Alaska State Writer Laureate from 2006 to 2008, John Straley is an essayist, poet and detective fiction novelist. Drawing inspiration from Alaska history and the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, his fiction and poetry emphasize personal narratives and local landscapes. His novels include "The Woman Who Married a Bear" and "The Music of What Happens." His most recent works include "Baby's First Felony, Book 7" in the Cecil Younger series of detective novels, and his four-volume "100 Poems" series of seasonal haikus.

Straley received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from UAF in 2008.

This event is co-hosted by the University of Alaska Press, UAF English Department and Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series, and the Arctic and Northern studies program.