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With all the great workshops and events organized for us it is often difficult to decide which ones to attend. I wish I could attend all of them! There are still a few seats available for the exciting workshop Danger Close: Alaska. If you are interested, register soon.
Resolve To Write!
Invitations were sent out mid-December to current members for the member's only salon Resolve to Write events in January in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Homer. These popular salons in members homes are a chance to share your goals; talk about what went wrong and what went right in 2015; and make the writing connections that will carry your writing practice through the year. If you are concerned that your membership might not be up-to-date, or you just want to check, please feel free to email 49writers@gmail.com.
2016 Class Schedule
Registration for 2016 classes and workshops has started. Description, details, and registration on our website. Feel free to contact us at 49writers@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Anchorage
Writing from Historical Research taught by Kate Partridge
February 13 and 27, 9am-noon
Mini Memoirs: Let’s Do Some Writing! taught by Judith Conte
February 20-21 and 27-28, 1-3pm
What Women Want taught by Martha Amore
March 3, 6-9pm
“THE END!” Writing Good Endings and Achieving Closure taught by Alyse Knorr
March 5, 6-9pm
Writing with Anna Akhmatova taught by Olga Livshin and Kathleen Tarr
March 12 and 19, 9am-1pm
Forms of Poetry taught by Alyse Knorr
April 6, 13, 20, and 27, 6-9pm
Effectively Use Microsoft Word to Publish your Book to Kindle taught by Lara Madden
April 7, 6-9pm
Set Your Fiction on Fire taught by Kim Heacox
April 13, 6-9pm
Homer
Confusing the Censor: Nurturing Receptive Mind taught by Peter Kaufmann and Wendy Erd
April 8 6:30-8:30pm, April 9 9am-noon & 1-4pm
Juneau
Walking the Line by Susanna Mishler
January 30, 9am-noon
Everything I Can Teach You About Humor Writing in 3 Hours by Geoff Kirsch
February 4, 6-9pm
Set Your Fiction on Fire taught by Kim Heacox
April 18, 6-9pm
Online
Craft Intensive: Masterful Writing taught by Deb Vanasse
3 one-hour online meetings plus asynchronous online activities
Jan. 26 - Feb. 15. One-hour online meetings would be on Tuesday nights, 7 - 8 pm AST.
Flash Fiction taught by Katey Schultz
4 week asynchronous (12 hours minimum) – one optional video chat – fiction
February 29-April 3
Flashbacks Without Whiplash: Managing Time in Fiction by Andromeda Romano-Lax
Asynchronous online class
April 4-25
Danger Close: Alaska
On Saturday and Sunday, February 6th and 7th, Sherry Simpson, Benjamin Busch, Elliott Ackerman, and Lea Carpenter will lead a two-day multi-genre workshop for 24 evenly-apportioned civilian and veteran writers. Students will learn about journalism in unsafe places, discuss why storytelling exists, view multimedia explorations of war narrative, and question what it takes to “make it” as a writer. Most importantly, students will participate in workshops featuring their own writing, in addition to generating new material.
Danger Close: Alaska will run from 9am-4pm, with an hour for lunch, on both days. Cost is $150 total and registration will open on December 14on www.49writingcenter.org and will require the submission of a 3-5 page double-spaced manuscript by January 11, 2016.
EVENTS IN ANCHORAGE
Poetry Parley
Former Alaska laureate, Tom Sexton, is the featured poet at January's Poetry Parley. The event will be held at Blue Hollomon Gallery, January 20th, at 6:30 pm. Sexton has selected English poet, Philip Larkin, as the marquee, whose work will be read by others in attendance. For more information about this free, monthly event, email poetryparley@gmail.com
Nature and Travel Writing Class
Anchorage essayist and author Bill Sherwonit will teach a 12-week nature and travel writing class beginning Jan. 27 in the Sierra Club office downtown. Participants in this workshop-style class will explore and refine their own writing styles, with an emphasis on the personal essay form. The class will also read and discuss works by some of America’s finest nature and travel writers, past and present. The cost is $240. To sign up for this Wednesday night class (7 to 9:30 p.m.), or for more information, contact Sherwonit at 245-0283 or akgriz@hotmail.com.
Reading & presentations by J. Wallace Nichols, scientist & author of Blue Mind at the Hotel Captain Cook at 7-9 pm on Sunday, January 24. Dr. Nichols will read from his New York Times best-selling book Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do which combines cutting-edge research and compelling personal stories into remarkable truths. Join the conversation that will follow the reading about basing communication on these benefits to engage people in problem-solving for our ocean environment. The book will be available for purchase and signing.
