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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Book Notes: Auntie’s to host Jess Walter event

Jess Walter

Auntie’s Bookstore will host a ceremony next week to present Jess Walter with a PNBA Book Award.

Walter won the award, sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, for his 2013 short-story collection, “We Live in Water.” It’s Walter’s second PNBA Book Award – he won in 2007 for “The Zero.”

The event, according to Auntie’s website, will feature surprise guests and speakers. Walter will read as well, and sign copies of his books.

Festivities will be Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is free, and beverages will be available for sale. Auntie’s is at 402 W. Main Ave. Call (509) 838-0206 for more information.

Meanwhile, the Inland Northwest’s other PNBA Book Award winner, poet Robert Wrigley of Moscow, Idaho, will be feted at a ceremony at 7 p.m. Saturday at BookPeople of Moscow, 521 S. Main St. Wrigley, who teaches at the University of Idaho, won for his latest poetry collection, “The Anatomy of Melancholy.”

Call BookPeople at (208) 882-2669 for details.

The winning writers also have written essays that are posted at nwbooklovers.org. Walter submitted “Addendum to Statistical Abstract for My Hometown, Spokane Washington,” which is an update of the popular short story anchoring “We Live in Water.” Wrigley submitted “The Tribe of the Book,” a celebration of Moscow and its independent book store, BookPeople. Both can found online at nwbooklovers .org/category/ nw-voices/.

PNBA is a nonprofit association of independent book sellers from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Alaska. Since 1965, it has been honoring the best of the region’s writing. Previous winners include Sherman Alexie, Ivan Doig, Jon Krakauer, Chuck Palahnuik, Kim Barnes, Ursula LeGuin and Molly Gloss.