Doug Alderson's Writing & Photography

Since publishing his first free-lance magazine article at age eighteen, Doug Alderson's articles and photographs have been featured in Wildlife Conservation, American Forests, Sea Kayaker, Sierra, Mother Earth News, Shaman's Drum, Campus Life, America, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Florida Naturalist, Florida Sportsman, Tallahassee Magazine, Florida Wildlife and several others. He has won two national writing awards for his magazine features. He won first place in the 2008 Florida State Writing Competition in the previously published nonfiction article category. He also won first place in the 2009 Seven Hills Writing Contest in the creative nonfiction category.

Doug's first book, Waters Less Traveled: Exploring Florida's Big Bend Coast (University Press of Florida), was the runner up for Best Travel Book of 2006 by the North American Travel Journalists Association.

The Vision Keepers: Walking For Native Americans and the Earth, which covers Doug's walks and experiences with Native American people, was released in April of 2007 by Quest Books of Wheaton, Illinois.

The Ghost Orchid Ghost and Other Tales From the Swamp, a collection of original Florida mysteries and ghost stories, was released in 2007 by Pineapple Press. The book serves as a unique way to teach young people about Florida's history and environment through storytelling.

New Dawn for the Kissimmee River: Orlando to Lake Okeechobee by Kayak, has recently been released by the University Press of Florida. In 2008, the book won a first place Royal Palm Literary Award from the Florida Writer's Association in the unpublished travel category.

The Ghostly Ghost Tour of St. Augustine and Other Tales from Florida's Coast: Where else but Florida can you find a greater treasure-trove of tales filled with pirates, shipwrecked sailors, ghostly sea captains and lost tribes of Native Americans? New for 2009!

Through Time and Wilderness: Doug sets out to retrace his grandparents' 1939 western journey with a burning question: are the panoramic landscapes, especially those found in our national parks, as relevant and captivating today as they were more than 70 years ago?

Encounters with Florida's Endangered Wildlife features chapters tracking panthers, black bears, whooping cranes, manatees, sea turtles, even ivory-billed woodpeckers. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about wild Florida.

Seminole Freedom is a novel based on true historical events. Following the life of Jenny as she grows into womanhood and endures the long and bitter Seminole wars, this tale of hardship, bravery and freedom explores the little known role of Black Seminoles in the shaping of American history.

Note: Books ordered from this website can be autographed and inscribed by Doug upon request. Also, please specify if you were linked to this website by Club Kayak or the Florida Paddling Trails Association. Besides PayPal, books can be ordered with check or money order (made out to Doug) and sent to 960 Towhee Road, Tallahassee, FL 32305.

Upcoming 2010 Appearances

• Feb. 9th, FL Trail Association, Apalachee Chapter, Tallahassee
• Feb 12th, Belton Dykes Memorial River Rat Rendevous, Ocala. To learn more, log onto http://www.riverratweekend.org/.
• Feb 13th, Rally for the River, Palatka. To learn more, log onto http://www.pcecweb.org/.
• March 20th, Books Make a Difference Conference, Tallahassee. To learn more, log onto www.tallahasseewriters.net.
• June 17th, Tallahassee Writer's Association monthly meeting, Tallahassee

Doug enjoys doing book signings and powerpoint programs. For events outside of the Tallahassee area, an honorarium is requested to cover travel expenses. Contact Doug for a complete list of programs that he offers, dougalderson@comcast.net.

Photography

Doug is an accomplished photographer specializing in nature photos. He is interested in sharing the timeless beauty of land and water with his audience. A few of his photos are shown below. You can view more of Florida's landscapes, plants and animals here.