Dr. Nichols will also provide keynote presentations at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium at the Hotel Captain Cook onMonday, January 25, during the Communicating Ocean Science Workshop, held from 8 am-noon and during the plenary session at 3:45-4:30 pm. For more information about the Communicating Ocean Science Workshop, go to http://amss.nprb.org/program-schedule/workshops/. For more information about the keynote presentation, go to http://amss.nprb.org/program-schedule/keynote-presentations/Dr. Nichols.
All events are free of charge. Contact Marilyn Sigman msigman@alaska.edu for more information.
Events at the UAA Bookstore
Saturday, January 16 from 1:00pm-3:00pm at the UAA/APU Consortium Library room 307
Lael Morgan and Marthy Johnson present How to Write and Sell Books. Lael Morgan is an accomplished author, teacher, journalist and publisher. With Kent Sturgis she established Epicenter Press, a major publisher of Alaska titles with more than 175 books covering Alaska history, biographies, aviation, humor, true crime, mystery, dog mushing, Alaska Native themes. Marthy Johnson is a freelance copy editor, writing instructor, and author of the reference book Write & Wrong and the recently published novel Break Point Down: Game Over.
Tuesday, January 19 from 10:00am-12:30pm at UAA/APU Consortium Library room 307
Alaska Policy & Climate Adaption Webinar Series:
Tribal Sovereignty & Climate Change for Alaska Natives is a Webinar presentation by Professor Elizabeth Krank , University of Kansas School of Law. The presentation discusses how tribally-specific tools and resources regarding tribal governments can effectively manage natural resources and encourage the federal government to recognize its trust responsibility to the Villages. In addition, it addresses how the protection of the environment is consistent with the cultural and traditional needs of Villages.
Note, for this event there is free parking in the Library Lot, Library NE lot and the East garage.
Saturday, January 23 from 1:00pm-3:00pm at UAA/APU Consortium Library room 307
Peter Dunlap-Shohl presents My Degeneration: A Journey Through Parkinson’s, A Graphic Novel
The book explores what it is like living with Parkinson’s and the numerous mental and physical changes brought on by the disease. Besides being a memoir, it explores new ways one can view the world and have a decent quality of life with the disease.
Peter Dunlap-Shohl worked as a cartoonist for the Anchorage Daily News for twenty-five years.
Friday, January 29 from 6:00pm-8:00pm at UAA/APU Consortium Library room 307
Chilkoot Charlie’s Mike Gordon: Learning the Ropes
Mike Gordon, of Chilkoot Charlie's fame, shares stories about his life, Alaska, mountain climbing and personal challenges. From arriving in Seward in 1953, to creating an internationally known nightclub, to summiting the highest mountains on six continents, to finishing a Master’s degree at Alaska Pacific University, to keeping a marriage of thirty-two years, Mike Gordon life seems idyllic. However, underneath his quite public successes are stories that acknowledge the many low places in his life and include how he ultimately manages to face his personal demons and put his priorities in order.
There is free parking at UAA on Fridays.
For a look at future events see https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/bookstore/events/special-events-calendar.cfm
All UAA Campus Bookstore events are informal, free and open to the public. Note, there is free parking at UAA on Saturdays. For more information contact Rachel Epstein at 786-4782 or repstein2@uaa.alaska.edu. For a look at future events see https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/bookstore/events/special-events-calendar.cfm
Local Library Events
Book Signings
EVENTS AROUND ALASKA
SOUTHCENTRAL, MAT-SU, KENAI PENINSULA
SOUTHEAST
Join the Alaska Marine Conservation Council and writers Tele Aadsen and Miranda Weiss for a storytelling workshop for young fishermen! The best spokespeople for Alaska's fisheries are those that live in the thick of it — those that know the rhythm of a North Pacific ground swell and the joy of bringing wild fish from ocean to table. Come and learn more about how you can speak for the way of life and the fisheries you love. Learn how to use your voice to shape a strong future for our coastal communities and the fish they depend on, listen to others' stories, and leave impassioned to speak for Alaska's next generation of fishermen.
This is a free3-hour workshop, taking place in Juneau at 9 a.m. January 30, the Saturday morning following the Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit. We will meet at the Catholic Church in downtown Juneau (416 5th Street). Coffee, snacks and writing materials provided.
To check out more on the awesome workshop leaders visit their blogs and links to their work below!
- Miranda Weiss: http://mirandaweiss.com/
- Tele Aadsen: "One woman at sea, trolling for the truth" http://www.teleaadsen.com/
RSVP via the Facebook Event at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1531786377131370/
Contact for more information: Hannah Heimbuch — hannah@akmarine.org
Woosh Kinaadeiyí Spoken Word Workshop!
