Let Skagway inspire You

May 25–28, 2022 | Keynote Author: Tommy Orange

Let Skagway inspire You

May 25–28, 2022 | Keynote Author: Tommy Orange

Let Skagway inspire You

May 25–28, 2022 | Keynote Author: Tommy Orange

“Writing at a time of a threatened natural world”

2022 Keynote Speaker

Click on each author for a short biography.

2022 Faculty Members

Click on each author for a short biography.

Panel Discussion Topics 2022

2022 North Words Panel Topics

Below is the initial list of panel and workshop topics for. A final list with faculty assignments will appear on the 2022 schedule.

 

Caged and Creative:

Writing through the Pandemic

Jack London’s long shadow:

Disputing and transforming the legacy of racism in American literature.

Speaking to an existential threat:

Whether to rally the troops or reform the skeptics when writing about climate science.

We’re still here:

Decolonizing readers through Indigenous literary voices.

Storytelling as medicine:

Catching stories to heal the world.

The writer’s role in the age of disinformation and upheaval:

Facing pandemics, politics, and other disasters, and setting the story straight.

Writing enlightening biography:

How to bring people back to life.

Writing to the disparity:

Acknowledging class and race in our writing voices.

•••••••

WORKSHOP ON CHARACTER: Pathways to your chosen people.

WORKSHOP ON MEMOIR: Memoir, memory, and the search for truth.

WORKSHOP ON POETRY: TBA

Faculty Publications

Alaska/NW Faculty 2022 Selected Works

Heather Lende, current Alaska Writer Laureate

heatherlende.com

Of Bears and Ballots, Find the Good, Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs, If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name

Kim Heacox

kimheacox.com

The Only Kayak • Jimmy Bluefeather • John Muir and the Ice that Started a Fire • Rhythm of the Wild • The National Parks • Alaska’s Inside Passage

M. Jackson

drmjackson.com

While Glaciers Slept: Being Human in a Time of Climate Change • The Secret Lives of Glaciers

Hank Lentfer

hanklentfer.net

Raven’s Witness: The Alaska Life of Richard K. Nelson • Faith of Cranes

Tina Ontiveros

tinaontiveros.com

rough house

Laureli Ivanoff

laureliivanoff.com

See her essays and poetry in Real Native via the website link above.

Nicole Stellon O’Donnell

nicolestellon.com

Everything Never Comes This Way, You Are No Longer In Trouble, Steam Laundry

 

Also check out these books from our Organizing Faculty:

• Across the Shaman’s River: John Muir, the Tlingit Stronghold and the Opening of the North, by Daniel Henry

• Skagway: City of the New Century: The True Story of Skagway, Alaska including the White Pass, Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail, co-authored and edited by Jeff Brady

• Before the Grave: Poems by D.S. Poorman, edited with an afterword by Kent Fielding.

All of these books are available from Skaguay News Depot & Books or through bookshop.org supporting independent bookstores.

North Words Writers Symposium Schedule

Tuesday, May 24

Early arrivals may choose Alaska Seaplanes from Juneau any day, or an Alaska Fjordlines boat on May 23 (sorry, the May 24 ferry was cancelled; there is one on May 25). More info about discounts on the Travel page of our website.

6:00-8:00 PM • EARLY ARRIVALS SUP & SLAM

No Host Dinner and Poetry Open Mic Slam at Olivia’s at Historic Skagway Inn

(please sign up on the form online)

If you arrive early for North Words please join us for an evening of food and poetry hosted by Trevor Van Houten and Nicole Stellon O’Donnell. Bring a favorite poem or slam one of your own.

Historic Skagway Inn – 7th & Broadway

——– ——–

Wednesday, May 25

Early Arrivals Optional Activities

1) 10 – 11:30 AM – Bike Rental from Sockeye Cycle for Bike Tour of Skagway with Dan Henry

Sign up before arrival • Sponsored by Sockeye Cycle

2) Red Onion Saloon Brothel Tour (voucher in your packet)

Sponsored by Red Onion Saloon (check times at RO)

—— ——

Wednesday’s Ferry arrives at 1:15 pm, arrivals should go to place of lodging first, then proceed to conference headquarters at AB Hall to pick up packets from 4 to 5:30 pm.

—— ——

2:00-3:00 PM • Early Bird Book Signing with Doug Pope, Linda Buckley, Nancy Lord, Mandy Ramsey, and Holly Hughes

Skaguay News Depot & Books – 208 Broadway across from AB Hall

—— ——

3:00 – 3:45 PM   – Faculty Meeting
AB Hall conference room • Broadway between 2nd & 3rd

—— —— 

3:45-5:00 PM   – Final Registration, Participant Packet Pickups
AB Hall conference room • Broadway between 2nd & 3rd

—— ——

6:00 – 7:30 PM  – Opening Reception at BrewCo

Skagway Brewing Co., 4th b/w Broadway & Spring – Food & First Drink Provided

—— ——

Thursday, May 26

 Thursday at AB Hall

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM – Continental Breakfast – AB Hall

—— ——

8:30 – 9:00 AM – Welcome! Announcements, Remembrances, Introductions 

X̱’unei Lance Twitchell, Skagway Tribal Council

Organizing Faculty, Everyone

—— ——

9:00-10:15 AM – Opening Panel: Caged and Creative

Writing through the Pandemic

Panel: Heather, Kim, Nicole

—— ——

 (Morning Stretch during break led by Mandy/Linda)

—— ——

10:30 – 11:45 AM  – Jack London’s Long Shadow

Disputing and transforming the legacy of racism in literature on the 125th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush

Panel: Tommy, X̱’unei Lance, Jeff, Dan

—— ——

11:45 AM – 1:30 PM  – Lunch On Your Own!

