Office open house April 24

The Republic's office open house will be on the last Friday in April, 5-9 pm on the 24th. (Actually, I'll be in the office during the day, too, but that's when the party is.) NOTE: Contributors are especially invited to attend! I will be plying you with food and beverage, so come by and keep yer friendly neighborhood editor company!

Just so's you don't forget, this is at the NEW office, studio #2 at the Annex, 2922 Parks Highway, in front of Water Wagon. There's plenty of parking, and the door to the studios is on the right side of the building (the front door is the one to the gallery—also worth a look-see).

A possible bonfire of (really old) extra back issues may be in the works, depending on what the landlady says, so if you want issues from the first five years of the Republic's publication, get 'em now!

The Publisher's Picks 2009

Wowsa. That was one hell of a party. The bands were GREAT. There was enough food, and everyone seemed to have a good time. There were HUNDREDS of people. The Publisher's Picks went very rapidly, because only a few people were on hand to receive their awards, but here's the rundown:

• Satire: this award went to "Ester Thought Posse Report," to the Ester Thought Posse Company, Dr. Bhagat, Deepa Bhagat, and Soo Ichy, who were foiled in their attempts to make Ester a clean-thinking environment.

• Review: runner-up in this category went to Gabriel Hill, for "Hot Off the Griddle", a review of the Easton Stagger Philips CD, One for the Ditch. Gabe, after listening to the album, believes the world is gonna be alright.

The Publisher's Pick for Review went to David A. James for his review, "Shwing!” of the book, A Mind of Its Own: A Cultural History of the Penis. He figured it was time to review a book about dicks, and said so.

• Letter to the Editor: this was a tie between two letters by the same author, Eric Forrer, an observer of human endeavor, for “Six-Pack Punctuation” & "Stupid Watery Ideas", on the value of substance and eduction in politics and the folly of water sports, respectively.

There was a dishonorable mention in this category again this year, for “Trying for Another Dishonorable Mention”, a short insult-filled diatribe railing against the paper, by W.J. Stringer, subscriber (also known as His Very Fine Excellency, William the First, Emperor), whose post in government has gone to his head.

• Poesy: this was awarded for “Before the Riot,” a free-verse poem by Shanna Karella, who longs for spring.

• Travel Writing: went to “Ticolandia,” about a journey to Costa Rica, by Dan Darrow, whose house is full of monkeys.

• Wildlife Photograph: this was awarded for “the Bear-tender,” a cover photo taken by CP McRoy, Intrepid Wildlife Photographer, who kept safely on the other side of the window.

• Portrait: this was awarded for “Joe Geiss, EHL player,” a cover photo capturing the essence of Interior masculinity in the wintertime, taken by Monique Musick, another intrepid photographer.

• Sports Writing: this went to “Fairbanks Spring Hysteria,”, a story on the origins of the Great Tanana Raft Classic, written by Admiral Merritt Helfferich and Commodore George Cresswell, instigators of inspired lunacy.

• Cartoon: this, as always, was a tough category. The first runner-up was for “Bail-Out,” an editorial cartoon by Jamie Smith, economic prognosticator.

The Publisher's Pick in this category was "Tom DeLong: Party Crasher,” an editorial cartoon by Dan Darrow, who was rooting for the underdog.

• Column: this award was given for “Dose of Reality,” a journey through the Byzantine world of medical finance, by Neil Davis, who is slogging through the morass for the rest of us.

• Most Delicious: this went to “Greek New Year,” recipes by Mary Wagner, who watches Dr. Zhivago every New Year's Eve.

• Most Independent: this was awarded for the article, “In Defense of the Lunatics,” on winter bicycling, by Mary Wagner,
an all-weather bike commuter.

• Most republican (note the lower-case "r"): this Publisher's Pick was awarded for “The Long View,” a column on the history of Alaska by Ross Coen, who, by reminding us of where we've been, helps us keep an eye on where we're going.

• Esteroidia: this is awarded for an item illustrating or exemplary of life in the People's Republic of Ester. This year, the Pick was “The Center of the Universe,” a letter to the editor on the geography of Ester by Average John Reeves, subscriber.

and last but not least,

• the Mike Kelly Award, presented to those who provide a much-needed civics lesson, science education, or sex advice (or all of the above): this went to “Live Free or Die,” a column by irregulars Hannah Hill & Kate Billington, who kept Lady Liberty's torch lit in dark and troubled times.

