By Chad Grills: The 7 Secrets of Writing From the Best Writers in the World

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Publilius Syrus, JK Rowling, Michael Crichton, Stephen King, Robert Frost, Madeleine L’engle and Camille Paglia

The 7 Secrets of Writing From the Best Writers in the World

Writing

An actor’s son survived cancer, so he wrote a play to give others hope | State of Art September 7, 2024
James Morrison has found success on stage and screen, but his most important role might be playing himself.
Ammon Swenson, Alaska Public Media
Alaska News Nightly: Friday, September 6, 2024 September 7, 2024
Gov. Dunleavy vetoes a bill that increased access to birth control. Plus, Anchorage hydropower utility's plan to solve the Eklutna conundrum.
Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

hollywood’s eleanor powell--9/6/24 September 6, 2024
Today's selection--from This Was Hollywood by Carla Valderrama. Arguably the greatest of Hollywood’s leading female dancers was Eleanor Powell: “On November 21, 1934, Ellie celebrated her twenty-second birthday on a train to Hollywood to do a specialty dance in George White's 1935 Scandals. She was wary about the ‘wicked place’ she had heard such awful […]
the oldest living trees -- 9/5/24 September 5, 2024
Today's encore selection -- from Elderflora: A Modern History of Ancient Trees by Jared Farmer. There are bristlecone pine trees estimated to be over 4,000 years old, making them older than California’s giant sequoias: "In January 1956, the NSF awards [Edmund] Schulman a three-year grant to further his investigation into longevity under adversity. At last, he […]

An actor’s son survived cancer, so he wrote a play to give others hope | State of Art September 7, 2024
James Morrison has found success on stage and screen, but his most important role might be playing himself.
Ammon Swenson, Alaska Public Media
Alaska News Nightly: Friday, September 6, 2024 September 7, 2024
Gov. Dunleavy vetoes a bill that increased access to birth control. Plus, Anchorage hydropower utility's plan to solve the Eklutna conundrum.
Tim Rockey, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Recent Research Spreadsheets
Our students have compiled research in three topic areas. Below are the links to their research tables that can be downloaded for searching and viewing. For a state-by-state review of Mandatory Reporter laws, click here. For a state-by-state review of Background Check laws, click...
feigleycommunications
Legislative Drafting Students
Our students spend the summer working on the research project of the LDICP. Through their extensive research, massive databases of information on state statutes regarding the abuse of children have been created and will be posted here as their work is finalized. Here are...
feigleycommunications

Sunny Ann Starling, July 2, 1943 - January 6, 2023 January 10, 2023
All-American patriot, artist, designer, entrepreneur, flower arranger, chef, and joyful servant, Sunny Lou Starling, was carried on the wings of angels to the arms of her savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, January 6, 2023. She once said her mission was to “Gather and feed all you can, as often as you can, because you never know if […]
Unknown
WASP Final Flight February 28, 2022
WASP Deanie Bishop Parrish, 44-W-4"Failure isn't failure unless you let it be. It's simply a change in direction. Just count your many blessings move on. With God's help, anything is possible!"Deanie Bishop Parrish passed away peacefully in her home in Waco, Texas, on February 24, 2022, just one day shy of her 100th birthday. She met every challenge […]
Unknown

Four Fun Kodachrome Car Image Series No. 511 September 4, 2024
In this weekly series, we ask our readers to tell us the year, make, and model of all of these vehicles along with the location where the image was taken and anything else you find of interest in the photos. You can look back on all the earlier parts of this series here. The photos are via Americar.
David Greenlees
Four Fun Kodachrome Car Image Series No. 510 August 27, 2024
In this weekly series, we ask our readers to tell us the year, make, and model of all of these vehicles along with the location where the image was taken and anything else you find of interest in the photos. You can look back on all the earlier parts of this series here. The photos are via Americar.
David Greenlees

Independent Presbyterian: 1905 September 7, 2024
Savannah, Georgia, circa 1905. "Oglethorpe Avenue and Independent Presbyterian Church." A street last glimpsed here, from a slightly different perspective. 5x7 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size.
Dave
Oglethorpe Avenue: 1908 September 6, 2024
Savannah, Georgia, circa 1908. "Oglethorpe Avenue, Chatham Academy and Independent Presbyterian Church." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Dave

$13,589,422,507.55 in 2024 dollar$ September 7, 2024
In reply to D.C. A.C.: 1938: More or less. Still, that was a lot of money in 1938, and most of us - I hope - will agree it was well spent: climate control definitely helps preserve the structure, even its effect on the quality of legislation if less clear. Plus the Capitol deserved a […]
Notcom
Wait a minute ... September 6, 2024
In reply to D.C. A.C.: 1938: They spent that much on a creature comfort during the Great Depression? Wonder if this ever hit the papers.
scalar

