I live and write on Lingít Aaní, and gratefully acknowledge the past, present and future caretakers of this beautiful place, the Jilkaat Kwaan and Jilkoot Kwaan.

 I have been a little stuck lately on my new book. (Okay, I’ve threatened to give the advance back and apply for a job at the pre-school.) No, this in not writer’s block. I don’t believe in that. It has more to do with the topic– life lessons, or some stuff I know that you might find helpful. This is only a problem  if you are  pretty sure that you don’t know anything anyone else would find enlightening, inspiring, or even a little funny. (I know, excuses excuses. The sun was in my eyes, my shoelace was untied, the ball hit a rock and took a bad bounce.) No one wants to hear woe is me, when actually everything but the book writing is going pretty darn well. A darling new grandbaby. Her charming cousin is now a talking toddler. My husband does the dishes. The puppy is housebroken. The kids are healthy. The house is so warm I have to open the door in the afternoon. Spring is coming, I swear it is. Anyway, enough wallowing already. My husband does not need to be in the mood to sell 2X4s. Everyday he goes off to the lumberyard and stays until closing time. Some days he’d rather not, but this is what responsible people do. We all play our part. He helps friends and neighbors build houses, remodel kitchens, or find the right roof for the woodshed. I write stories. Writing is a lot easier. He can’t  wear  his pajamas to work. So yesterday, when I was muttering about this all to my daughter Sarah– my quandry with the book, my fear, really, that no one would ever read that– she said to ask the loyal readers who “like” my  facebook page  what questions they would like me to answer, or what topics they’d like me to tackle. It makes sense. Chip doesn’t stand out in the parking lot waving plumbing parts and paint brushes, customers come in looking for them, and he and the crew do their best to find what they need. I figured I’d get two responses, or worse, someone would say how much fun being a pre-school teacher’s aide would be. Instead I have received dozens of  really good questions and topics for essays. I am now ready to join Episcopalians for Full Immersion Baptism. If it weren’t Lent I’d shout Allelulia. I know that  a lot of you aren’t facebookers, so if you’d like to weigh in on the structure or subject matter of the new book, please do, just use the contact form to send your question or topic. I’d really appreciate it. Now it’s time to get to work. Pearl is walked,  my boots are off, the coffee is hot, and I’m going to pretend I’m Dear Abby all day today– only with  a lot more room for my answers than a few column inches.