Tricia Brown Books

A new book for Iditarod 2010!

The Lance Mackey Story:

How My Obsession with Dog Mushing Saved My Life

By Lance Mackey; Foreword by Joe Runyan; Edited by Tricia Brown

ISBN 978-0-615-34423-2

 This is the seventh mushing book I’ve edited, and what an inspiration it is to work with these great mushers!

Lance Mackey made mushing history in 2007 when he won both the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest, and then just a few weeks later, ran and won the 1,100-mile Iditarod. Back-to-back wins in the same year?! Everybody thought it was impossible. But he proved himself again in 2008, and then neatly won the Iditarod AGAIN in 2009. Lance shares the story of the rocky road that led him to championship-level racing with his superstar leaders–Larry, Zorro, Lippy, Hobo Jim, and Maple.

Mackey’s race record is amazing in itself. But consider this: he made history in mushing AFTER emerging from addiction, and AFTER surviving cancer, taking on the trail while hampered by aftereffects of neck surgery and intense radiation. Think of this guy as the “other” Lance–a super athlete and incredible animal trainer who’s in love with every one of the 60 to 70 dogs in his kennel. And that’s why they’re in still top shape they pull him over the finish line in first place. You’re gonna love this book.

An update: In 2016, filmmakers released a 1 hour, 20 minute documentary that has claimed awards in film festivals all around the world.

Lance’s story on DVD is available through Amazon. Just click HERE.

Sadly, Lance’s battle with cancer ended in 2022 at age 52. Read the full account and tribute to the great musher published by ESPN HERE.

The Itchy Little Musk Ox is on the program at Missouri State University’s Literacy Awareness event, coming up October 4-8 at West Plains.

I’m so excited to hear about a university that’s involved with its community in this dynamic way. MSU and corporate sponsors CenturyTel and Caterpillar helped make this year’s visit possible, so a big thanks to them.

Each year, as many as 4,500 local students get to hear presentations by children’s book authors. I’m speaking during the first two days of the event, on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 5-6, at the Civic Center. My groups of students are all Pre-K to 3rd-graders (favorites!), and they’ll be coming from the following area schools: Howell Valley, Koshonong, Dora, Bakersfield, Gatewood, Couch, Birchtree, Thayer, Southfork, Winona, Mt. View, Glenwood, Junction Hill, Fairview, WS Elementary, and Headstart.

It’ll be fun to talk about Alaska and read from Alaskan Night Before Christmas (in October!), Groucho’s Eyebrows, and of course, The Itchy Little Musk Ox. Can’t wait to meet you kids! See you soon!

It took a while for this birth, but finally Silent Storytellers of Totem Bight State Historical Park has arrived.

I really enjoyed working with the publisher, Alaska Geographic Association, to create a book on the totem poles and clan house at Totem Bight State Historical Park near Ketchikan.

But this is more than just an interpretive guide to the park. We’ve included history on the CCC project that employed Alaska Native carvers and their trainees during the Great Depression.

There’s also more on the symbology and cultural importance of the figures, the various kinds of totem poles, and brief profiles of today’s master carvers who have profound ties to the carvers of old.

The manuscript was thoroughly vetted by Alaska Native elders as well as those interpretive folks on the front lines of the Historical Park.

Check it out–I hope you enjoy the read!

Spending a few days in Fairbanks at Solstice, I have to admit sleep deprivation is a problem. Last I checked, the sun was rising at 2:58 a.m., and didn’t set until 12:47 a.m. Did you catch that? That’s barely three hours of “darkness.” But it’s amazing how much more energy you have during those long days. I got sleepy, but I wasn’t really tired-tired.

I had an enjoyable time at the Alaska Book Festival, both as a participant and as fan of many speakers there. I was invited to join a publishing panel, and I also read The Itchy Little Musk Ox and Alaskan Night Before Christmas (just made it a “Christmas in June” event!) And later, Robert Hannon of KUAC radio conducted an interview ith me.

One of my great surprises happened during a tour of the Large Animal Research Station at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I met a traveling couple who asked me to sign a copy of my musk ox book. We were talking about their drive up from the Lower 48, and I mentioned my driving guide to the highway, The World-Famous Alaska Highway. It turns out that they had a marked-up, dog-eared copy in their rig–it was the book they were using to navigate during their vacation. Small world, eh?

If you’ve ever used my driving guide, or if you’ve got it on the dash this year, I’d love to hear about your adventures, too . . . maybe I’ll even quote you in the next edition. Happy travels.

And then there’s February in Alaska:

Here’s your invitation the the Kankakee Public Library’s Author Fair!

What’s up? I’m going to be reading The Itchy Little Musk Ox to fairgoers and their favorite kids. A musk ox craft is going to follow, so all little artists are invited. There’s a full schedule, and I’ll be reading at 10 a.m. Afterward I’ll sign this and other books at my table, so do drop by! 

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 18, 2009 (I’ll be reading and leading the craft from 10-10:30 a.m.)

Where: Kankakee Public Library, 201 E. Merchant Street, Kankakee, Illinois; phone 815-929-4564. The fair will be held in the fourth-floor auditorium. Many authors to meet, and lots of workshops for adults as well as children.

FUN FACTOID: When musk oxen are in danger, the males stand shoulder-to-shoulder, putting the females and young behind them for protection. Learn more about this fascinating Arctic animal during my talk at the Kankakee Public Library’s Author Fair.

I had to write an Iditarod update, especially for you students at Otto H.H. Petersen School in Scappoose, Oregon, who seemed to catch the dog-mushing bug when I was there visiting earlier this month.

Guess what, kids? Remember how I told you to keep an eye on Lance Mackey? Well, he did it again . . . win number three, and without using any clever tricks on his sleep-deprived opponents. He just blasted down the trail and won that race. So, congratulations, Lance!

And thanks Principal Kelly Powell and you 4th- through 6th-graders at Petersen School. It was a full day and I loved meeting all of you.  Check out www.iditarod.com to see the results and running times for the 2009 race.

As we enter the Christmas season, we’re getting busier than ever, visiting schools, bookstores, and book fairs in the coming weeks. Check my Calendar to see where we might meet sometime soon.

I just posted some great photos from a school visit to Grant Watts Elementary in Oregon, and more are coming soon as I’m out and about.

In the meantime . . . be good, or at the least, better than Kotzebue the Caribou!

Thanks to all the folks at Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, where we launched The Alaskan Night Before Christmas in late September!

We found Santa engrossed in reading his copy of the book at Santa Claus House, where the motto is: “It’s Christmas every day!” Learn all about their history at their website: www.santaclaushouse.com.

After Santa introduced me, I read to lots of children and their moms, dads, grandmas, and friends. We even had a sled dog visit that day.  Click on my Calendar to see details about upcoming visits to schools, events, and bookstores in Oregon and Alaska!