Not long ago a book sneaked up on me. The paperback of Valerie Trueblood’s Terrarium hit the shelves of Madison Books, which served as a reminder that I’d had the hardcover sitting unread on my nightstand for far too long. I tried one story in the collection, then another, and kept going until the characters began …
Kittens in vending machines, hippos rising out of dark water, broom handles made of gold: in his first novel, King of Joy, Seattle writer Richard Chiem blends comforting absurdity with the most profound reaches of grief. The result is a strange, unsettling harmony that is typical of his writing. Drawing from themes also present in …
Phinney Books in Seattle shared excitement about some spring titles in a recent newsletter. February 26 The Border by Don Winslow The arrival of this final volume is making it clear that Winslow’s epic trilogy about the drug wars on the US-Mexico border is one of the central fictional dramas of our time, closing in a storm …
Valerie Trueblood’s precision in dissecting the complexities of human nature is perhaps her greatest strength. With stories that teeter on the brink of catastrophe, Trueblood doesn’t shy away from the grim and bleak, but her empathy and compassion are what stop you in your tracks. Terrarium is one of 12 finalists chosen for the 2019 Pacific Northwest …
In palm-sized notebooks, I collect phrases that won’t go away, lines that arrive in the tunneling moments before sleep or while washing dishes or as I’m descending the last hill home as dusk is arriving. Sometimes, these unbidden words act as a door into a story or chapter or even a promising scene. Other times, …
The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, a trade association of independent booksellers, publishers, authors, and librarians, announced the 2019 Northwest Book Awards Shortlist, selected by a committee of independent booksellers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. From more than 400 nominations, the committee chose the following 12 finalists, written or illustrated by creators from the …
I can’t recommend this book enough! An instant classic in psychological realism, cognitive dysphoria and queer feminist fiction. A must-read for fans of Shirley Jackson & Angela Carter. Machado is a a genre blender and master storyteller, weaving the surreal, fantastical and the horrific. Incredibly relevant. Gives voice to women’s rage, pain and oppression. Effortlessly …
I generally don’t go for short stories, except maybe those by George Saunders or Kelly Link, but I love this author (and the book cover!) so I had to try it. As you might perhaps guess from the title, most of the stories have to do with family relationships but in so many different ways. …
A collection of stories that span many genres written by some of the best LGBT+ writers of our time? Yes, please! Featuring authors such as Robin Talley, Malinda Lo, and Alex Sanchez, this anthology is not to be missed for teens. Ranging from the Civil War to the palace to Chinatown and the high seas, these …
by Peter Kelley for UW News: Charles Johnson, University of Washington professor emeritus of English and award-winning author, has released a new book of short stories, his fourth. The dozen stories in Night Hawks, published this month by Scribner, range from realism to light science fiction, myth and his own personal experiences, laced gently with humor …
