction projects aren't such a problem. Even if you don't have a contract, it's not that tough to spit out what you're up to and where you are in the project. But novels are scary. We know how easy it is to fall short.
In this big fat recession, angst piles on angst. If you're feeling especially masochistic, check out Nathan Bransford's low-down on the latest blood-letting among publishers. Then remind yourself how people succeed. They take risks. They set goals. They persevere. And they're not afraid to believe in themselves.
I know, it would be a lot more fun to stick your head in a big mound of snow and hope by the time it melts things have turned around. But have courage and faith, and talk about that novel.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
REALLY BAD VERSE
From a wannabe Alaskan author, here's a portion of a poem inspired by - you guessed it - our fair governor. The poem was posted on a website called TeamSarah.org, a hang-out for Obama-haters and Sarah-lovers.
"We are the people that don't watch the news,
except for FOX.
We are the people that even after the election,
are wearing buttons.
We are the people that can watch youtube videos of Sarah,
and never get tired of them.
We are the people that have Sarah Palin ringtones,
making our liberal friends uncomfortable.
We are the people that are thinking about moving to Alaska,
just to be closer to Sarah to protect her from the smears."
I don't know about you, but I find those last lines truly frightening. If you're a glutton for punishment, you can read the entire poem in the Alaska Dispatch article "Team Sarah out for Blood." Be warned: much of the chat quoted in the article is exponentially more disturbing than this doggerel.
"We are the people that don't watch the news,
except for FOX.
We are the people that even after the election,
are wearing buttons.
We are the people that can watch youtube videos of Sarah,
and never get tired of them.
We are the people that have Sarah Palin ringtones,
making our liberal friends uncomfortable.
We are the people that are thinking about moving to Alaska,
just to be closer to Sarah to protect her from the smears."
I don't know about you, but I find those last lines truly frightening. If you're a glutton for punishment, you can read the entire poem in the Alaska Dispatch article "Team Sarah out for Blood." Be warned: much of the chat quoted in the article is exponentially more disturbing than this doggerel.
Monday, December 1, 2008
ABOUT GRACE
We enjoyed a big, beautiful snowfall this weekend, the kind that settles in a hush over the landscape and propels you on walk after walk. Even my little boxer puppy plowed bravely through the (for her) chest-deep snow.
It's no surprise that in Anthony Doerr's masterful novel About Grace, snow is the unifying theme, for what spawns more grace than a single crystal of snow? Spanning Alaska to the Caribbean, this is the tale of snow enthusiast David Winkler, who flees the north in hopes of outrunning a terrifying vision of his daughter's death.
"Snow fell in the city; ice reached across the ponds; the sea groaned as it collapsed, again and again, onto the wharf," he writes. Doerr lives in Idaho but he understands this place, landing his book on my list of best reads on Alaska, and snow.
It's no surprise that in Anthony Doerr's masterful novel About Grace, snow is the unifying theme, for what spawns more grace than a single crystal of snow? Spanning Alaska to the Caribbean, this is the tale of snow enthusiast David Winkler, who flees the north in hopes of outrunning a terrifying vision of his daughter's death.
"Snow fell in the city; ice reached across the ponds; the sea groaned as it collapsed, again and again, onto the wharf," he writes. Doerr lives in Idaho but he understands this place, landing his book on my list of best reads on Alaska, and snow.
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