Thank you Julie, for this inspiring interview with Angie Kelly. And in another fun moment of synchronicity, I had just discovered Angie's writing in Notes yesterday, so prompted by your interview, I have just now subscribed to her Substack. Thank you for the beautiful questions that allow Angie's wild and adventurous spirit to shine through her responses. A delight to read❤️🙏🕊️
“Nature writing to me has been my attempt at an offering of gratitude for everything nature has given me….And it has also become a way for me to connect with others who feel the same.” I resonate with this deeply, and while I don’t exclusively write about nature, she’s always informing and grounding whatever theme I explore. This “finding our people” is a beautiful by-product of sharing/writing on topics that sustain us, and for nature lovers, since many of us are more introverted and prefer to wander the wild in solitude, this space to connect and learn from one another is invaluable. Thank you Julie, thank you Angie, for this lovely interview!
Thank you so much for reading it! I'm so glad you liked it and connected with it, and I totally agree. I am super introverted and having a place to share and connect over these themes is so nice.
Beautiful, Kimberly. I almost used that passage for the pull quote. I agree - connecting with talented, passionate nature-loving writers here has been wonderful.
I agree so much with this! I always love reading the comments you leave Kimberly and so often mean to reply to say so, but also so often fail. The way you can pick out and respond to a crucial part of someone's writing is always inspiring and hopeful, always makes me think, and always reminds me there are good people out there, doing wonderful things. Thanks.
Lovely interview! Wow Angie, what an amazing upbringing you had - being so directly immersed in that spectacular landscape (your photos are just beautiful) hunting, fishing and gathering : that’s my dream!! The passage about being with your dad when an orca emerged was just breathtaking. I could so imagine being there, in that utter time-stop of an otherly beast breathing next to you. More please!! Much love from Australia
Thank you so much! I am so happy you liked it. I feel so lucky to have grown up where I did. It really shaped me into who I am. I think the wilderness there raised me almost as much as my parents did.
What an inspiring - and heart-thumping! - interview & stories about Alaska! I've been reading Angie's essays for quite a while now and she always inspires me or puts me in a dreamy mood. 🩷
Beautiful interview. I appreciate Angie's touching upon, "The subsistence lifestyle is important there." What it means to have that foundation and how it plays within the emotional depth and skill-based knowledge of quieter, still wild'ish places.
Lovely and enlightening read. I assumed Angie must be Scottish with a publication called The Selkie, but maybe the same folklore wraps around the northern hemisphere?
It does! It’s a common Inuit and Scandinavian tale as well. I think it touches most of the northern sea, which I really love! I’m so glad you liked it ☺️
I really enjoyed reading this, thank you Angie and Julie.
Angie, so much of what you say here reflects my own experience and ethos, to the extent I found myself nodding or smiling along with, being there with you in those moments, all the while thinking of the astounding natural vignettes I I have also been lucky enough to witness in my life. That's some powerful magic, that connection, from so far away. Your nature writing is outstanding because it is real and lived and, as you say, your way of giving back that wonder and joy to the world around you.
Similarly with what you say about your writing, I cannot agree more--to make the reader feel something, to give them a refuge and a means to grow, that is it, really. And it is not selfish to want your work to support you, the writer and the reader exist in a symbiotic relationship, after all, and it is right that each aids and supports the other.
We (in predominantly Protestant Christian countries, in my experience) have been conditioned to believe writing is not 'proper work'. It is. And it is hard, so very hard at times. Real writers, however, just keep writing because they have a secret--they know that the work they are doing matters, and nothing will stop them from that work. I know this is the case with you, too, as difficult as it can be at times. When you have a belief it is exactly that, a belief, a real thing and, as shaken as it may be, it is important to always remember that this belief will take you where you need to be, to where your words need to be.
All of which is to say I loved this interview, it is indeed inspiring, as Camilla mentions.
I am very sorry it has taken me this long to reply, my catching up with Notes and comments and the internet in general has not been a quick thing this year, but perhaps that is not a negative, but has given me space to think and breathe a little? As much of a cliché as it is, sometimes a step back, away, is actually three steps forward.
Lastly, thank you so very much for the words you shared about me and my work, to say they mean a lot to me is a huge understatement. Thank you.
And thank you Julie, too, for the questions and for sharing this interview. I'm determined to read more of these!
Thanks for your thoughtful and encouraging comments, Alexander. Another thing I enjoy about Substack is that this kind of work has no shelf life. If anything, it improves with time and space.
Thank you Julie, for this inspiring interview with Angie Kelly. And in another fun moment of synchronicity, I had just discovered Angie's writing in Notes yesterday, so prompted by your interview, I have just now subscribed to her Substack. Thank you for the beautiful questions that allow Angie's wild and adventurous spirit to shine through her responses. A delight to read❤️🙏🕊️
Thank you so much! I am so glad you're here!
