A Journey Back to Alaska

That’s a Wrap! Alaska Book Tour ~ October 19–27, 2024

NOME ~ Oct 20

Stop 1
My book tour kicked off in Nome in the same building as the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum, a place I visited way back in 1984.

Read about it in Chapter 36, "Through the Burled Arch"

SHISHMAREF ~ Postponed

Stop 2
Alas, the weather across the Seward Peninsula Oct 21-23 prevented us from traveling to Shishmaref! We will try again another year. When the threat of storms is less frequent. The island got quite a thrashing by wind and waves.

JUNEAU ~ Oct 26

Stop 3
My book tour wrapped up in Juneau at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library, hosted by Hearthside Books.

It was so much fun to reconnect with old friends and make new ones!

Book Talk in Nome

Book Talk in Juneau, Alaska

Community lecture with map display

A Great Crowd of Friends

From Chapter 1, "The Surprise":
I shared how, prior to landing in Shishmaref, I didn't know it was on an island! (It was the pre-Internet era.)

Glass-walled room with seated audience.

Mendenhall Valley Library

A beautiful location in Mendenhall Valley! Staff members were incredibly gracious and helpful with setting up the space and technology.

Seniors attending an event indoors

Signing Books

Olga Lijo, owner of Hearthside Books, looks over my left shoulder as I sign books for friends, old and new. Olga stocked my book in two locations!

Man photographing ice in nature

Creative Photography

My brother, Todd Winslow Pierce, getting a close-up of a chunk of glacier ice that floated away at some point and then came to rest in the willows.

Silhouette by a tranquil lake at sunset

Contemplating Life

Todd took this photo of me looking out at Mendenhall Lake during a "moody" afternoon. The lake was so quiet, and the clouds were stunning!

Coastal labyrinth with ocean view

Shrine of St. Thérèse

We had time to sightsee, so we went "out the road" to experience this religious retreat center and walk the labyrinth. Fresh air, blue sky, and whales!

Highlights of the Trip

Radio station setup with on-air sign

Radio Interviews with KNOM (Nome) and KTOO (Juneau)

My Travel Companion and Brother, Todd Winslow Pierce

Todd is an amazing professional landscape and wildlife photographer based in our hometown of Vail, Colorado. Along with taking assignments and leading photo tours around the world, he’s also the founder of Conservation Photo Initiative, an innovative nonprofit that elevates other conservation organizations and efforts through the power of visual storytelling. Check out his websites for more information!"

www.toddwinslowpierce.com 
www.conservationphotoiniative.org

Photographer adjusting camera in nature

This is What It Takes to Get That Award-winning Photo!

Todd braves 30 mph winds in Nome to capture a washed up sled and ice chest (he didn't open it).

Here's Todd's Photo

Abandoned boat on a stormy beach

Mystical, Moody, Magical

When Todd takes photos, he lines up angles, light, color, movement. How many of those elements do you see in this image?

Commentary from the Safety and Warmth of Our Rental Car

East of Nome a couple of miles (October 21, 2024)

Take the Journey With Me

Revisit the people, places, and moments that made my Alaska book tour unforgettable.