Author Will Read ‘Where River Turns To Sky’
Oregon author Gregg Kleiner turned his sights on a community of what he calls elders in his first novel, “Where River Turns to Sky.”
Seven years after he wrote the first chapter, he completed a richly woven story of a group of seniors who moved into a big Victorian house.
The book, released a year ago in hardback, is just out in paperback. Kleiner will read from the book at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Auntie’s Bookstore, Main and Washington.
The 38-year-old writer lives in Corvallis but spent a year as an exchange student in Thailand, where he began thinking about old age.
“I saw how elders are revered and respected for their wisdom in Thailand, and when I came back I was surprised by the difference,” he said during a telephone interview last week. “Elders here become invisible.”
He recalled college days living in a big house with other students and when it came time to start the novel, he combined the subject of old age and a big house full of unrelated residents.
In between short spaces spent writing fiction, Kleiner works as a technical writer and a free-lance marketing writer - “anything that pays the bills,” he said.
His second novel is in progress, a story “how we, as a culture, have lost a sense of our community and ways we suffer because of that.”
It’s set in a Northwest logging town just when the timber industry is collapsing.
On the air
As part of the KPBX Auntie’s Voices series an interview with Missoula Hospice director Ira Byock will be broadcast at 12:30 p.m. Monday. Byock wrote “Dying Well.”
At 9 p.m. Monday, a discussion of the novel “No-No Boy” by John Okada will be broadcast at 9 p.m.
Reader board
A “Joy of Cooking” Extravaganza with chef Mark Becker will be staged from 2 to 4 this afternoon at Moscow’s Bookpeople, 512 S. Main. In conjunction with the event, people are invited to write a short story about a “Joy of Cooking” experience and submit it in a contest at the Extravaganza. And, potluck hors d’oeuvres - from the famed cookbook, of course - will be welcome.
Seattle author Marilyn Roy will read from her new book “Eye-Robics: How to Improve Your Vision,” at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Auntie’s Bookstore. Sight-impaired since childhood, Roy explains how she improved her vision through exercise techniques.
Spokane writer Frank Bartel will read from his first novel “World that Never Was” at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Fact & Fiction bookstore in Missoula. Bartel will also read at 2 p.m. Thursday at WaldenBooks in Kalispell, Mont., at 7 p.m. at the Kalispell Cavanaugh’s; and at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Pennywhistle bookstore in Polson, Mont.
Oregon author Gregg Kleiner will read from “Where River Turns to Sky” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Auntie’s Bookstore.
Moses Lake author Robert Ruby will read from the book he co-authored with John A. Brown, “John Slocum and the Indian Shaker Church” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Auntie’s Bookstore. The book is the documented history of the life of John Slocum, a Squaxin spiritual leader, and the growth of the Indian Shaker Church.
Spokane humorist Doug Hurd will read from his collection of essays “Overpacking Disease, Telling Your Child about Nordstrom, and Other Adult Traumas” at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Auntie’s Bookstore.
Spokane cat lover and author Niki Anderson will read from her collection of 47 cat stories “What My Cat Has Taught Me about Life” at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Auntie’s Bookstore.
Actress, historian and fashion history teacher Tames Alan will present “From the Streets of Rome to the Provinces of an Empire (A Short Social History)” at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the South Hill Branch Library, 3324 S. Perry.
Seating is limited for this interactive lecture, so call 444-5312 for reservations. The program is designed for students and lovers of history and clothing, and is suitable for children of elementary school age and older.
Alan will present “Learning Among the Oak Groves (A Look at Celtic Life)” at 11 a.m. Saturday at the downtown Spokane Library. The presentation is recommended for college-level history students but would be suitable for children of elementary school age. Seating is limited, so call 444-5312 for reservations.
Alan will repeat the Celtic history program at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at the East Side Library, 524 S. Stone (pre-registration required for this event, call 444-5375), and at 7 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Shadle Library, 2111 W. Wellesley.
Spokane poet and city arts director Karen Mobley will read from her book “Prairie Wind Winter” and other recent poems from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Auntie’s Bookstore’s Reading Room.
In conjunction with the reading, Mobley’s art work “Paintings, Drawings and Poetry” will be on exhibit at the Art Gallery at Auntie’s through November.
, DataTimes