I was pleased to see a new Inland Northwest Blog titled Spokane Books Blog. I think the about page info is worth quoting in full for the way it reflects back perceptions about Spokane from someone new in town, and also offers up a vision for nurturing a local literary scene.

The Spokane Books Blog is my attempt to fill a niche that exists among the blogging community that is based in and focused on this underrated city in the Inland Northwest, a community that appears to be quite active but also appears to be predominantly obsessed with food. Not that I have anything against food. It's undoubtedly a priority of mine (in fact, one of the reasons our family decided to move to Spokane in early 2010 was its apparent commitment to the slow- and local-food movement), but in terms of personal importance it's also on a par with a couple of other things, summarized, incidentally, by a poster that was once spotted hanging in the window of Auntie's Bookstore:

Over time I hope to develop the Spokane Books Blog into the kind of resource that I could never quite locate when researching the city, namely, a place for news, opinion, tips, and guides on all (and only) things literary in the Spokane area. Who's writing. What's being read. When the literary-themed events are taking place. Where the best bookstores and reading cafés are to be found. And why it's all important.

And if there's presently not much of a buzzing literary scene to speak of, then maybe this blog will offer some tiny amount of help in ushering it into being — and will likewise document it along the way.

Comments, criticism, advice, hints, notices, and participation are all and always welcome. Encouraged, even.

Welcome to Spokane and thanks for jumping in and making a contribution to our emerging city and region.

I'm trying to think of Spokane authors and Jess Walter is the most prominent one that comes to mind. They may have to start a sister blog titled, Spokane Authors Who Moved to Seattle Blog. Sherman Alexie and Timothy Egan, formerly with the Spokesman Review, come to mind as authors in that category. Who are some other Spokane authors?

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