Road to Alaska will be 383 pages long and will be divided into eight major sections: Work Alaska; Alaska Facts and History; General Information; Roads to Alaska; Roads Around Alaska; Outdoor Alaska; Travel Alaska; and Alaskan Employers. Back matter will include a six-page index, a three-page glossary of terms unique to Alaska, and a one-page reference section. Road to Alaska will include:
· An overview of the major industries that employ seasonal workers. The overview will include descriptions of the type of work available, the pay scales for each job, the length of time workers are expected to stay, and tips on how to apply for different jobs. Industries to be covered include fishing, fish processing, tourism, cruise ships, state and national parks, and oil and gas.
· A comprehensive list of addresses and telephone numbers of seasonal employers. This section will be organized in two ways: by industry sector, and by region of Alaska.
· A section on how to get to Alaska by land, sea and air. The author will explore all facets and costs of each mode of travel, such as ferry costs, gas prices and the feasibility of hitchhiking.
· A comprehensive travel guide catering to the working traveler who wants to spend as little money as possible. It will include names, addresses and descriptions of youth hostels, campgrounds, hotels, grocery stores, inexpensive places to eat, and outfitters for outdoor activities. It also will highlight points of interest in Alaska with an eye toward the younger working traveler on a budget.
· Detailed maps of the cities and towns described in Road to Alaska. The maps will pinpoint hotels, fishing docks, fish-processing plants, youth hostels, campgrounds, visitors’ centers, state and national parks, and any other places of interest to the working traveler.
· Information on where and how to go hiking, fishing, camping, kayaking, rafting, and cycling. This section also will include a guide to the annual concerts, fairs, and festivals that are in abundance in Alaska during the summer months. Those festivals include the popular Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival and the Sitka Summer Music Festival, which features chamber music by world-renowned artists.
· Eight pages of color photos. Four of the pages will depict the types of seasonal employment available; the other four will highlight Alaska’s scenery and culture.
· An interactive Web site (www.roadtoalaska.com). The author will maintain a Web site which will feature the following: answers to commonly asked questions; information updates; Alaska Fish and Game predictions for the size of the season’s salmon runs in each region; posted answers to questions readers send in via e-mail; an interactive bulletin board where people can find rides to and from Alaska; and a calendar of annual events. The author also will promote the Road to Alaska book on the Web site.
