Larry Kaniut: The Almighty Bear Story Writer
As a tenderfoot in Alaska, I curled up on the couch in the tiny Nelson Lagoon teacherage that I called home to read the "Alaska Bear Tales" by Larry Kaniut. Bering Sea waves crashed onto the beach outside my window as the wind howled throughout the evening. I snuggled under a flannel blanket, shivering from the constant feeling of being cold.
Earlier that day, I knew I would be bored with no television reception, and it was the boys’ night to play on the family computer. That meant I required my own source of entertainment, at least until the kids’ bedtime. That’s when my husband and I would fight it out for a seat at our latest, greatest computer - a dinosaur by today’s standards, but back in 1995, it was a godsend. Since I won the last computer time battle, I knew I probably needed a book that night. Looking through the school library, a bright red book with a growling bear on the front jumped off the shelf and into my hands.
"Alaska Bear Tales" kept me glued to its pages every night until I finished it. Looking back, I suspect the bright red color was probably indicative of the bloody stories awaiting me. You don’t think that could have been just a coincidence? Probably not.
I was reading this bear tales book because Alaska brown bear prints were all over my front porch, and I was terrified each morning getting into the school Suburban because I couldn’t see a thing - not one thing! But I could see the prints in my driveway and on my doorsteps when the sun came up, and they proved we were not alone out there.
You would think reading a book about bear attacks would strike fear into my heart, and then I would be stuck in the house, unable or unwilling to exit in the morning to drive to work. I won’t lie; I always feared the bears when I couldn’t see. However, the Alaska Bear Tales helped me understand bears and how people ended up victims of attacks. Knowledge is power. By understanding, I had a better grasp of my situation. In the end, I stopped walking around the Suburban to get in; I climbed in the driver’s side instead and slid over to the passenger seat. Now that I think about it, maybe I should have driven, and my husband could have walked around the beach side of the vehicle every morning. Haha
Fast forward 25 years. A tenderfoot no more, I wrote a book about my twenty-year Alaska adventure. As I finished my manuscript, I scanned the bookshelf, searching for a potential endorser. Larry Kaniut’s name was all over my shelf. "Alaska Bear Tales." "More Alaska Bear Tales." "Cheating Death." "Alaska Bear Tales for the Ages." Well, that was easy; I penned a letter and mailed it straight away. Then I waited. And waited. And waited. Darn. "Larry isn’t interested," I thought. I moved on and found two other best-selling authors to read and endorse my book.
Weeks before the manuscript went to print, my phone rang. “This is Larry Kaniut. I don’t know if you know who I am, but I received a letter from you today and thought I better call since you wrote it a year ago!”
“I absolutely know who you are!!” I danced around the house, smiling ear-to-ear, whispering with my hand over the phone to my husband, “It’s Larry Kaniut. The 'Alaska Bear Tales' author.” He nodded in excitement with me.
Larry and I went on to have a lengthy conversation about Alaska, our writing, our teaching, and our books. Two days later, my inbox was overflowing with notes, edits, and several options for endorsements. I still pinch myself when I think about it or see his name on my cover! His name is on MY cover! Can you believe it? I still can’t!
Today, I call Larry my friend. We send occasional emails back and forth. He has quite the sense of humor and way with words. I can tell through our correspondence that there is never a dull moment when he is around. I have no doubt Mr. Kaniut is beloved by his many students and loads of Alaska fans to boot.
And just for the record, Larry… No lies here. Not one! LOL
(re: “I look forward to seeing your lies.” - Larry Kaniut in reference to this piece, 12/9/21)
Earlier that day, I knew I would be bored with no television reception, and it was the boys’ night to play on the family computer. That meant I required my own source of entertainment, at least until the kids’ bedtime. That’s when my husband and I would fight it out for a seat at our latest, greatest computer - a dinosaur by today’s standards, but back in 1995, it was a godsend. Since I won the last computer time battle, I knew I probably needed a book that night. Looking through the school library, a bright red book with a growling bear on the front jumped off the shelf and into my hands.
"Alaska Bear Tales" kept me glued to its pages every night until I finished it. Looking back, I suspect the bright red color was probably indicative of the bloody stories awaiting me. You don’t think that could have been just a coincidence? Probably not.
I was reading this bear tales book because Alaska brown bear prints were all over my front porch, and I was terrified each morning getting into the school Suburban because I couldn’t see a thing - not one thing! But I could see the prints in my driveway and on my doorsteps when the sun came up, and they proved we were not alone out there.
You would think reading a book about bear attacks would strike fear into my heart, and then I would be stuck in the house, unable or unwilling to exit in the morning to drive to work. I won’t lie; I always feared the bears when I couldn’t see. However, the Alaska Bear Tales helped me understand bears and how people ended up victims of attacks. Knowledge is power. By understanding, I had a better grasp of my situation. In the end, I stopped walking around the Suburban to get in; I climbed in the driver’s side instead and slid over to the passenger seat. Now that I think about it, maybe I should have driven, and my husband could have walked around the beach side of the vehicle every morning. Haha
Fast forward 25 years. A tenderfoot no more, I wrote a book about my twenty-year Alaska adventure. As I finished my manuscript, I scanned the bookshelf, searching for a potential endorser. Larry Kaniut’s name was all over my shelf. "Alaska Bear Tales." "More Alaska Bear Tales." "Cheating Death." "Alaska Bear Tales for the Ages." Well, that was easy; I penned a letter and mailed it straight away. Then I waited. And waited. And waited. Darn. "Larry isn’t interested," I thought. I moved on and found two other best-selling authors to read and endorse my book.
Weeks before the manuscript went to print, my phone rang. “This is Larry Kaniut. I don’t know if you know who I am, but I received a letter from you today and thought I better call since you wrote it a year ago!”
“I absolutely know who you are!!” I danced around the house, smiling ear-to-ear, whispering with my hand over the phone to my husband, “It’s Larry Kaniut. The 'Alaska Bear Tales' author.” He nodded in excitement with me.
Larry and I went on to have a lengthy conversation about Alaska, our writing, our teaching, and our books. Two days later, my inbox was overflowing with notes, edits, and several options for endorsements. I still pinch myself when I think about it or see his name on my cover! His name is on MY cover! Can you believe it? I still can’t!
Today, I call Larry my friend. We send occasional emails back and forth. He has quite the sense of humor and way with words. I can tell through our correspondence that there is never a dull moment when he is around. I have no doubt Mr. Kaniut is beloved by his many students and loads of Alaska fans to boot.
And just for the record, Larry… No lies here. Not one! LOL
(re: “I look forward to seeing your lies.” - Larry Kaniut in reference to this piece, 12/9/21)
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