I Am a Published Author!!!

I never would believe it, if I didn't have a copy of the book in my hand! I have always dreamed of publishing a children's book. In fact, it was part of my bucket list. I started writing my book as a short story for a creative writing class I was taking at UAA a few years back. Once my story started to come together, I started thinking "Man this would be a good book idea!"

Once it got into my head, that Irigak would be a published piece, I began editing and changing the story and adding bits and pieces here and there. I emailed local publishing companies. Only one got back to me with suggestions about my story. I waited another year and got restless. I wanted my book published. I also wanted illustrations so I started asking around, but potential artists had other projects they were working on or were too busy. So, my book is without illustrations, but still a great read!

Getting published has proved to be quite the task. I got busy with life and raising kids. I gave birth to Cassidy two years ago, so taking care of a new baby became my top priority. It also took a lot of my time and energy to work full-time, take classes, and take care of a baby. With everything going on in my life and no word from publishing companies, I gave up hope in my dream. Because I didn't hear back from publishers, I forgot about my story.

Then one day, my computer started acting up, so I started to clean up old files and came across Irigak. I decided it was time to do something with it. I began searching for self-publishing websites and tweaked my story again until I was satisfied with it. Irigak was definitely not something I came up with overnight. It was work, but there is a sense of accomplishment that will always stay with me. I, Amber Cunningham, a small-town girl from Unalakleet, Alaska published an Alaskan children's book. Now, that is something to be proud of.

My advice to you readers is to never give up on your dreams. Life is too short to live without fully giving your all in everything you do. If you want to publish a book, make it happen. If you want to travel the world, do it! Don't worry about the expense. You will not regret your decisions.

Unalakleet...small town, but big living!

This is my town. It may be small, but it's all I know. In a town of 750 people, everyone knows everyone's business (who's pregnant, who's the dad of who, who recently got booze off of Everts, etc etc etc). Much of the town is related to one another. Everyone waves "Hi" to one another as they pass by so when us villagers go into the "big city" (Anchorage), we might catch ourselves accidentally waving to strangers that drive past us and give us funny looks like "do I know you?"

There are no time constraints. There is no traffic so we can get to work in a matter of minutes. Our kids can play outdoors anywhere in town without parents having to worry about them getting kidnapped. Everyone in town looks out for each others' kids.

Posing in front of Whaleback

I'm not saying life is perfect in the village. We pay the price... literally. Everything is so expensive. Last year a gallon of gas was $6.62. A gallon of milk costs about $13. A dozen eggs costs $5. Cereal costs between $6-$10 a box. Life isn't perfect, but it's a lifestyle that I've become accustomed to.

There is so much beauty to my town. We live right next to the ocean so we have great views of sunsets and the nearby island, Besboro.

Besboro Island enveloped by a beautiful sunset :)

Local smokehouse

We can walk out our front door and go berry picking for blueberries, salmonberries, cranberries, and blackberries.

Mmm!!! We are so blessed to have fresh fruit right out our front door!

Keane is a champ berry picker!

To the east and west of our village we have an abundance in seafood (salmon, trout, crab, beluga, and seal).

My son Keane (age 9) is such a good provider. One of his many silvers he caught last summer.

Our providers (husband) take their snowmachines up north to fill our freezers with caribou in the springtime. In the fall, many of us go out boating or drive up the road to look for bull moose. Much of our freezer space is filled with food that we subsist for locally. It's not only a matter of saving money, but it's a way of life.

Unalakleet is my hometown. It's where I grew up and it's where I will raise my kids and where they will raise their kids and so on.