Easy Microgreens June 13, 2023
Microgreens seem to be all the rage these days and for good reason: they are packed with nutrients and easy to grow! The USDA and University of Maryland found that leaves from microgreens had more nutrients than the mature leaves of the same plants. And great flavor. Plus, you don’t need a lot of space […]
gardenfrisk
Cauliflower Growing Tip April 12, 2023
I’ve been growing cauliflower for years, but only recently did I learn this cauliflower growing tip from a farmer friend of mine. I was showing her my garden and she wrapped her hands around the leaves of my young cauliflower plants and folded them upward. “When your cauliflower begins to form a bud, pull your […]
gardenfrisk

DIY Sweetgrass Basket Craft Inspired by Gullah Tradition by Josie Riviera May 22, 2024
Welcome back to Daufuskie Island, where every corner tells a story. This island is off the coast of South Carolina and is a 1 hour ferry ride from Hilton Head Island. Today I’m sharing how to make a sweetgrass basket: Materials: Coiled rope or raffia Colored yarn or embroidery thread Large-eye needle Scissors Instructions: Start […]
Josie Riviera
Daufuskie Delights: A Culinary Journey Through Gullah Flavors by Josie Riviera April 22, 2024
Welcome to Daufuskie Island, where time slows down and the rhythms of Gullah culture come to life. This inviting getaway off the South Carolina coast is more than an island; it’s a testament to the resilience and creativity of the Gullah people, descendants of West African slaves. These people were brought to work on the […]
Donna Fasano

Homeless vets sued the VA and won. Now the government has to build thousands of homes September 7, 2024
A federal judge ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to immediately develop a plan to build nearly 2,000 new supportive housing units for veterans on its 388-acre campus in West Los Angeles. Judge David O. Carter’s ruling on Friday, Sept. 6, was a major victory for a group of veterans who sued the VA over […]
Nicholas Slayton
Alaska Pararescue team executes two jump missions in 24 hours amid 5 rescues September 7, 2024
Five rescue missions in a long weekend with a frantic pace of calls for help in backcountry terrain is a lot even by the standards of the often-busy Alaska Air National Guard rescue teams. This Labor Day weekend was hectic. Members of the Alaska Air National Guard’s 212 Rescue Squadron carried out complicated pararescue jumps […]
Nicholas Slayton

A Drive to Nearby Buena Vista for a Walk and some Fishing September 7, 2024
After a lazy morning of just chatting at the campsite, we went into Buena Vista in the afternoon so Scott Y. could try some fly fishing while I did some walking along the Arkansas River with Martha and Jennifer Y.The White Water Trail is nice and shaded, it's along the Arkansas River and gives nice […]
redlegsrides
Boondocking Again at the Four Mile Recreation Area September 4, 2024
Once again in my preferred habitat....near Buena Vista, CO.I departed the overcrowded cesspool that is the Metro Denver area at 10:30 AM and by 1 PM I was setting up camp. Found one of the prime sites I'd seen the last time I was here unoccupied!In fact, I've only seen two other campers out here […]
redlegsrides

Dark Matter! May 8, 2024
Update, June 25, 2024Just finished watching the Dark Matter episode 9 finale and holy shit, did they stick the landing! No spoilers and so much still to think and talk about, but three initial impressions:1. Part of what makes the show so special is the authenticity and consistency of the human reactions and emotions. In one […]
Barry Eisler
The Real Reason Voters Have Soured on Biden September 18, 2023
According to numerous recent polls, Americans believe the economy is in bad shape and don’t trust President Biden to manage it.In response, the president’s supporters have been arguing strenuously that the gloom is mistaken because in fact the economy is doing well—“extremely well,” according to New York Times columnist Paul Krugman; “astoundingly” well and “better than any other […]
Barry Eisler

Kashevaroff Mountain April 6, 2019
Long before we were a sailing family, Alisa and I were a young couple in love with adventuring in Alaska. The opportunity to introduce Eric and Elias to the delights of outdoor living in the Great Land was one of the big bright sides of our return to Alaska. Earlier this winter, the boys and […]
Letting go March 20, 2019
So...this beautiful island is our home. See the barky? The boys just had their spring break. A week off from school and nothing to keep us from buggering off in Galactic. The weather was generally poor - nothing like the pics above for the most part - so we just snuck off to the west […]

