About Our Literary Mission
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Our authors know Alaska—and they love to share with readers.
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Get up close and personal with the authentic Alaska and the people who know it best.
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The Entirely True Story
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Running Fox Books
Nearly twenty years ago, Deb Vanasse’s A Distant Enemy first made its way into bookstores and libraries all over the country. But the book’s big city publisher neglected Alaska, where the novel was set.
Too few people, they said. Too far away.
This made Deb sad.
So she did what Alaskans are prone to do. Colored outside the lines. Kicked the box to the road.
It took a few years—sixteen, if you’re counting—but in 2013, she dreamed up a fresh, fun way to bring the best of the Great Land to readers who crave all things Alaska: Running Fox, an Alaska-inspired co-op of authors and books that inspire, engage, and transform.
At Running Fox, we curate a hand-picked collection of Alaska titles, then connect them to readers through unique author portals. With our guided bookshop experience, you can find just the right match for your unique tastes and interests. In a world of bots, box stores, and big city publishers, we’ve got something special for every reader.
The spirit, the mindset, and the independence of Alaska. You’ll find these in all of our books.
Don’t let the big city publishers tell you what to read. Get to know us, up close and personal. We’re the real deal: Alaska.
Our Mission
An Alaska-inspired author cooperative, Running Fox is dedicated to high-quality books that inspire, engage, and transform. We promote books with strong commercial literary appeal, written by spirited, independent authors who care about language and the shared pleasure of a good book.
Running Fox authors review each applicant to our co-op and curated bookshop. While books are a matter of taste, readers can be assured that we care deeply about selecting titles that offer an exceptional reading experience.
Meet the Authors Curating the Running Fox Collection
Deb Vanasse | Author, educator, publisher, and known as “one of Alaska’s leading storytellers,” Vanasse looks for authentic works that have heart.
Howard Weaver | As the editor of the Anchorage Daily News, Weaver led his team of reporters to two Pulitzer Prizes. He looks for authors who know the gritty, complicated, and glorious Alaska he came to know as a journalist.
Kaylene Johnson | With her heart among wild things and places, Johnson tunes into books that explore nature, truth, and a sense of wonder.
Ned Rozell | National Geographic writer acclaimed in science and exploration, Rozell looks for books that reveal the “truer” narrative underneath the facts.
Lesley Thomas | Perhaps it sprung from her unconventional upbringing near the Arctic Circle, but Thomas values a unique quality of voice above all.
Tanyo Ravicz | From Harvard to homestead on Kodiak Island, Ravicz brings a vagabond sensibility to his work and looks for authors who know place.
Cindy Dyson| Novelist and journalist, Dyson looks for authors who have something to say — a tweak on the way we look at the world and each other.
David Marusek | Of “Cabin in the Woods” fame, Marusek claims the Alaska life with gusto. He looks for authors who go their own way: unconventional, worthy, and far from ordinary.
Dave Atcheson | Along with being the author of three books, Dave Atcheson has written for a variety of periodicals, from Outdoor Life to Boys’ Life, and is a frequent contributor to Alaska Magazine and past contributing editor for Fish Alaska.
Nancy Mendenhall | As a former commercial fisherman, educator, and author, Mendenhall looks for authoritative books about Alaska’s resources and history.
Author Affiliates
We welcome Alaska-inspired authors to join our curating co-op. Request our Affiliate Guidelines by emailing info@runningfoxbooks.com.
We also welcome authors of Alaska-themed prose to submit to the Alaska Sampler. Please see our Submissions FAQ for details.
How are Running Fox authors chosen?
Our author-member panel reviews submitted works. We are paradoxically welcoming and highly selective.
What kind of books to you look for?
We seek out books that are finely crafted yet accessible to our devoted readers. We’re looking for themes that resonate and provoke us to think, dream, and question. Our nonfiction books often follow the road less traveled. Above all, we love great writing and a unique author’s voice.
What kind of authors do you look for?
We look for authors and works with strong Alaska ties. But that doesn’t mean every author lives full-time in Alaska, nor does it mean that every book is set solely in Alaska. Authors’ interests range, stories range. And we range with them. However, every book and author in the curated Running Fox collection knows the Alaska landscape and the hearts of those who call this place home.
How do you find authors and books?
We’re always eager to connect with authors who’d like to belong to the co-op. Each applicant is reviewed by all of us in a thoughtful process that results in the best selection of books for our readers, a process that distinguishes Running Fox from other literary entities. We seek affiliate authors who are able to connect with readers in unique and exclusive ways. If you’re an Alaska-inspired author who’d like to find out more, please contact us at info (at) runningfoxbooks.com.