Most Inspired Snark of the Alaska Blogosphere (politics category)

And the winner of the Republic's Most Inspired Blog Snark Award is Cabin Dweller, of Fiery Blazing Handbasket, for her post, Lesson One of An Alaska Political Primer.

Worth reading more than once. Cabin Dweller, your brilliance is evident. I tip my hat to you.

So somehow a week went by

Without a single post from me! Well, five days, actually. Life has been busy: playing ukelele at the Eagle with the Crusty Olde Minstrels (sorta--one of 'em, anyway); doing the royalty calculations and payments and statements for my book authors (glad that's out of the way!); a library meeting; data entry and final finishing on the Republic (now out on the newsstands!); updates to miscellaneous websites (rather slow and still ongoing); regular work (which has been nutso). Et cetera.

I was feeling cruddy on Saturday, so I missed the Ester bus line meeting. I haven't found anyone yet who went, but I will report on it as soon as I find out what happened.

At the library meeting on Sunday, we had pitiful attendance (only 5 of us), but we fixed the date for the 5th Annual John Trigg Ester Library Lallapalooza & Book Bash: Sunday, March 1, 1 to 6:30 pm at the Annex. We hashed out a new and improved mission statement and goals for the library (with one objective to fulfill those goals: get the building built!), which I'll be sending out to the library membership this evening. (Don't have it with me or I'd post it here.)

Dialup!

Finally, I have an internet connection. After downloading about eleventy-eleven messages this morning, I had to leave for work before they were all done. But at least I am able to get them without stopping in at an internet café somewhere! This means, dear readers, that at long last I will be able to upload the website again and GET CURRENT! Whoooheee!

Of course, it'll take about six hours to upload, but hey, that's why I'm on the waiting list for DSL.

books galore

Lessee: Jorgy advance copies are in (and out to reviewers), Jamie Smith's release party was last night (and a good time, too!) and his signings at Gulliver's are Friday (5 to 8) and Saturday (noon to 5). I'm sending books out just as fast as I can.

whew!

Down in Anchorage

Kate, Hans, and I are here in the 26th Street Hostel (a NICE little hostel), about to head out to eat breakfast and head back north. We've been here for one night, for the Alaska Press Club awards banquet. I didn't see too many people I recognized from before; Steve Heimel, Casey Groves (actually didn't recognize him until he introduced himself), Marmian Grimes, a few others. I met the infamous Ishmael Melville in person, which was cool, but we didn't do any guerilla blogging, as we'd hoped. It was a good big crowd, too, and Leonard Pitts was a very good speaker. Peter Dunlap-Shohl (sp) was the recipient of the First AMendment Award; his cartoons were all over. When he spoke, he sounded just like certain other cartoonists I know.

But enough of the chatter: we won prizes!

Editorial cartoon, all papers: 2nd place, to Jamie Smith for "Surge."

Arts photo, small papers: 3rd place, to Monique Musick, for her Junior Joey photo that graced the cover of last April's issue.

Congratulations, o journalists!

Jamie Smith's books are IN!

Yup, finally, they are here! Apparently, the pallets had been here for a week but they couldn't get a hold of me because they had the (very old) wrong phone number. But eventually, the shipper and I caught up with each other, and they delivered them to the Golden Eagle parking lot, where we schlepped them into the back of the car and lickety-split delivered 300-odd books to Gulliver's. Then we went back home and stashed most of the rest in Hans' toolshed and in the Republic office, and then went down to the Eagle to celebrate.

The books look beeyootiful! Jamie and Diane met up with us there and we had a sort of mini-signing, sold a few copies, and ate hamburgers.

This morning I dropped off the ones that the UAF Bookstore had ordered. Now we get to prepare for the trip to Anchorage and the signing(s) next week!

Whew.

Forthcoming DSL

Well, I've finally knuckled under and admitted defeat: I called ACS yesterday to get high-speed DSL added to my phone line. Sigh. Eighty-five bucks a month when bundled with regular service. The T-1 connection I had at the old office was SO nice. Everybody in Europe has T-1 connections as standard, basically because their taxes went to installing fiber optic cable about fifteen years ago or so. Maybe longer. See, that's what taxes SHOULD go for, not stupid-ass wars and torture camps. But that's another rant (stay tuned for a post on THAT delightful subject, kiddies).

So, the Republic website will finally get updated in about two weeks. I hope.

