Book Notes: Local authors named book awards finalists
Three Spokane authors, a Seattle author from Spokane, and a writer from Walla Walla are finalists for the Washington State Book Awards.
Spokane’s Jess Walter is a finalist in the fiction category for his 2013 short story collection “We Live in Water.” This marks Walters’ fifth appearance on the Washington Book Award finalist list; he’s never won. Joining him in the fiction category is Gregory Spatz, a professor at Eastern Washington University, for his story collection, “Half as Happy.” Spatz won previously in 2003 for his collection, “Wonderful Tricks: Stories.”
Walla Walla author Scott Elliot also is a finalist in the fiction category, for his novel, “Temple Grove.”
Nance Van Winckel, a professor emeritus at Eastern, is a finalist in the poetry category for her collection, “Pacific Walkers.” Former Spokane resident Sherman Alexie, a winner in 2008 for “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” is a finalist in the poetry category for his collection, “What I’ve Stolen, What I’ve Earned.”
The awards are sponsored by the Washington Center for the Book at the Seattle Public Library, and they aim to honor “outstanding books” by Washington authors published in 2013. Winners will be announced Oct. 10.
Writers series set
Gonzaga University’s annual Visiting Writers Series is mapped out for the year.
Things begin on Sept. 24 with Gonzaga’s own D.S. Butterworth, who has a new collection of poetry out, “The Clouds of Lucca.”
On Oct. 21, Brenda Hillman will bring her award-winning poetry to the GU campus. Her “Season Works with Letters on Fire” won the 2014 Griffin Poetry Prize and the Northern California Book Award for Poetry.
Joanna Luloff, author of the story collection “The Beach at Galle Road” and a professor at the University of Colorado at Denver, will visit on Nov. 20.
Heading into 2015, Gonzaga will feature Marilynne Robinson, who has won the 2012 Humanities Medal, the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her nonfiction work, “Mother Country,” was a finalist for the National Book Award. She’ll come to Gonzaga on Feb. 18.
On March 25, poet, performer and librettist Douglas Kearney will talk. His third collection of poetry, “Patter,” was published earlier this year.
The series wraps up April 15 with Spokane resident and New York Times best-selling author Michael Gurian.
All talks are scheduled for the Globe Room in Cataldo Hall on the GU campus. Hillman’s presentation begins at 7 p.m.; the rest start at 7:30. All are free.