Bookstore Goes On-Line With Local Author’s Novel
It was only a matter of time before literature went on-line.
And Murray’s Bookstore, a business that specializes in books and software, has been doing it for some time.
The store’s latest coup involves presenting the work of Spokane author Rand Clifford in, as store owner Will Murray describes it, “electronic publication.”
The work in process, “Voices in the Spirit,” when finished will be Clifford’s third novel. His second was titled “Castling.”
Internet surfers can access “Voices of the Spirit” on Murray’s web address: http://www.murrayco.com.
For more information about “Voice of the Spirit” or about any of the other writing that Murray’s presents on-line, call the store at 838-1916, or stop by at 1415 W. Third.
On the shelves
Spokane author Michael Gurian has a new book out. “The Wonder of Boys” (Tarcher, 294 pages, $24.95) has a subtitle that seems to say it all: “What Parents, Mentors and Educators Can Do to Shape Boys Into Exceptional Men.”
“What I present to you in these pages is a new (and at times old, forgotten) vision of how to love boys,” Gurian wrote for his introduction. “This vision gleans wisdom from other cultures as well as our own, and asks American communities and culture - not just American two-parent families, but schools, media, workplaces, neighborhoods - to alter themselves as they need to, so that boys can grow up physically and emotionally healthy.”
Writing for the governor
Spokane writer Chris Crutcher will be one of 11 writers honored at the 30th annual Governor’s Writers Awards program, which will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 25th at the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle.
Crutcher won for his novel “Ironman.” Other winners were: Norman Bolotin of Woodinville and Angela Herb of Seattle, “For Home and Country: A Civil War Scrapbook;” Malcolm Bosse of Seattle, “Tusk and Stone;” Denise Levertov of Seattle, “Tesserae: Memories & Suppositions;” Paul Owen Lewis of Seattle, “Storm Boy;” Tiina Nunnally of Seattle, “Maija;” Mark L. Plummer of Seattle, “Noah’s Choice: The Future of Endangered Species;” Myron Richards of Kirkland, “The Greatest Sound on Earth, of Eine Kleine Alte Fahrt Mit Orchester;” Richard White of Seattle, “The Organic Machine: The Remaking of the Columbia River;” and Robert L. Wood of Snohomish, “The Land That Slept Late: The Olympic Mountains in Legend & History.”
The spirit of words
The Green House, an art and retreat center near Christina Lake, British Columbia, is offering a series of creative writing retreats in October, including two weekend workshops with English writer Kim Taplin.
According to a (hand-written) press release, the retreats, which will be held Oct. 7-9 and Oct. 17-19, are “for exploring the connection between personal renewal and healing the Earth, and for celebrating our findings in writing.” Each day will include working in small groups, time to work alone, to work with Taplin individually and be outdoors.
The workshops are scheduled for Oct. 11-3 and 25-27.
Retreat fees, which include four night’s lodging, are $375 Canadian (plus tax); workshop fees are $275.
To register, call (604) 447-6556.
Standing room only
Fresh off his selection by the literary journal Granta as one of top 20 “Best Young American Novelists,” Sherman Alexie is on the road to support his new novel “Indian Killer.” He’ll appear Wednesday at Auntie’s (see note below).
But if you don’t already have tickets to the reading, which Auntie’s distributes free of charge, you’re out of luck. Seating is limited, and all available the chairs have been taken.
That leaves standing room only. And, considering that Wellpinit native Alexie is one of the city’s most popular reader/performers, you can expect any spots with a halfway decent view of the podium to go pretty quickly, too.
For further information, call 838-0206.
The straight Lynde
Things keep hopping around the Lynde residence in Kalispell, Mont.
Lynda Brown Lynde, publisher of Cottonwood Publishing, is preparing the third installment in the collected series of “Rick O’Shay” cartoons (“Rick O’Shay, the Dailies: 1963-64”). Meanwhile, husband Stan Lynde, the creator of “Rick O’Shay,” is working on his second “Bodacious Kid” novel. Working title: “Careless Creek.”
For order information, call (800) 937-6343.
The reader board
Pamela York Hafner, author of “Tomorrow’s Surprises,” will read from her book at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Auntie’s Bookstore, Main and Washington.
Sherman Alexie, author of “Indian Killer,” will read from his novel at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Auntie’s Bookstore.
Jack Nisbet, author of “Sources of the River: Tracking David Thompson Across Western North America” and “Purple Flat Top: In Search of a Place,” will read from work from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday at Hillyard Senior Center, 4001 N. Cook. The reading, which is free, is sponsored by the Seniors Program of the Community Colleges of Spokane. For registration information, call 533-3770.
Pearl Rainwater, author of “Grandma Speaks,” will read from her book at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Auntie’s Bookstore.
Harry Applewhite, author of “My Mother’s Tattoo & Other Family Memoirs,” will read from her book at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Auntie’s Bookstore.
Jack Nisbet (see above) will read from his books from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Children’s Corner Book Shop, 714 W. Main, on the skywalk level of River Park Square.
, DataTimes