Website delay

Although the paper has been out for several days, the Republic's website is still back in February. This is because I don't have internet access at my new office, so I can't upload the new pages and probably won't be able to for some time. So, for those of you who are curious, here's what is in the new issue:

• a cool cover photo of bubbles trapped in ice, by Doug Yates
• "Bobblehead Leadership at our Swell University," an opinion piece by Richard Seifert
• "An Alternative Thought," an editorial by yours truly, on media consolidation, alternative newspapers and 'zines, and the copyleft movement
• a cartoon by Jamie Smith on the Obama campaign
• miscellaneous letters to the editor from an emperor and a few of the rabble-rousers around here
• a cartoon by Dan Darrow on Tom DeLong and GVEA
• a cartoon by Jolene Schafer-Howell on walrus and ice
• a cartoon by Jeanne Mars Armstrong on teacher conferences
• a book review by David A. James on Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR
• library news update (lallapalooza coming up soon!)
• the Publisher's Picks
• an outsourced Thought Posse Report
• poems by Shanna Karella, Sarah Sarai, Gregory Shipman, and Frank Keim
• "How I See It," by jean lester
• part 2 in the self-reliance series by Phil Loring, "The Farmer-Pirate and Other Cautionary Tales"
• an error correction from the Yes Men
• "Iron Prices, Inflation, and Mining Consolidation," by Stephen Hannaford
• "Singletrack Trails Proposal for Ester Dome," by Geoff Orth and Joel Buth
• The Long View by Ross Coen, "Fire and Skiing at the Lodge"
• "The Emma Creek West Fiasco," an opinion by Hans Mölders on the borough/Ester meeting at the fire hall on March 12
• "The Missionary Position on Lyrics," by Neal Matson
• "Women's Day--Iraq: Surviving Somehow Behind a Concrete Purdah," by Dahr Jamail
• "Dose of Reality: Alaska Health Care Lobbying" by Neil Davis
• "A Conspiracy of Ravens," by Richard Seifert
• a cool photo of Dave Hyland on his mom's old Polaris snowmachine

Available for sale at a coffeeshop near you! or at least, one in College. I'm working on finding one nearer downtown.

The Republic is not a newsletter

It is mildly annoying to me when people refer to The Ester Republic as a "newsletter." It's bugged me for years, although I've never sat down and thought about exactly why it is so irritating. It strikes me as a devaluing of the paper, somehow. A newsletter, according to Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (not so new anymore) is

n. (ca 1903) a printed sheet, pamphlet, or small newspaper containing news or information of interest chiefly to a special group.

Well, that's a pretty accurate description of the Republic, except that the content actually appeals to a fairly broad group, and doesn't get out except to a small group. Even so, it rankles.

Newsletters are little quickie jobs, with, usually, not the best writing or graphic quality. They often don't have the greatest design. Their audience is usually VERY specific, such as a particular company, or a club or organization. I distinguish them from 'zines, which often have an avante-garde, revolutionary, artistic quality to them, and are quite often irregular. Newsletters have a fine and rumpus-filled history of their own, but still! The Republic's writing, photography, and cartooning is of a fine quality, and the print reproduction is good.

I know I'm being a bit of a snob, here--the Republic is not quite to magazine standard, and elements of its design are rather newsletterish, as opposed to newspapery or magazine-slick. But I'd like to think that it's a step up from a newsletter or a pamphlet. At least a couple of steps up, really.

Harrumph.

Moved, sort of

Well, after much lifting and hauling and shoving and tossing and grunting and straining, the gadzillion piles of papers and books have been thrown into boxes and transported to what used to be our new (unfinished)bedroom/studio/junk collection spot. Monique Musick, Raz, and Mayor Hannah, along with Wayward Truck Collector Scott Allen and Noble Spousal Unit Hans, and myself, did some seriously heavy lifting and got everything into the New Office and Shipping Room in our house. Whew. I managed to create a nifty little office with desk and computer (no Internet access, though--I'm writing this from the local cybersaloon) and a shipping table and storage for books, papers, and packing materials. There's actually still leftover room for a studio/sitting area.

It's still full of boxes and piles of art papers and curious cats all over the place (they REALLY like it that I'm hanging out in the house all day), but I'm sorting and chucking leftover crap and filing and whatnot, so the space is getting more manageable. I was actually able to work today, filling orders and entering data and (gack) paying bills. The Ponzi scheme I've been running (otherwise known as yer normal publishing biz) is catching up with me. Thank god some of my debtors are paying up. I sent off the rest of the money owed on Nuggets, plus the check for the March Republic. It's just amazing how fast the money flies out. But I do have a few cool books coming in to show for my effort.

