Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2002)
The Clackamas Print Campus authors celébrate publishing new books Feature Editor Two CCC employees have made strides in the publishing world this year. “That could be a* good headline for your article,” Jeff Davis said. “The accidental author. I didn’t start out to write this book.” Maybe not, Jeff. But since begin ning research four years ago, he had plenty of chances to back out of the project of writing his book. Return to Toonaklut: the Russell Annabel Story came out in June. The first 500 copies sold out within a month, sur- EUSABETH MEYER Clackamas Print Jeff Davis’s book Return to Toonaklut: the Russell Annabel Story has sold out its first printing. prising Safari Press into starting a second printing a year earlier thap' planned. The quick reaction to Davis’ book is also a delayed one. Both Davis’ printer and bookbinder folded last fall, leaving him to find new ones late in the game. Toonaklut is a biography of Russell Annabel, the man whom Ernest Hemingway called his favorite writer. His more than 600 stories of wild Alaska and its wilder human inhabitants appeared in out door magazines for decades. Annabel moved to Alaska in the 1920’s and befriended Tex Cobb, a legendary sourdough. During World War II, Annabel worked for United Press as their Aleutian correspondent, sending updates of the Japanese assault on the Alaskan island chain. He was with the first American troops in Japan. After the war, alcoholism led to family and legal problems, and he left Alaska for Mexico, where he eked out a living until his death. Davis recalls reading Annabel’s articles while growing up in the Midwest. When he moved to Alaska with the Air Force in 1983, he recog nized places from Annabel’s stories during hunting and fishing excur sions. “I used to drive the highway between Anchorage and Fairbanks a lot," Davis said, “and I would see this sign for Goose Creek. I won dered if it was the same one Annabel wrote about.” He eventually found Annabel’s homestead, called Toonaklut, when he explored the area. Much of Davis’ information about Annabel comes from the per sonal files of a retired Anchorage newspaper editor. “We cut a deal that I would do the research and he would write,” Davis said. When dementia kept the older man from his part, Davis took over the job of writing as well. Davis’ sources also include Alaskan public records, and the national archives in Anchorage. He spent a week with one of Annabel’s three wives, Dell; found Annabel’s children in Mexico and interviewed local Alaskans, many of whom knew Annabel’s mentor and story charac ter Tex Cobb, better than they knew the author. Copies of Return to Toonaklut: the Russell Annabel Story cost $35 plus shipping from Safari Press, and Davis is selling them for $35 out of his office. The books should also be available in the bookstore soon, Davis said. Whether or not Davis planned to write Return to Toonaklut, he seems to have gotten into the habit. His research hobby has turned to finding Lewis and Clark’s Columbia Gorge campsites and learning more about World War II in the Aleutian Islands, both of which may become books later. English instructor Jim Grabill is waiting for publication of two new collections of his work. Lost Horse Press will release a compilation of essays titled Actual Energy, next fall, and Lynx House Press will release a combination of poems and essays in spring 2004. “(A year) is actually a pretty good turn-around time,” Grabill said. “Publishers accept manuscripts ahead and print them later.” Qrabill heard that he’d been accepted at the beginning of October and has now begun the process of putting the poems and essays in a cohesive order. This is one of the final touches to the manuscript, Grabill explained, but there’s still plenty of work to do before the book shows up. He still has to read through proofs before the manuscript goes to press. After taking a look at the first copies, his publisher Lynx House will publicize the book and begin printing in earnest. Grabill will then promote the book by giving readings around the Northwest. Changing the order of the poems and essays can foster a sense that the poems fit together and belong in the same book, Grabill said. “These are poems I’ve been working on for quite a while. Some go back 10 years,” Grabill said. “A collection of poems always comes from a bigger batch.” Over time, Grabill explained, “the poems constellate into different works... (they) create more of a con text with each other. They relate to one another and build on one anoth er.” ELISABETH MEYER Clackamas Print Jim Crabill has two new collections of poetry and essays coming out next year. Grabill claims we won’t lose him to early retirement where profit from book sales are concerned. Though he estimates the book will pay for its own printing, Lynx House won’t make money off the publication. Small presses such as Lynx House rely on grants and donations to stay afloat financially, he said. • Copies of ActuaLEnergy and will be available in the college bookstore, the college library and at a few book stores. Grabill plans to give a few readings around town. In December, The Oregonian will feature one of Grabill’s poems in a story about the environmentally- focused literary magazine Windfall. Oregon City's Everhart House opens as Internet Cafe Feature Editor Through ongoing construction, Mark and Anna Matheson are turn ing their home into the Everhart house, an Internet café with cross demographic appeal. The 86-year old house opened for business in August, on Molalla Avenue in Oregon City. The café offers convenience and services not usually associated with public library or school computer use. Besides serving more studious purposes, the computers and their dedicated DSL line can be used for chatting, downloading music files and burning CDs. Fax machine and flatbed scanners are also available. “We’re hoping that it serves the local community,” Mark Matheson said. “Not everybody can afford computers, and most people don’t need a computer long.” The house’s six computers use Sun Microsystems’ Sunray system and a server downstairs instead of traditional CPUs. A user’s “smart card” completes the system’s circuit, bringing up the screen last viewed by the user. “It’s not state-of-the-art,” Matheson said of the system, “but it’s proven technology.” Not having a CPU with each computer means files on a floppy disk have to be e-mailed to the Matheson's before they’re accessible on the house-computers. And since corrupted files can’t simply be added to a computer’s hard drive by a per sonal disk, users don’t have to worry about other users’ viruses. The café serves Longbottom cof fee. And instead of letting guests choose from catered sandwiches kept on hand, the Mathesons have decid ed to arm hungry surfers with take out menus from local restaurants, phone the order in, and pick up the food for them. The intersection of restaurant and computer lab make the Everhart house Oregon City’s most versatile new locale. “One gal is using this place as a neutral for her home business,” Matheson said. Meeting customers at the café eliminates apprehensions about going to a stranger’s home, and places both parties on a more equal footing. Another user takes advantage of the Internet and fax machine to find jobs advertised online and send resumes. “Oregon City needs something like this,” said Shaun Morgan, one of two locals who dropped in during my interview to get some details about the café. He dislikes going “all the way down McLoughlin,” to have somewhere to hang out. “There’s not much in Oregon City,” Morgan said. “It’s a pretty good idea.” Although the head count of the house’s members is only around 12, the Matheson’s aren’t concerned about the future. “It’s just a matter of getting popular, and of people coming here to hang out,” Matheson said. Hours:J^o^Thurs_7am26¿30pm Fri-7am-2pm Sat-8:30-10:30pm $0.50 B iscotti w/ any S tarbucks ELISABETH MEYER Clackamas Print The Everhart House Internet Cafe, located on Molalla Avenue, is a welcome addition to the Oregon City scene. Parking is available at nearby Grocery Outlet. purchase I I I I I I I I I I I 50% off F resh P astries or hot SOUP ( after 5 pm )
