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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Special sections: summer stories

Summer Stories: Home Is Where the Heart Is

Welcome to the ninth edition of Summer Stories, The Spokesman-Review’s annual celebration of short fiction. Since 2014, we have dedicated 10 weeks of summer to publishing new works by some of the region’s best authors. This year is no different. Except it is, in one small way. Not all of our stories this year will be works of fiction. Kate Lebo, poet, essayist and author of “Pie School” and “The Book of Difficult Fruit,” is joining us this year with thoughts on our theme, “Home Is Where the Heart Is.”

Summer Stories: The Lost Year

The Spokesman-Review's annual short fiction series returns with "The Lost Year." While the prompt was inspired by life during COVID, the brief for our writers was simple: You could explore the pandemic or not. It was up to them. Through Labor Day, 10 of the region's most talented writers will explore the real, the fantastic, and everywhere in between. Follow along Sunday in print or online.

Summer Stories 2020: Mount St. Helens

Now in its seventh year, The Spokesman-Review’s short-fiction series, Summer Stories, is bigger than ever with 17 stories running from May to September. This year’s theme is Mount St. Helens in honor of the 40th anniversary of the eruption of Washington’s most famous volcano. Stories will appear Sundays in Today.

Summer Stories: Summer of ‘69

For this sixth edition of Summer Stories, The Spokesman-Review's annual short fiction series, we’ve decided to go back 50 years to the Summer of ’69, one of the most significant years of the late 20th century.

Summer Stories: The Road Trip

Now in its fifth year, Summer Stories is our annual short fiction series. This year’s theme: The Road Trip. We’ll feature stories from some of the region’s best writers about road trips that are memorable, strange and sometimes a bit of both. Buckle up!

Summer Stories: The River

Welcome to Summer Stories, The Spokesman-Review's annual short fiction series. Now in its fourth year, Summer Stories brings works by some of the region's best writers to the pages of The Spokesman-Review for 10 weeks. After trips to the fair, the lake and the woods, Summer Stories this year goes to the River.

Summer Stories: The Woods

For the third year, The Spokesman-Review will turn our Sunday Today cover over to the fiction writers. For 10 weeks beginning July 3, Summer Stories will present short fiction from new and well-established Inland Northwest writers: Stephanie Oakes, Thom Caraway, Leyna Krow, Joseph Haeger, Sharma Shields and Jess Walter among them. As is tradition, we kick off the season with a story from Shawn Vestal, a Spokesman-Review columnist and author of the award-winning short story collection "Godforsaken Idaho" and the new novel "Daredevils." So pack up your tent and sleeping bags and join us as we head into "The Woods."

Summer Stories: Lake Edition

Beginning July 5 and continuing through Sept. 6, the Sunday Today section will be devoted to new works of short fiction by 10 of the region’s best writers. Last summer, we took readers to the fair with stories by the likes of Jess Walter, Sharma Shields, Shann Ray and Polly Buckingham. This year, we’re headed to the lake, with new pieces from writers such as S.M. Hulse, Thom Caraway, Kim Barnes and Paul Lindholdt. Kicking off the series, as he did last year, is Shawn Vestal. Vestal, a columnist for The Spokesman-Review, who has his first novel coming out next year.

Summer Stories: The Fair

We asked some of Spokane’s most acclaimed writers to create new works of short fiction based on the theme of “The Fair.” Some writers tripped back to 1974 and visited Expo. Others have kicked up dust on the midways and in the barns of the county fair. Either way, they delivered. Ten writers. Ten stories. Ten weeks. In the coming weeks, you’ll be invited to read new works by Shawn Vestal, Bruce Holbert, Sharma Shields, Gregory Spatz, Kris Dinnison, Sam Ligon, Polly Buckingham, Shann Ray and Nance Van Winckel. We wrap things up on Sept. 7 with a new story from Jess Walter, the National Book Award finalist and New York Times best-selling author of “Beautiful Ruins.” So sit back, relax, and enjoy. Carolyn Lamberson, Spokesman-Review features editor