Today Jorgy and Jean Lester and I had lunch and went over our contract, and a whole passel of folks stopped by our table to say hi. It was great. One of them, a Mr. Hupprich, was carrying around a copy of Like A Tree to the Soil, and he was able to identify the kids in the Potato Club photo from 1937 (he was one of them). I was delighted to be able to point to the book and say, "I did that, I designed it." And took it from manuscript to book. Made me feel pleased and proud, like I'd done something that meant something to people, that was worthwhile.

I just LOVE things like that.

A Publisher's Work is Never Done

…at least, not until she goes out of business.

The Jorgy book is now at DateLine, being printed up into galleys for sending out to those reviewers who don't want to mess around with books. It's going to be 280 pages, including an index, glossary, and about ten appendices. There's still a bit more info needed for one appendix, specifics on types of planes, but I should have that this weekend. The goal is to get it out to the printer on Monday. Har har.

This is the last of the four books planned for this year. I will be SO glad when they're all done and paid for.

The Republic is now the item on the slate: I've got to get this puppy done by Monday night.

And then there's the Mired Loon Splash: a presentation and book release party to be held for Neil's book on the 18th of March, 5:30 to 7:30 at the Blue Loon. Mike Powers (executive director of the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital), Richard Seifert (hospital foundation board of trustees member, and Neil Davis, author of Mired in the Health Care Morass will be speaking at the event.

After that comes everybody's favorite lasagne feed and book bash: the library lallapalooza number 4: March 30! I have to update the website(s), find out what's up with the library plans, do some press releases, etc.

Then comes the Alaska Press Club conference, April 19-21. A whole caravan of Ester Republicans plan to attend this year. (Watch this be the year we don't get any awards, frets the worrywart publisher.) Then we must drive back posthaste, because--

Jamie's books are scheduled for release on Earth Day, April 22. No April Fool's event, alas, but still a BIG party at Silver Gulch.

Jorgy is scheduled for release on May 1, just before the Alaska Airmen's Conference down in Anchorage. Next up is the May Day Fly-In and Airshow in Valdez, May 9-11. The weekend after that is a tentatively scheduled book signing at Gulliver's, with one after that at Barnes & Noble (no date yet).

So things are going to be pretty hectic for the next two months.

And they're off!

to the printer, that is. Nuggets and It's Gonna Be A Long Winter are finally, finally gone away to the printer. So on Monday or Tuesday, they'll let me know how things look, and soon books should be in hand for all you patient people who've helped me out on this. Be prepared for a giant bash at Silver Gulch Restaurant & Brewery in celebration! Jamie's got an art show and signing lined up at Gulliver's, and will be Artist of the Month in, I think, March, at the Bear Gallery. The Fairbanks Arts Association website isn't working right, so I'm not sure of this.

But I'll keep you all posted! (all three or four of my loyal readers...)

Number Nine

Drumroll, please:

Announcing the Ester Republic's B-9 Bash! Yes, it's the annual birthday celebration for your local rag, which has now achieved the heady age of 9 years and 1 month! Please come to this raucous event, and hear the Publisher embarrass the Contributors in front of the guests when she presents the Publisher's Picks awards. Bring your friends, your kids and family, and be prepared to hear lots of '70s music, including, of course, the Beatles' Revolution No. 9 (also the shoopy-doo version of this song, and maybe Nina Simone's rendition, too...). Food and drink are provided, but feel free to bring more if you want.

Here's some pictures from early bashes; photographers are encouraged to take lots of snaps and send them to the publisher!

The details:

February 23, Saturday
6 to 9 pm (or 'til midnight, whichever comes first)
the Annex, 2922 Parks Highway (near Water Wagon and the Blue Loon)
Awards presented at 7 pm (should be done by 7:30ish)

Book guts to the printer

Stayed up last night until 12:30ish, and sent Nuggets and Long Winter off to the printer! Still gotta send the covers, though.

The check is in the mail

For those of you who've been waiting FOREVER for Jamie Smith's new books, take heart! I just mailed the check to the printer today, and will be sending them the files tonight. We have a tentative release date of April Fool's Day, but that's not firm yet; we'll need to see what the printer's schedule is. These two books took me a lot longer than I anticipated; I can't wait for the release party!

Rough draft for Jorgy cover

Progress! here's the rough draft of the full cover of jean lester's book: back, spine, front.

Project Status Report and a few miscellaneous musings

For those of you interested in publishery doings, here's a little status report on the various book etc. projects:

Like a Tree to the Soil: paperback published, book signing accomplished, now working on the hardback!

