Get Some Lit: EWU’s literary festival packs a literary punch each April

A decade ago, when I moved to Spokane, I didn’t think there were many runners here. Then: Bloomsday! There were runners, tens of thousands of them, but they went out by themselves, or in small groups, or they met at tracks and trailheads around the city while I was sleeping.

A decade ago, I figured, sure, there are basketball crazies in Spokane (you played well, Zags!), but they are spectators only. Then: Hoopfest!

A decade ago, I knew there were writers. After all, I was among them day and night, but our numbers were small. I reckoned there were no cool people in Spokane because the grooviest dude in town, novelist Jess Walter, hung out with us.

I heard about books clubs, saw plenty of cars in the library parking lot, and Auntie’s Bookstore seemed improbably and thankfully to do a thriving business, but I didn’t know how many folks in Spokane cared about literature. Until: Get Lit!

For one week in April, I was amazed as people came out to hear readings by Richard Russo, Marilynne Robinson, Sam Kean, Naomi Wolf, Joyce Carol Oates, Tobias Wolf, Tim Egan, Tim O’Brien, Walter Kirn, Susan Orlean, as well as bunches of poets – people as famous as poets can get – plus writers yet unheralded but excellent. (A month after Anthony Doerr visited, his book, “All the Light You Cannot See,” hit big time.)

But for the first few years I lived in Spokane it seemed like the town cared about running only on the first Sunday in May, basketball the final weekend in June, and literature the third week in April.

Things have changed. Now, the arts community is booming to the extent that event organizers struggle not to have overlapping programming. There aren’t enough dates to schedule all the readings, shows, openings, and concerts going on.

Practically every night you can find places where writers and readers come together, but there is still no better time to be in Spokane (other than cresting Doomsday Hill the first Sunday in May) than the week of Get Lit, which starts Monday.

Top of my list: Pie and Whiskey. Founded six years ago by my EWU creative writing colleague Sam Ligon, this event reminds me of those bright nights in the big city when I waited in long lines to get into fire code-breaking crowded clubs in Manhattan. Thursday night, at the Washington Cracker Co. Building, for the price of a pretentiously named cup of coffee, you will get a slice of homemade pie, a shot of whiskey, and a dozen writers under the influence of butter and booze. Each year Sam and his partner Kate Lebo cast a lineup of poets and prose writers who read short pieces about pie and/or whiskey. It moves at NYC pace in alphabetical order. The year I read, I was thankful my name came before Jess Walter’s, who has read – and brought down the house – each year.

Monday afternoon I’ll show up at the Wandering Table from 3-6pm to chow down on author-inspired specials created by local celeb chef Adam Hegsted; he’ll donate $1 from each dish to the festival. All week you can find Get Lit food and drink specials at local bars and restaurants, including this writer’s favorite hangout, Lindaman’s. (See sidebar.)

Next Sunday at 11 a.m. I’ll forego brunch to head to the Bing to hear Meghan Daum read. Her essays are so sharp, so funny, and so piercing that I may embarrass both of us by going all fan-girl on her. She’ll be joined by Justin Torres, author of the acclaimed novel, “We the Animals.”

In the week between there are poetry slams and salons, and author readings from published novels, short stories, and nonfiction. Plus, a reading of unpublished erotic fan fiction (yes, really). And panels, so many panels: on writing, finding careers in the literary arts, and the merits of pursuing a degree in the field. (The merits, believe it or not, are many.) Singer-songwriters will give tips on crafting lyrics, romance novelists will dish on the tricks of the trade, and editors will offer publishing advice.

You can sign up for workshops where esteemed and friendly authors will comment on your writing. Scattered around Spokane and Cheney, you can go on a treasure hunt for literary delights. If you walk past the Ridpath Hotel, you’ll see Window Dressing’s public art installations in the empty storefronts inspired by two Get Lit novels.

In the past 10 years, Spokane has developed a rich and vibrant arts community. People move here from places like Seattle and the Bay Area because, well, Jess Walter is no longer the only groovy dude in town. And the coolest time to be here is this week. Check out the schedule and come on and get some lit.