On men and planes

I have many things I have to write. This does not include the next book, or the fun book project that is not the next book but a sensible diversion when stuck on the next book, or the short story which is following the other story that is done but needs tweaking. No, none of those things are what this is about as I have many things I have to write for MAP. The next few months are all in service to MAP and while I guerilla market appropriate publications with PR postcards (all of which have wicked cool Alaskany pics on one side and quotes & book info on the other), well, I also have to write many essays. So that's what I'm doing and here are the subjects I'm noodling with:

1. Nome - as in, Nome is dealing with a new gold rush while also having a unique aviation history and the location of the furthest north prison in the US. (We used to fly prisoners in there.) (I'm not making that up.)

2. "Testostereality" or Alaska as reality tv sees it as opposed to how I know it. (To include the information of a mid-air collision caused by a former co-worker who always believed he was a bigger man than anyone else but managed to kill himself and two innocent guys in the other aircraft in a totally preventable accident.)

3. The awkward and yet predictable phone conversations with the guys you wrote about in your book. I just had one last night, it started with "you made me sound like an asshole". The conversation before that (from another friend) was "you made me sound pathetic". In both cases they found the parts of the book not about them to be very affecting and true. I had to talk them through why I found the parts written about them to be true however. (For the record I don't think these guys are pathetic or assholes, and no one else has felt that way either.) (Still. Not easy conversations for sure.)

4. The search for an Alaskan aviation writer from decades ago. This person will remain unnamed because I want to be the one to write about them. I also won't be writing this until I get into the UAF archives this summer. (Here's hoping I find what I'm looking for.)

5. And I'm trying to find my way into writing about researching aviation in Alaska archives. It is such a major topic in the state and has sustained itself as such over the years. So so soooo many articles in newspapers, magazines and journals and so many of them about heroic pilots who gave their lives for the state. It's a fascinating peek at a fairly unique culture but I have to figure out to write this in a way that makes it relevant to folks anywhere. Still working on that, but not giving up.

So three nailed down for sure, one that requires research but will be very cool if I find what I need (the idea is firm) and one that is nebulous but has possibilities. Two are already in process - stalled on Nome needing some facts, but will get those this weekend, in the meantime have worked on another.

On a completely unrelated note, I have an essay mapped out on Kerouac and my family and what it means to be a French Canadian in America. But this has nothing to do with MAP so it languishes at the moment. It shall be lovely when it has its turn though, promise.