Arts Scene: Find out about old dogs, fur hunters and vampires

Cook Inlet culture clash

The Tundra Vision Lecture Series will launch at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, at the Mountain View Library. Katerina Wessels will speak about the arrival of Russian fur hunters in Cook Inlet and how the local Dena'ina people responded. It's a story of settlement, survival and conflict set right here in Southcentral Alaska. But it's also about connecting two cultures from opposite sides of the globe. "Global Encounters: Russians in Cook Inlet" will begin with a reception, complete with juice and cookies, with the presentation starting at 6:30 p.m. The talk is free.

Lovin' old dogs

Laura Coffey, the author of "My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts," will sign copies of the popular book, a collaboration with photographer Lori Fusaro, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at Barnes & Noble, 200 E. Northern Lights Blvd. In conjunction with Coffey's Anchorage visit, people from the local SPCA will be on hand to talk about adopting older animals and, in particular, discuss the "Seniors for Seniors" program, which waives the adoption fees for animals over 7 years old for people who are 55 or older. The event is free and you're invited to bring your dogs and dog photos.

Bloodbath in Britannia

Anchorage author Bruce Woods, contributor of nonfiction and poetry to such journals as Mother Earth News, Prairie Schooner and Alaska Magazine, is best known for "The Bird House Book," which has sold something like 100,000 copies. He's back now with fiction about a different kind of flighty creature — an American vampire whose trip to Victorian England is interrupted by Sherlock Holmes, Cecil Rhodes and an unexpected side trip to Africa. The blurb says, " 'Royal Blood' is a vampire story, a steam-punk tale, an (occasionally) erotic romance, and an historical novel in one … an otherworldly narrative of adventure, passion, and a distinctly vampiric coming of age." Look for Woods in the Ann Stevens Room at the Loussac Library at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. The event is free.