Audience1

100 audience members on board the Allen Marine whale watching tour included 15 Alaskan authors and 3 illustrators, of which Clarissa was one…

I was born nearly 60 years ago in Juneau and it’s only recently twice in less than two weeks I have been invited on a whale-watching cruise; both trips were something new to me since 1) we weren’t fishing? 2) we didn’t have a port destination, and 3) it didn’t cost me a penny.  And both trips were during the stretch of amazingly fine weather we had the entire month of May so it made whale watching all the more enjoyable!

AukeBayDock

Leaving the Auke Bay boat harbor on a fine early evening: 6pm. — The Mendenhall Glacier is at the base of the snowcapped mountains…

Every year in conjunction with Allen Marine, Hearthside Books hosts their “Alaskan Authors Whale Watching” tour/sail open to the public.  $59/person you receive all the appetizers you can eat and a chance to hang out with friends you hadn’t seen in awhile.

food

Lots of appetizers including salmon spread on croissants, fresh fruits and veggies, chocolate eclairs, etc.

Even though Nobu Koch and I are not authors, we were invited guests because we are the co-illustrator’s of Hannah Lindoff’s children’s book “Mary’s Wild Winter Feast” recently published in the Fall 2014.  To order a copy of the book, and check out other blog posts about this book:  Click here to read about “Mary’s Wild Winter Feast.”

HannahLindoff

Hannah Lindoff, author of children’s book “Mary’s Wild Winter Feast” introduces her illustrators, Clarissa Rizal (left) and Nobu Koch

HeatherLende

Alaskan author Heather Lende, introduces her latest book “Find the Good”

Humpback1

Humpback whale

IshmaelHope

Ishmael Hope reads a requested poem from his book of poetry called “The Courtesans of Flounder Hill”

JeffBrown

Chief Editor Jeff Brown introduces his latest edition of “Real Alaskan Magazine” which he publishes annually on April 1st.

KimHeacox

Kim Heacox introduces his latest book “Rhythm of the Wild”

Alaskan Whale Watching Cruise - fluke

Alaskan Whale Watching Cruise – fluke

LindoffKochHope

Writer Hannah Lindoff, Illustrator Nobu Koch, writer/poet Ishmael Hope

LindoffKochRizal

Hannah Lindoff, Nobu Koch, Clarissa Rizal

MaryLouKing

Author Mary Lou King introduces her latest “90+ Short Walks Around Juneau”

Metcalfe&Ruddy

Authors Peter Metcalfe and Kathy Ruddy introduce “A Dangerous Idea”

SarahAsperSmith

Children’s book author Sarah Asper-Smith and her husband, illustrator Mitchell Watley introduce their book “I Would Tuck You In”

SeaLions

Sea lions cluster along a rock slab coastline of Admiralty Island

Stern

Many enjoyed the back deck in the second consecutive week of sunshine!

StuartArcherCohen

Last but not least, Juneau author Stuart Archer Cohen introduces his 4th novel “This Is How It Really Sounds”