One positive aspect of my business travel is that I get to visit numerous cities. This week I find myself in Anchorage, Alaska in a hotel room with a view of the mountains and bay - truly a beautiful setting complete with snow (April 28) so Spring has not arrived yet.
While scanning the brochures at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce office I noticed a brochure advertising this conference:
Alaska Writers Guild
"Speculative Fiction Writers Conference
Anchorage, Alaska
October 1 to 5, 2008
Coast International Inn
http://www.akwworkshop.alaskawriters.com/
Personally I don't know if I have EVER read a "speculative fiction" book but perhaps some science fiction books from my teenage years would qualify. I did not recognize even one name on the conference speakers list in the brochure which is a reminder that we can always read more than we do today!!
One item in the brochure that I thought was interesting was that "Manuscript Reviews" were being offered for $50.00 -- which is probably a useful tool for potential writers. Of course I would be paranoid that someone would still my book idea so clearly some legal safeguard would be needed.
Since Alaska is the "land of the midnight sun" just imagine how many books you can get read if you lived here permanently!!
Head north and read,
Todd
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Bedtime Stories
Hyatt Hotel's Andaz hotel chain has been described as "cheeky, cutting edge" so this news comes as no surprise when we hear that the Andaz Liverpool Street hotel in London, United Kingdom has a new service for guests.
For an initial two week period the hotel will have the world's first "Read in Residence" by the name of Damian Barr. Mr. Barr's role is to read books or talk about literature with guests.
Not a great replacement for my parents reading to me and not a service I would use myself but I do like the promotion of enjoying literature while traveling.
Book a room at Andaz today :-)
Todd
For an initial two week period the hotel will have the world's first "Read in Residence" by the name of Damian Barr. Mr. Barr's role is to read books or talk about literature with guests.
Not a great replacement for my parents reading to me and not a service I would use myself but I do like the promotion of enjoying literature while traveling.
Book a room at Andaz today :-)
Todd
Monday, April 21, 2008
Hawaii
My family and I recently traveled to a Honolulu, Hawaii for a "working vacation" since I had to give a speech and my wife is on maternity leave so now was the ideal time to go!! Due to this trip I have not posted here for several days but I did collected news items along the way that I plan to post on this week including this one --
Hawaii Book and Music Festival
Third Annual - "free event celebrating books, reading, storytelling, and music............."
May 17 and 18, 2008
Fasi Civic Center grounds
Full details can be found at -- www.hawaiibookandmusicfestival.org
Due to family time and working via blackberry I only read one of the two books I brought with me on our trip. The book was "Little Heathens" which is a memoir on Iowa farm life during the Great Depression of the 1930's. A far departure from our kayaking in the ocean and my surfing lessons I have to tell you. Truly the world economy has been in worse shape than it is today.
Hang loose and read more,
Todd
Hawaii Book and Music Festival
Third Annual - "free event celebrating books, reading, storytelling, and music............."
May 17 and 18, 2008
Fasi Civic Center grounds
Full details can be found at -- www.hawaiibookandmusicfestival.org
Due to family time and working via blackberry I only read one of the two books I brought with me on our trip. The book was "Little Heathens" which is a memoir on Iowa farm life during the Great Depression of the 1930's. A far departure from our kayaking in the ocean and my surfing lessons I have to tell you. Truly the world economy has been in worse shape than it is today.
Hang loose and read more,
Todd
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Minnesota Book Awards
Yet another year goes by that I have to miss the annual "Minnesota Book Awards" gala which is set for April 12 this year in St. Paul, Minnesota. This event is organized by Friends of the St. Paul Library (www.thefriends.org) with admission nearly the price of two hard cover books at only $40.00 :-)
As I reviewed the nominee list for these awards according to the following award categories:
Children's Literature
General non fiction
Genre fiction
Memoir and Creative non fiction
Minnesota
Novel and short story
Poetry
Young adult literature
I sadly noted that I have not read even ONE of the books nominated this year!!
Clearly we can always read more,
Todd
As I reviewed the nominee list for these awards according to the following award categories:
Children's Literature
General non fiction
Genre fiction
Memoir and Creative non fiction
Minnesota
Novel and short story
Poetry
Young adult literature
I sadly noted that I have not read even ONE of the books nominated this year!!
Clearly we can always read more,
Todd
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
United Nations
If you hate the United Nations like I do let me recommend this work of "near fiction" that I just completed reading this past weekend:
"Foreign and Domestic"
by Michael Mannske
The central theme is that the President of the USA signed a Declaration of Dependence with the United Nations so the member states get to divide up parts of the USA with the French winning the mandate to control my State of Minnesota -- Mon Dieu!!
Let us hope we never see the UN's "smurf helmet" military troops stationed on USA soil. In fact I am reminded of my personal campaign to re-locate the UN from New York City to a new location such as -- Zimbabwe or Sudan - thus freeing up some prime real estate for developing in the Big Apple.
Time to order the moving vans,
Todd
"Foreign and Domestic"
by Michael Mannske
The central theme is that the President of the USA signed a Declaration of Dependence with the United Nations so the member states get to divide up parts of the USA with the French winning the mandate to control my State of Minnesota -- Mon Dieu!!
Let us hope we never see the UN's "smurf helmet" military troops stationed on USA soil. In fact I am reminded of my personal campaign to re-locate the UN from New York City to a new location such as -- Zimbabwe or Sudan - thus freeing up some prime real estate for developing in the Big Apple.
Time to order the moving vans,
Todd
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