Adventure book recommendations

In my January Mankato Magazine column, I wrote about my favorite outdoor adventure books. I included Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild and Into Thin Air, Wilfred Thesiger's Arabian Sands, and Paul Schurke and Will Steger's North to the Pole.

What are your favorite outdoor adventure books?

Writing resolutions

My awesome, successful writer friend Kirstin Cronn-Mills inspired me to come up with my own list of writing resolutions for 2012. The pressure is on!

Writing resolution #1: Do something writing-related every day. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean writing. It can involve reading a blog post, reading writing tips, reading in general, connecting with a writer via Twitter/LinkedIn, finding an agent/publisher to add to my list, scribbling an idea on an index card. Keep a daily journal to track these things.

Writing resolution #2: Write things down! Often I think of ideas in my head and I let them live there. Sometimes I capture them, but other times they’re lost to the wind. Start scribbling things down, especially as they relate to new ideas for books/essays.

Writing resolution #3: Read about creativity, inspiration, intention. I already have tackled a couple of books in this realm: How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, by Michael Gelb, and Write It Down, Make It Happen, by Henriette Anne Klauser. If anyone has any other recommendations, please let me know!

Wish me luck!

A best books of 2011 list we can all appreciate

Thank you, National Book Critics Circle, for posting a "best of the small presses" list for 2011. Small presses is where it's happening. It's a joy to see beautiful writing get wider recognition.

View the list here.

Have you read any? Which ones do you want to read? I'll go with Bonnie Nadzam's LAMB. Sounds like an intriguing story, and Nadzam went to Carleton College in Northfield. And since I'm a narrative nonfiction fan, I'm putting LAST DAY ON EARTH by David Vann on the list.

Update to December Mankato Magazine column

My latest gig is writing an outdoors column in the winter months for Mankato Magazine. (Columns not available online; the magazine comes with some subscriptions to The Free Press or can be bought at Barnes and Noble). In December, I wrote about the sometimes odd shoes that outdoor enthusiasts collect. I ended the column with a wish for Bontrager cycling shoes, and I'm happy to report I received them for my birthday! Well, they were a birthday present to myself, along with this:

Her name is QR. Isn't she pretty?

Using social media wisely

Do you want to be that annoying Facebook or Twitter person? Or do you want people to truly admire you, respect you, think highly of you? If the latter, read the first part of this Chronicle of Higher Education blog post. I'm not sure I've seen it articulated so well.

First paragraph:

"I have two colleagues who are extraordinarily talented and highly visible. While both are recognized for their drive, intelligence, and expertise, people tend to find one of them charming and the other one annoying. What accounts for the difference? It’s really pretty simple. One promotes ideas, while the other promotes herself. One shares information and the other shares what can only be characterized as personal press releases. One celebrates the accomplishments of her colleagues, while the other thanks her colleagues for making her success possible."

So wise, Allison M. Vaillancourt!

My book is taking a nap

I’ve been working seriously on my memoir (on and off) for about six years. In that time, it’s been through many drafts. I completed Draft 5 in early 2010. I was happy with it, I got a few leads from agents and editors, but ultimately nothing came of it. So I put it to bed. It’s been napping ever since.

It’s been a long nap. The book was tired. It had been working awfully hard. Early in the morning, late at night. It got fussy. I got impatient.

But now, I can hear it stirring. It’s not a full-out wailing or crying, but I can tell it’s awake. It’s cooing and babbling to itself. It’s like the baby who’s content in the crib, playing with its feet, or hands batting the mobile.

I want to go to it. I want to see its face, to play with it. I’ve missed it. I’ve been productive while it napped, took care of what needed to be done around here.

But it’s so happily content that for now, I will leave it be. I know it’s awake, and it would welcome arms that would pick it up. But I will wait. I will wait until it squalls, its face burning red. I will wait until I cannot ignore it anymore. It will take some soothing, some love, but it will eventually quiet down and let me work with it.

My book was taking a nap, but now it’s awake.

1493

I heard part of Terry Gross' interview with Charles Mann on "Fresh Air" the other day. I learned so much in 15 minutes!

* No domesticated animals (including horses) lived in North America until Columbus and other Europeans arrived.
* Likewise, earthworms were nonexistent on this continent. I was pleased to find out that some forests in Minnesota are still free from earthworm damage and scientists are working hard to protect that habitat before it is irrevocably changed by earthworms.
* Europeans not only brought disease to this continent, but also wreaked environmental havoc.

I probably will get this book, hopefully soon.

Next on my reading list

I put Jess Goodell's SHADE IT BLACK on my wish list today. I heard her incredible interview with Terry Gross on June 21. Working the mortuary in Iraq. Wow.

A nice review of one of my books

Here's a nice review of my upcoming kids' nonfiction book on Antarctica.

Six memoir recommendations by Dinty Moore

I love this idea--pick six memoirs that you think showcase the range of the genre. I'm inspired to create my own list! Stay tuned.

Dinty W. Moore on Memoir: HTML Giant

2011 New Delta Review nonfiction contest

I'm pleased to report that my two entries to the New Delta Review 2011 creative nonfiction contest were chosen as co-winners (blind judging by Eula Biss). Topics ranged from worms and dirt to Frida Kahlo and dead women.