Discover local cuisine/menus at Skagway Visitor Center in AB Hall or visit www.skagway.com

—— ——

12:45  – 2:00 PM  – Book Signing: Tommy Orange, keynote  (this may be outside on side deck)

Skaguay News Depot & Books – across Broadway from AB Hall

—— ——

2:00 – 3:15 PM – Speaking to an Existential Threat

Whether to rally the troops or reform the skeptics when writing about climate science

Panel: Kim, Hank, Dan

—— ——

3:30 – 5:00 PM – Faculty Consultations

AB Hall or other arranged locations 

Half-hour sessions with faculty and staff; sign up in advance

—— ——

5:00 – 7:00 PM – Dine out on your own in Skagway!

Discover local cuisine/menus at Skagway Visitor Center in AB Hall or visit www.skagway.com

—— ——

7:00 – 8:30 PM   –  Faculty Readings at Eagles Hall
Location: Eagles Hall Theatre with introduction by Soapy Smith, open to public

Sponsored by the Days of ’98 Show • Eagles Hall, 6th & Broadway

( also open to public for viewing on Facebook Live)

——– ——–

Friday, May 27

6:45 – 7:55 AM  –  Early Bird Workshops

 (choose one, register in advance)

Memoir, memory, and the search for truth with Tina & Laureli

or Poetry Workshop with Nicole

Skagway Public Library – 8th & State

—— ——

Friday at AB Hall

8:00 AM – 8:45 AM – Continental Breakfast, Announcements – AB Hall

Organizing Faculty, 49 Writers

8:45 AM – 9:05 AM  – And now this message from your body

Led by Linda Buckley and Mandy Ramsey

Reflection, Breathe, Release

—— ——

9:15 AM – 10:30 AM   – We’re Still Here

Decolonizing Readers through Indigenous Voices

Panel: Laureli, Tommy, X̱’unei Lance

—— ——

10:45 AM – 12:00 Noon – Storytelling as Medicine

Catching Stories to Heal the World

Panel: Tina, Heather, Hank

—— ——

12:00 Noon – 2:00 PM  – Lunch On Your Own!

Discover local cuisine/menus at Skagway Visitor Center in AB Hall or visit www.skagway.com

—— ——

12:30 – 2:00 PM –  Alaska-NW Faculty Book Signing

 (half hour shifts, possibly outside on side deck)

12:30-1 • Hank Lentfer and Kim Heacox

1-1:30 •  Nicole Stellon O’Donnell and Tina Ontiveros

1:30-2 • Heather Lende and Leigh Newman

Skaguay News Depot & Books – across Broadway from AB Hall

—— ——

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM   – Writing Enlightening Biography

How to bring people back to life

Panel: Hank, Kim, Nicole

—— ——

Evening Alderworks BBQ Schedule

5:30 PM –  Van/Shuttle Pickups for ride to Alderworks in Dyea
Pickup locations: White House (8th & Main),  Morning Wood (4th & State), Sgt. Preston’s (6th & State), Skagway Inn (7th & Broadway), Westmark (3rd & Spring).

Courtesy of SMART Bus

6:30 – 8:30 PM  –  Hoedown at Alderworks!
Hosted & Sponsored by Alderworks Alaska Writers & Artists Retreat (1 West Creek Rd)

BBQ & music by the cabins and new studio

Book Launch for ‘Nobody Gets Out Alive’, a new Alaska short story collection written by Leigh Newman, our inaugural Alderworks resident (several stories were written or revised here). Books available for purchase at bookstore.

8:30 PM –  Vans/Shuttle departs Alderworks for Skagway
Drop offs: 8th & Main , 4th & State, 6th & State, 7th & Broadway, 3rd & Spring

——– ——–

Saturday, May 28

Breakfast on your own this morning

MORNING TRAIN EXCURSION & DENVER GLACIER TRAIL HIKE & WRITE

Hike with Packer Expeditions or Trail Write with Dan Henry

Sign up in advance!

 (coffee & sack lunch provided)

7:30-7:45 AM –  Van/Shuttle Pickups for ride to train departure station
Pickup locations: White House (8th & Main),  Morning Wood (4th & State), Sgt. Preston’s (6th & State), Skagway Inn (7th & Broadway), Westmark (3rd & Spring). Courtesy of SMART Bus

Train Departs 8:15 AM, arrives back in Skagway about 11:30 AM

 Sponsored by WP&YR / Packer Expeditions

–––––

Saturday afternoon sessions at Presbyterian Church (5th & Main)

1:30 – 2:30 PM – The Writer’s Role in the Age of Disinformation and Upheaval

Facing pandemics, politics, and other disasters, and setting the story straight

Panel: Heather, Kim, Laureli

—— ——

(Afternoon Stretch during break led by Mandy/Linda)

—— ——

2:40 – 4:15 PM– Participant Readings 
Individual readings of no more than 6-8 minutes

Limit of 6-8 minutes each. Sign up before conference.

——– ——–

Rest of afternoon free to explore or shop in downtown Skagway, go for a walk, or rest up before evening.

——– ——–

Saturday Evening Keynote Banquet Schedule 

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM  – Closing Banquet at Westmark Hotel’s Chilkoot Dining Room

Welcome by Mayor Andrew Cremata, Municipality of Skagway

(Select your dinner option in the form online)

Keynote by Tommy Orange in conversation with Daniel Henry and X̱’unei Lance Twitchell in upstairs lounge following dinner at approximately 8:00 PM

Off Book to follow in downtown Skagway