I'm so glad to hear this! You'll love her writing. 🤍
“Nature writing to me has been my attempt at an offering of gratitude for everything nature has given me….And it has also become a way for me to connect with others who feel the same.” I resonate with this deeply, and while I don’t exclusively write about nature, she’s always informing and grounding whatever theme I explore. This “finding our people” is a beautiful by-product of sharing/writing on topics that sustain us, and for nature lovers, since many of us are more introverted and prefer to wander the wild in solitude, this space to connect and learn from one another is invaluable. Thank you Julie, thank you Angie, for this lovely interview!
Thank you so much for reading it! I'm so glad you liked it and connected with it, and I totally agree. I am super introverted and having a place to share and connect over these themes is so nice.
Beautiful, Kimberly. I almost used that passage for the pull quote. I agree - connecting with talented, passionate nature-loving writers here has been wonderful.
I agree so much with this! I always love reading the comments you leave Kimberly and so often mean to reply to say so, but also so often fail. The way you can pick out and respond to a crucial part of someone's writing is always inspiring and hopeful, always makes me think, and always reminds me there are good people out there, doing wonderful things. Thanks.
The story about the orca made me tear up. I so feel the magic of that. This is beautifully written, nice work Angie!
Thank you! I'm happy you liked it :)
Me too, Kristen! 🥲
Yes, the comment from Camilla says well what I would say about this interview. My heart is clapping!
Lovely interview! Wow Angie, what an amazing upbringing you had - being so directly immersed in that spectacular landscape (your photos are just beautiful) hunting, fishing and gathering : that’s my dream!! The passage about being with your dad when an orca emerged was just breathtaking. I could so imagine being there, in that utter time-stop of an otherly beast breathing next to you. More please!! Much love from Australia
Thank you so much! I am so happy you liked it. I feel so lucky to have grown up where I did. It really shaped me into who I am. I think the wilderness there raised me almost as much as my parents did.
What an inspiring - and heart-thumping! - interview & stories about Alaska! I've been reading Angie's essays for quite a while now and she always inspires me or puts me in a dreamy mood. 🩷
Awh thanks Monica! I’m so glad you liked it :) I really appreciate all your support all this time
Same! So glad you enjoyed it.
Beautiful interview. I appreciate Angie's touching upon, "The subsistence lifestyle is important there." What it means to have that foundation and how it plays within the emotional depth and skill-based knowledge of quieter, still wild'ish places.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Lovely and enlightening read. I assumed Angie must be Scottish with a publication called The Selkie, but maybe the same folklore wraps around the northern hemisphere?
It does! It’s a common Inuit and Scandinavian tale as well. I think it touches most of the northern sea, which I really love! I’m so glad you liked it ☺️
Yes, it’s so cool that selkies are everywhere. 🦭
That's great. Do you have kelpies as well (water horses)?
No I think kelpies didn’t reach that way. I love those myths though, really any shapeshifting folklore I love!
So many lovely turns of phrase in this interview. Thank you both, Angie and Julie. 🙏🏽
Thank you so much :) I'm so happy you liked it.
Thanks for reading, Jeanne. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing. The bear encounter sounds terrifying - good to know how to get out of that one!
Luckily all ended well for me and the bear!
I really enjoyed reading this, thank you Angie and Julie.
Angie, so much of what you say here reflects my own experience and ethos, to the extent I found myself nodding or smiling along with, being there with you in those moments, all the while thinking of the astounding natural vignettes I I have also been lucky enough to witness in my life. That's some powerful magic, that connection, from so far away. Your nature writing is outstanding because it is real and lived and, as you say, your way of giving back that wonder and joy to the world around you.
Similarly with what you say about your writing, I cannot agree more--to make the reader feel something, to give them a refuge and a means to grow, that is it, really. And it is not selfish to want your work to support you, the writer and the reader exist in a symbiotic relationship, after all, and it is right that each aids and supports the other.
We (in predominantly Protestant Christian countries, in my experience) have been conditioned to believe writing is not 'proper work'. It is. And it is hard, so very hard at times. Real writers, however, just keep writing because they have a secret--they know that the work they are doing matters, and nothing will stop them from that work. I know this is the case with you, too, as difficult as it can be at times. When you have a belief it is exactly that, a belief, a real thing and, as shaken as it may be, it is important to always remember that this belief will take you where you need to be, to where your words need to be.
All of which is to say I loved this interview, it is indeed inspiring, as Camilla mentions.
I am very sorry it has taken me this long to reply, my catching up with Notes and comments and the internet in general has not been a quick thing this year, but perhaps that is not a negative, but has given me space to think and breathe a little? As much of a cliché as it is, sometimes a step back, away, is actually three steps forward.
Lastly, thank you so very much for the words you shared about me and my work, to say they mean a lot to me is a huge understatement. Thank you.
And thank you Julie, too, for the questions and for sharing this interview. I'm determined to read more of these!
Thanks for your thoughtful and encouraging comments, Alexander. Another thing I enjoy about Substack is that this kind of work has no shelf life. If anything, it improves with time and space.