PDS on PBS II Cross post from "Frozen Grin" April 5, 2024
Here is a link to a story about my struggle to draw with Parkinson's Disease. the story is from "The Daily Cartoonist" a Web journal concerning the world of professional cartooning. It was occasioned by the release of the documentary "Matters of Mind, My Parkinson's" which follows three families and their efforts to cope […]
Peter Dunlap-Shohl
Matter of Mind, My Parkinson's, PBS Looks at PD and PD-S March 4, 2024
Here is a short trailer for the PBS documentary "Matter of Mind, My Parkinson's. It follows the attempts of three people and their families to cope with the progressive, disabling and incurable neurological condition. The film won the Audience Choice Award for documentaries at the recent San Francisco Film Festival, possibly due to a scenery-chewing […]
Peter Dunlap-Shohl

Identifying Devil’s Club Plant August 10, 2023
Devil’s Club is a common wild plant in Alaska that’s large & covered in hidden sharp thorns, growing everywhere from remote forests to even well-groomed Anchorage city trails. Just because you’re “in town” doesn’t mean you won’t run into devil’s club. It’s smart to stay on the trails, particularly if you’re not confident spotting it. […]
Ashley
Pumpkin BOO-berry Muffins (Fun Halloween Toddler Snacktivity!) October 21, 2022
Here’s a delicious fall-time spin on classic blueberry muffins. If you’re a solo adult who likes good food, this recipe is for you. Or if you’ve got extra kitchen “helpers” around (read: kids who need entertainment), turn baking these Halloween muffins into a fun toddler snacktivity. Pumpkin BOO-berry Muffin Recipe Ingredients: 2 boxes Jiffy brand […]
Ashley

"Home" vs. "Away" May 20, 2022
I’m home now. I’m looking at the flea market couch I brought up from California; I had cushions made three times over the years till I got it just right. Now it’s just right. It’s been in my life 42 years. Tim has been in my life 34 years, but he had to be out of […]
CloudyinAK
Goodbye, Toronto May 10, 2022
I’m saying my goodbyes to Toronto. I’ve seen my last Hot Docs Festival film, and I’m just back from my last author program. I’ve probably had my last roti, checked out my last book at my local branch library, gone to my last art workshop. Horror of horrors, I’ve even watched my last play. The thing […]
CloudyinAK

Malnourished launches today January 21, 2020
It’s here. The big day. My memoir, the one I spent 15 years struggling over, launches today from Raised Voice Press. I’m feeling very exposed, very vulnerable. This is not at all similar to when Dolls Behaving Badly launched from Hachette Book Group. That was a novel, and while some of it was based on… […]
cinthiaritchie
Book review: Secondhand Summer by Dan Walker December 1, 2019
I had had Alaska writer Dan Walker’s YA novel SECONDHAND SUMMER on my list for a long time, and two weeks ago finally had the chance to dive in. I wasn’t disappointed. Walker’s book, geared for middle school readers (but still immensely enjoyable for adults), follows 14-year-old Sam’s move to Anchorage from the small fishing… […]
cinthiaritchie

Sitka Nature Show #318 – Kari Sagel and Brooke Schafer June 30, 2024
Download Radio Show The June 30th show featured a conversation with Kari Sagel and Brooke Schafer in our semi-regular cross-over between the Sitka Library Show and the Sitka Nature Show. If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave a comment here or on the page I’ve set up […]
matt goff
Sitka Nature Show #317 – Daniel Graham and Zach LaPerriere June 16, 2024
Download Radio Show The June 16th show featured a conversation with Daniel Graham and Zach LaPerriere. Daniel was the artist who crafted the Sitka violin commissioned for the Sitka Summer Music Festival by Marcel and Connie LaPerriere, it was the made out of wood sourced in Sitka by Zach LaPerriere. We discussed the of the […]
matt goff

Sandra’s Overnight Artisan 10" Cast Iron Soft Bread-No Knead March 2, 2024
INGREDIENTS3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon active yeast (not rapid or instant)1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt1-1/2 cups slightly warm water (tepid)--2 teaspoons canola oil (For top and bottom of dough ball so it doesn't stick or form crust while rising)-2 TB butter melted in ramekin, with brush (set aside)--10” Seasoned Cast Iron SkilletMETHODAdd flour to bowl. Add yeast […]
sandra
Sandra's Fresh Apple Pecan Cake (9x13") September 18, 2023
My husband loves this cakeso much he had two pieces 'after' eating lunch...Ingredients2 Eggs1 ½ cup Canola Oil2 cups Granulated Sugar3 cups A-P Flour2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg½ teaspoon Kosher Salt1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda4 cups Chopped Apples (peeled and cored): measure after chopping1 cup chopped Pecans: measure after chopping1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract⅔ […]
sandra