You Wouldn’t do it for the Money!
Tales from an Alaskan Bed and Breakfast
By Sherry Tomlinson
$13.95
ISBN: 01-9766230
Ordering Information:
(907)243-5809
(907)830-4440 (C)
3100 Iliamna Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99517
Website: http://www.sherrytomlinson.alaskawriters.com
e-mails: sherrytomlinson@alaskawriters.com
If I squeeze you with a good night's sleep and a plateful of steaming hot pancakes, you'll probably start to tell me some stories -- like how you met your lover or what a mean Alaska hunter did to the moose in your photo. You might chat with me about close encounters with bears, Alaskan men, Alaskan hookers, and how you got a fishing hook in your nose. Before you go, I've got a few stories about Alaska you wouldn't read in the tourist guidebook. As a bed and breakfast hostess, I've been swapping lies with guests for over fifteen years. If you have ever been a bed and breakfast guest, considered running one yourself, or would like a fresh look at life in Alaska, you'll want to take a peek between the covers of You Wouldn't do it for the Money! Tales from an Alaskan Bed and Breakfast.
Book Excerpts
As the newcomer approached the edge of the meadow, he raised his rifle to take aim. Onlookers protested: “What are you doing? You can’t shoot that moose!” “Hey,” he growled,” that moose is legal. Moose are good to eat!” He sighted down the barrel of his rifle. When Wild Mammals Meet
Our hostess escorted us up rickety stairs to our room. That’s when we got the first look at our nighttime nemesis. When you visit an historic site, you don’t want it to be your bed. Making Memories in McCarthy
She came with one piece of luggage and a copy of Alaska Men magazine under her arm. “Hi, I’m Cindy,” she said with a friendly smile. Cindy wore a long turtleneck sweater over a short skirt. Other than her pretty knees, she looked like the rest of us. Laugh lines and a few extra pounds. “I’ve been e-mailing some guys in this magazine,” she said. “I’m here to meet a few of them in person.” Looking for a Good Man
The police pulled the two girls and my confused guest out of the car. One of the officers ID’d them as Spenard business women. “We know who these ladies are, mister,” barked the officer while jabbing his finger in the air. “That makes you a customer! Can I see your ID, please?” Meanwhile, abandoning all pretenses, my neighbor Tom brought out a kitchen chair, propped it up against the house, and sat down with a glass of wine to enjoy the show. Neighborhood Watch
Most Alaskans run a bed and breakfast; they just don’t get paid for it. Alaska is a cool destination for friends and relatives, so when the tribe hits town, you find beds for them and cook a lot of big breakfasts. Maybe they’re dying to see you, but my guess is they expect you to take them fishing. Combat Fishing
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Web posted Thurs day, June 23, 2005 Also published in Fairbanks Daily Miner
You Wouldn't Do It For The Money! Tales from an Alaskan Bed and Breakfast By Sherry Tomlinson 157 pages 2005 $13.95 "You Wouldn't Do It For The Money!" is a cheerful and cheeky look inside one of the state's most popular visitor-related business types." Most Alaskans run a bed and breakfast; they just don't get paid for it," Sherry Tomlinson writes. "Alaska is a cool destination for friends and relatives, so when the tribe hits town, you find beds for them and cook a lot of big breakfasts." But Tomlinson also writes about the other side of the coin. She talks about her own travel experiences on the Last Frontier, from Seldovia to Healy. Subtly, she conveys what it feels like to be a tourist in Alaska and how Alaskans come across to outsiders. She is candid about Alaskans' social gaffes, such as the time a moose hunter couldn't resist shooting a placid Bullwinkle surrounded by camera-toting visitors. Interspersed with her stories are recipes for favorite breakfast dishes such as fancy French toast and salmon omelets. The meat of the practical advice comes in the last chapter; where she answers the questions wannabe innkeepers most frequently ask her. She emphasizes that a bed and breakfast only succeeds as a labor of love. Hosts who really like having company are the only ones who can resist burnout. "You Wouldn't Do It For The Money!" is an easy read. The writing is lively, entertaining and well executed. Between the lines, Tomlinson conveys a lot of information about the pros and cons of operating a B&B and wry observations about the visitor industry in Alaska. Anyone considering opening a bed and breakfast and anyone seriously involved in the state's visitor industry will get even more out of this clever little book. Shana Loshbaugh is a writer and former Clarion reporter who now lives near Fairbanks. Home | Guest Rooms | Reservations Alaska's Coastal Trail Bed and Breakfast |