Seth Kantner
Hello, Seth Kantner has been my friend ever since I published my first story. To say I’m a fan of his would be an understatement. His book, Ordinary Wolves was voted Alaska’s best book in an Alaska Public Radio poll. He lives in Kotzebue and Porcupine. He has a regular column in ADN. He’s written four books. He reviewed my book for the ADN and has always been my biggest fan. I told him to get a substack and now he has one. https://substack.com/@sethkantner. Please subscribe to his page and I promise you won’t be disappointed
Arctic Coast—It’s been stormy here in Kotzebue, for nearly all of February. Mostly I’ve been shoveling, and digging out my door, and dragging in firewood. I chop up spruce logs from the hills 25 miles across the sea ice and tundra. I burn every scrap of everything for heat. I especially like Pepsi pallets, for kindling.
Late in the evening I thaw caribou meat, and fat, then walk north to meet my girlfriend, Aakatchaq, coming my way. Sometimes she brings me Amazon cardboard, for firestarter. We squeeze in my shack, wedge the door shut with screwdrivers, sweep up the snow, laugh and make fun, and then drink a few drinks while I fry the meat.
Last week my neighbor gave me part of a case of half-rotten apples. Every day now before I go out to shovel, I make a quick pie in a tiny porcelain dish. I cook it on top my woodstove, under a stainless steel bowl. It cooks twenty minutes or so—until i come in to warm my hands. I use my blow torch to brown the crust and then eat the whole thing hot.
Making pies saved me, during my teenage years along the Kobuk River. Mostly cranberry, blueberry, and rhubarb. It always been great to have a few apples, enough for pie again.