The elusive creature

Tuesday, May 3, I spotted one of the most elusive creatures in these parts of late: a tractor. The incredibly chilly and wet weather has prevented farmers from getting into the fields.

On Monday, while out for a run, I finally noticed it: the silence. Usually spring runs and bike rides--as early as March and most definitely always April--mean sharing the countryside with the planting machines and the friendly farmers within who always are eager to give a wave. While running down the gravel road on Monday, I felt lonely and the missing tractors were the reason.

But clouds and rain gave way yesterday to clear skies and warmer temps. The tractors were in the fields during the day, and even when I came home after sunset there they were, headlights on, trying to make up for lost time.

(Out of nostalgia I chose the Allis Chalmers pic, though unfortunately a sighting of one of these is the rarest of all).

Guess who's writing a memoir (May 4 edition)

Ah, young Levi...

According to Publisher's Marketplace:

20-year-old Levi Johnston's DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS: My Life in Sarah Palin's Crosshairs, claiming to "tell the truth about my close relationship with the Palins, my sense of Sarah and my perplexing fall from grace -- how I feel and what I've learned," or what the publisher calls a "tale of a misunderstood boy figuring out how to be a man and a father after being thrust into the spotlight and subsequent media circus at a very young and vulnerable age," to Touchstone, for publication in fall 2011.

Steve Almond on memoir/fake memoir

I love Steve Almond's definition of memoir: It is a radically subjective account of events that objectively took place.

Anything else, he says (and quality nonfiction writers would agree), is fiction.

Entire post here.

Thanks to the fine folks at Brevity for passing this along.

Might I mention how much I love Steve Almond? He came to the Good Thunder Reading Series in Mankato a couple of years ago. I was teaching at a small private, conservative college at the time and offered my composition students extra credit for attending Almond's reading. Let's just say it was entirely engaging but quite "blue." My saintly conservative students were good sports! They learned a little more about the world that night!

Minnesota's literary rock stars

I had the pleasure of attending the Minnesota Book Awards on April 16. The emcee mentioned St. Paul ranks 7th and Minneapolis 3rd in the list of the country's most literate cities, making Minnesota the only state with two cities in the top 10. I have no doubts! Not sure what makes Minnesota so wonderfully literate--lots of theories out there about nothing to do during long, cold winters but sit inside and read and write. Works for me!

I love the Mankato contingent at the Book Awards--big this year as always! Not only writers/editors who currently live in the Mankato area, but lots of good representation of former Mankatoans (lots of MFA grads) now living and writing and teaching in other parts of the state.

Speaking of Minnesota State Mankato's MFA program, it got a major shout-out on the April 18 Huffington Post of the top-25 most underrated MFA programs. I am a proud MSU MFA program hanger-on, as I like to call myself. I've taken one class in the program but I mostly insert myself into the MFA society and pretend that I'm a candidate. I figure the atmosphere will rub off at some point.

Anyway, lots of award-winners I now must read, including VESTMENTS by John Reiminger and Lightsey Darst's poetry collection. Swati Avasthi's SPLIT did not win but I heard enough fantastic raves--including from Pete Hautmann, the actual winner--that I have to check it out, too.

I'm once again proud to be a writer and book lover in Minnesota.

Literary citizenship

I try to live by these principles, but never thought to define it.

The world needs more of "what can I do for the community?" rather than "what's in it for me?" This applies to everyone, writers included.

Thanks, Cathy Day!

Home & Garden Show tips

I braved the crazy crowds to attend the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show on March 5. I talked with a variety of vendors on a wide array of products. I had some great conversations, others not so great. I thought I would share a few tips from a customer's point of view.

I'm guessing that vendors spend A LOT of money to have a space at the Home & Garden Show. I would think for that kind of money, they would want to get some business. So act like you want my business:

* Have some brochures handy. I realize that printing can be expensive, but even a simple flyer would give me some information. I don't want to stand there and hear your spiel; I want to take information with me so I have some to refer to later.
* Give me some specifics. I could work at a solar energy booth and say, "Solar energy is better for the environment and more efficient." Duh! But how does it work? What do I need to do to my house to make it work? How much will it cost? What will be my savings? At least put someone in your booth who knows something.
* But don't give me too much information. Spare me the scientific, technical mumbo jumbo. I have no idea what you're talking about. Plain English, please.

Just my opinion :)

Bygone era

Card catalogs. Check-out cards in the back of books. Marginalia.

For some reason, there seem to be a lot of stories out there lately about the book world of the past. It's making me nostalgic :)

MY RUBY SLIPPERS

I had the pleasure of sitting next to Tracy Seeley one day at lunch at the Nonfiction Now! conference in Iowa City in November. I can't wait to read her memoir, MY RUBY SLIPPERS: THE ROAD BACK TO KANSAS, published by the University of Nebraska Press. Looks like something right up my alley: Midwestern, quiet, lyrical. Long live the quiet memoir, huzzah!

Follow Tracy on Twitter: @tracy_seeley

Excited about new book!

A YA novel featuring female cyclists? What a great idea! Love, love, love books that showcase strong girls. I've already read parts of CHASING ALLIE CAT (available in February) and I'm so impressed by the characters, the plot, and the mystery. Another reason why Minnesota should be so proud of its authors. And Becky Fjelland Davis (JAKE RILEY: IRREPARABLY DAMAGED) has given us another reason to read.