Sunday, January 17th, from 1-4pm, at Kindred Post, 145 South Franklin.
The workshop will be taught by spoken word artists Christy NaMee Eriksen and Dee Jay DeRego, both seasoned writers who have performed on stages across the nation. NaMee and Dee Jay will guide writing exercises, speaking/performance exercises, revision, sharing, and feedback in a supportive, inclusive environment. This is an all ages, all abilities event. If you have interest in creative writing or performance, you are encouraged to attend. No experience is necessary. To make the workshop accessible, the fee is on a sliding scale of $10-25. If cost is an issue, please make sure to email us. We encourage participants to RSVP so we can prepare! Please email juneaupoetryslam@gmail.com to let us know you’re attending.
The Alaska Marine Conservation Council is in search of volunteer storytellers to help lead a 3-hour storytelling workshop for young fishermen. The workshop will take place Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016 in Juneau, and will focus on how narrative — expressed through a variety of mediums — can be used at many levels of personal and professional communication. The workshop will offer strategies for fishermen to access and tell their unique story. We believe that strong personal and collective narratives are key factors in advocating for healthy communities and ecosystems, and hope to share useful tools for developing those narratives through this workshop. Ideally, our guest storyteller would also have a connection to Alaskan fisheries, past or present. If interested, please contact Hannah Heimbuch at hannah@akmarine.org, or (907) 299-4018.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WRITERS
CONFERENCES, AWARDS, RETREATS & RESIDENCIES
The fifteenth Kachemak Bay Writers' Conference will be held on June 10-14 in Homer. This year's keynote is Pulitzer Prize winning, National Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey, who will be joined by Miriam Altshuler (agent), Dan Beachy-Quick, Richard Chiappone, Jennine Capó Crucet, Alison Hawthorne Deming, Forrest Gander, Lee Goodman, Richard Hoffman, Erin Coughlin Hollowell, Sarah Leavitt, Nancy Lord, Jane Rosenman (editor), Peggy Shumaker, Sherry Simpson, Frank Soos, and David Stevenson. For more information and to register go to the website
The Alaska Historical Society has a new project, the Alaska Historic Canneries Initiative, and a small grant program intended to jump start projects across the state. Grants of up to $1000 are available to individuals, organizations, and businesses to advance seafood history projects around the state. Applications are due on January 1, 2016 and available at AHS's website.
There is also an annotated bibliography with hundreds of entries that chart the history of Alaska’s seafood industry. This is a must-have reference for anyone engaged in fisheries or the study of Alaska history. Check out Alaska Fisheries: A Guide to HistoryResources on the website. Also visit the Alaska’s Historic Canneries blog, a meeting-ground for fish heads. The organization is seeking guest bloggers to share not just historical information, but also stories.
Registration now open to the 2016 Tutka Bay Writers Retreat, which will take place on September 9-11, 2016 at the Tutka Bay Lodge. Faculty instructor award-winning novelist and short story writer Rick Moody will lead fiction writers in a workshop will focus on experiment, imagination, and revision, techniques for each, with an emphasis on writing prompts, close reading of sentences, and ideas about structure. There will be much in-class writing, and the overall atmosphere will stick close to supportiveness, collegiality, and constructive improvement. The engaged student will emerge with improved techniques for further work. Early registration fee is $600 for members and $650 for nonmembers. For more information or to register, go to: http://www.49writingcenter.org/Retreats%26Events/retreats.php.
Annual Statewide Poetry Contest
Deadline: February 1, 2016, 6:00 pm
Fairbanks Arts Association (FAA) is now accepting entries for the 22nd Annual Statewide Poetry Contest, judged by James Engelhardt. The purpose of the contest is to encourage, publicize and reward the writing of high-quality poetry.
This year, FAA and KUAC are partnering to bring the poetry of the contest's winners to a larger audience; winners will be asked to record their poems for broadcast on KUAC's radio station FM 89.9 in celebration of Alaska's own poetry during National Poetry Month in April. The winners of the Statewide Poetry Contest will also be invited to read their poems alongside judge James Engelhardt at a special literary reading on Saturday, April 9 at 7pm at Fairbanks Arts Association's Bear Gallery (3rd Floor Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts, Pioneer Park, 2300 Airport Way).
Divisions: Awards:
Adult - 1st Place $150 | 2nd Place $100 | 3rd Place $50
High School - 1st Place $100 | 2nd Place $50 | 3rd Place $25
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