Last Thursday, as I sat at my desk at Storyknife, I heard a magnificent cacophony of sandhill cranes flying overhead. Maura, Storyknife’s chef, and I rushed out to watch hundreds of cranes start their yearly southward migration over Storyknife. And then we noticed that the writers were outside as well, faces tilted to the sky, laughing at the sheer spectacle of all those cranes. All I could think was I can’t wait to see those cranes in the writing that will come from this.
Because that’s the way it is at Storyknife, every part of the experience informs the writers here. Here’s how Keetje Kuipers, April 2023 writer in residence put it, “Gazing out the window of my Storyknife cabin, I felt not just a clarity of scenery—the glowing blue sky, the sharp peaks across the inlet—but a clarity of purpose. In such a setting where everything you need as both an artist and a human is provided, it is possible to be single-minded in the best sense. I wrote and revised more in those days of residence than I have been able to in the last year. My book is closer to being complete, and I am closer to understanding how to finish it.”
The Storyknife experience is transformative. To the forty-six people who answered the call to donate last week, you gave the women writers of Storyknife almost $10,000, putting us one-fifth of the way toward the challenge grant goal – Thank You!!! When we reach our $50,000 goal, your gifts will be doubled.
And speaking of gifts, Tuesday, September 19, at 7pm Alaska Time, you can listen to some of this month’s incredible writers in residence read from their work. Live from Storyknife, an event co-sponsored by 49 Writers, will be available via Zoom on this page. And if you miss it, or want to see any of the previous months’ amazing writers, check out the recorded events here.
Thank you for being part of the Storyknife family legacy.
Sincerely,
Erin Hollowell
Executive Director
If you prefer to donate via check, please make one out to Storyknife Writers Retreat and send to PO Box 75, Homer, AK 99603. Thank you!
Storyknife Writers Retreat 