Document text
2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Teacher's Tips: Leave time to just plain play this summer ... 22 hurt in rollover of shuttle bus ... Ticket availability ... Teacher's Tips: Leave time to just plain play this summer ... 22 hurt in rollover of shuttle bus ... Ticket availability ... QUILLS & QUEUES Ashland author transports readers to Antarctica "My Last Continent" a novel about penguin researchers Comment By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous DailyTidings.com By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Jun. 24, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Jun. 24, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News When Midge Raymond went on an expedition with naturalists to Antarctica, the trip ended up changing her life. She not only stopped eating seafood because of her concern for penguins, but the 2004 journey served as the inspiration for her new novel, "My Last Continent," which was released by Scribner this week. The Ashland author traveled on a boat that carried about 100 people. But increasingly, large cruise ships were venturing into the frigid, iceberg-filled waters. "The naturalists on board were talking about cruise ships starting to come to the Antarctic," Raymond said. "If something were to happen to a cruise ship, it would be a disaster because of the ice, cold water, isolation and distance from any help. It's not like the Caribbean, where there are other ships all around if something goes wrong." Raymond used those concerns as the starting point for her book's plot. A large cruise ship called the Australis scrapes against an iceberg and begins slowly sinking. The main character, penguin researcher Deb Gardner, is aboard a small research boat a full day's travel away, while the love of her life, fellow researcher Keller Sullivan, is a member of the Australis crew. Raymond will speak about her suspense-filled novel from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday, June 27, on Jefferson Public Radio's "Jefferson Exchange" program. She will have a reading and signing at 7 p.m. the same day at Bloomsbury Books, 290 E. Main St., Ashland. Raymond launches her book quickly, letting readers know a cruise ship collision with ice has led to hundreds of deaths. Exactly who lives and dies remains a mystery until the end. A shifting timeline with plenty of flashbacks fills in the characters' lives — gradually revealing the very different reasons why Deb and Keller choose to travel to the most isolated continent on Earth and struggle to make a permanent connection with each other. Both use their scientific training to study penguins, but must also babysit inexperienced tourists, serving as naturalists aboard ships in order to hitch rides to Antarctica. "She's conflicted," Raymond said of her main character. "She has to play tour guide in order to get to the penguins she loves and wants to study." Raymond said Deb's conflicted state of mind mirrored her own after she returned from Antarctica. She worried about the environmental impact of her trip there, and also decided to give up seafood because of the impact of overfishing on penguins. Ultimately, she became a vegan. At the same time, the trip made her more aware of how her actions back in America could have global implications and increased her concern for animals and the environment. She is co-founder and co-editor of Ashland Creek Press, which publishes fiction and non-fiction books about the environment, animal protection, wildlife and ecology. Raymond said being so close to penguins was a fascinating experience. In addition to traveling to Antarctica, she spent almost two weeks helping researchers count Galapagos and Magellanic penguins off the coast of South America. "They would come really close and sometimes peck at you. They were usually curious or they would ignore you. They're pretty calm about it. Some would hurry by," she said. Raymond said seeing the occasional dead penguin was upsetting, and she had to resist the urge to shoo away skuas, birds that prey on penguins. "You have to remind yourself that's just the way nature works," she said. "It's not pretty." Raymond said her journeys and the research she did for her book increased her respect and appreciation for the real-life scientists who work in harsh environments studying penguin species. "They're doing amazing work," she said. For more information about "My Last Continent," visit www.midgeraymond.com . Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous DailyTidings.com By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Jun. 24, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501