Summer Writing Workshop Includes Poetry, Fiction Classes

So, you know how to write. Or maybe you don’t, but you want to learn.

Either way, Eastern Washington University is holding a summer writing seminar to help you out. The “Workshop in the Great Northwest,” which comprises two five-day sessions, will be held July 17-25 at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma.

Each session will include classes in poetry, fiction, environmental writing, translation, writing for children, personal essay, journal writing and contemporary literature.

Featured writers include Dorianne Laux, Domenic Stansberry, Gillian Conoley, Diana Abu-Jaber, Philip Garrison, Nance Van Winckel, Carol Reyes, Carolyn Kremers, Joe Millar, Claire Murphy and Gregory Spatz.

The price for each course is $250 (courses in each session run concurrently). The price for both sessions is $450.

To obtain a brochure, or to inquire for more information, call the EWU Creative Writing Department at 623-4221. Or e-mail at writing@mail.ewu.edu.

Setback for Barnes & Noble

If you missed the news report about Barnes & Noble Inc. canceling out its planned purchase of Ingram Book Group, don’t feel bad. Compared to the headlines that occurred when the deal was originally announced last year, this second story was handled - in The Spokesman-Review and elsewhere - as little more than a brief.

Independent bookstores across the country complained loudly when Barnes & Noble, the 1,000-strong bookstore chain, announced that it was purchasing Ingram, the world’s largest book distributor. Their rallying cry: B&N would have a virtual, if not actual, monopoly on book availability.

Turns out the Federal Trade Commission seems to agree. The New York Times reported recently that the FTC was opposing the purchase.

Which led, in turn, to B&N’s announcement last week that the $600 million deal was off.

Lindsay lives on

Those of you who have heard the name Vachel Lindsay know that he was a world-famous poet during the first part of this century. Some of you may even know that he lived in Spokane between 1923-29.

New Media Ventures, a publishing subsidiary of Cowles Publishing, is releasing a collection of columns that Lindsay wrote for The Spokesman-Review between 1928-29. Titled “Vachel Lindsay: Troubador in `The Wild Flower City”’ (New Media Ventures, $21.95, 150 pages), the book was edited, and has an introduction written by, Shaun O’L. Higgins.

One thing you can say about Lindsay: Some of his concerns could come from today’s letters-to-the-editor page.

“The reason Spokane boosters have such a hard time putting the town on the map of the whole United States is that they try to put it on the map as a corporation, by routine `publicity stunt’ methods, and with the anonymous steamroller method of a corporation,” he wrote in a Nov. 14, 1928, column. “The only possible way to get this town on the whole map of the United States is as a place where certain persons live, and live hard, and frankly.”

The book is available at most area bookstores, at all Spokesman-Review offices or directly from New Media Ventures. For credit card orders, call 459-3926.

Calling Molly Bloom

Given: “Ulysses” is impossible for the average person to read.

Or is it? Charles Mitchell will lead a discussion on James Joyce’s landmark novel at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Auntie’s Bookstore, Main and Washington.

To prepare, you might first check out the parody-minded “Ulysses” Web site at www.bway.net/hunger/ ulysses.html.

Or not.

What’s your signing?

Pauline Battien, author of “The Gold Seekers,” will sign copies of her book at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, located just east of the Spokane Valley Mall. For further information, call 922-4104.

Don Larsen, former New York Yankees pitcher and hurler of a perfect game, will sign copies of his book “Perfect Yankee,” between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Valley Hastings, 15312 E. Sprague. For further information, call 924-0667.

David Winchester, author of “The Case of the Innocent Corpse,” will sign copies of his novel beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Valley Hastings.

Authors Chuck O’Conner, Joel Minors, Ray Kresic, Elmer Freeman and others will sign copies of their books during a special Father’s Day event beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday at the North Spokane Hastings, 7706 N. Division. For further information, call 483-2154.

R.J. Cohn, author of “Baker’s Gold,” will sign copies of his book beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Shadle Hastings, 1704 W. Wellesley. For further information, call 327-6008.

The reader board

Catherine Feher-Elston, author of “Ravensong,” will read from her book at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Auntie’s Bookstore, Main and Washington.