Haines CD: I received the final list of readings and now need to make the final adjustments to the layout, then send it to Pat Fitzgerald and Susan Todd for checking. I'm looking forward to hearing this--I've never heard John Haines read his work.

Jamie Smith cartoon collections: I'll be sending out the revised RFQ to the printer this week (probably tonight); have to get a signature loan to cover the print cost, etc. I've got one galley each and now just need the sell sheets to send to potential distributors. Jamie came over yesterday and showed me oodles of cool posters he's done. He just gets better and better. Gangly Moose has been the recipient of much of his talent.

Mired in the Health Care Morass: blog in full swing (author on vacation for the nonce), advances received and going out to reviewers, main shipment expected before the end of the month, working on the sell sheet, and expecting the brochures next week. Gulliver's has scheduled a book signing for February 28, although in part that will depend on whether the books get here in time. Might be one week later.

Jorgy: This one's in layout, a slow slog. I'm still working on the graphics, as is Jean Lester, and the design, although pleasing, is a bit complicated, and so it's going slowly--and I hope to god there's no major layout changes, as I'll have to redo substantial portions of the book if so. I'm almost at the point where I have a page count and so can give the printer a final request for quote--and then a price! It's a very interesting history both of Alaska from the 1920s through the end of the century, and a personal tale of aviation in Alaska as experienced by a damn good Native pilot who flew with Northern Air Cargo, Wien, Munz, and a ton of other little airlines and air cargo services. I love books like this: I learn a lot of Alaska history. Jorgensen talks about segregation in Nome, hunting and trapping and mining in Haycock, flying the DEW line, mail runs, tricky airports, the kinds of planes he flew, being in the Alaska Territorial Guard and the Alaska Scouts, lots of interesting stuff. There's a bunch of nifty pictures, too.

Ann Chandonnet's poetry manuscript: I just received this, although Ann and I have been discussing it for a while. I'll be looking it over to make sure it's something that will fit the ERP.

Frank Keim's poetry manuscript: Frank and I are still discussing this, and we'll be meeting soon.

I have a few other manuscripts in the works, too, mostly concerned with local history.

And of course, that mainstay of my publishing career, the Republic (v. 10 n. 2, issue #107, Feb. 2008) is in the works as always. I've got a ton of submissions, mostly from men this month, not very many Esteroids. I still need a movie reviewer.

Did I want to sleep? I didn't want to sleep. I've had plenty of dreams and snoring in my youth, lots o' nap time. I can do this for a while. Sure.

Silver City Daily Press & Independent

Tonight was our last night of vacation. Tomorrow is a grueling day of long-distance transportation: driving to Tucson, flying to Seattle and then to Fairbanks. So we went down to Silver City and strolled around Bullard again for a while, whiling away an hour or two before we met April and Dad at Jalisco's for dinner. We went a couple of blocks uphill, admiring the bright colors and painted walls, passing a giant red-toenailed blue foot, peering through windows, getting goodies at a great Mexican/Southwest kitsch shop (but only the best quality kitsch!), and ending up at the Silver City Daily Press & Independent, Silver City's local paper.

Unfortunately, they were closed. Fortunately, Ernie the janitor was heading in to fetch something, and we asked if we could visit. So he gave us a brief tour of the print shop: a great green 8-unit NewsKing web press, with the end of the day's run still in the machine, a giant vat of ink, a big old typesetting machine wrapped in a blue tarp (I think he called it a Type-O-Set), the huge rolls of newsprint, the smell of ink in the big room...it was great. He gave us one of the day's old papers, and I promised to send the paper a copy of the Republic.

It's too bad we didn't get there while they were open; it would have been fun to meet the editor or see the machines in action, but alas, we were too late. The paper itself is an interesting little 8-pager, with a certain style to its writing that I enjoyed. The issue we have is volume 108, number 176. Seeing as today is only the 23rd day of the year, they must commence volumes with the date of first issue, or something like that. I would have liked to know something more about its history; a paper's gotta be tough to last 108 years. Here's what they say about themselves on their website:

Seventy years ago, the popular Silver City Independent ceased to exist, yet it survives today in thepages of the Silver City Daily Press. The Silver City Daily Press was born June 25, 1935, when the Independent — our weekly predecessor — determined it was time to grow — along with Grant County, its people and its advertisers.

The paper goes on to describe its various predecessors, from the Mining Life in 1873 to the Silver City Independent in 1896.

Pretty cool.