Every Saturday we will bring you links to articles from around the web featuring members of Portland’s lit community.  Please feel free to pass along any you come across as well, by emailing us at portland@readinglocal.com, and we will include them in next week’s edition of Short Stories.

PBS Arts Corespondent Jeffrey Brown interviewed Ursula K. Le Guin about the state of reading, her opposition to the Google settlement, and what she is working on:

JEFFREY BROWN: Let me start big first. There’s so much to talk nowadays about the state of reading, the state of the book, whether books might even be on their way out. What do you think?

URSULA LE GUIN: I think people are going to go on reading since our civilization basically depends on literacy. I don’t know what people mean when they say books are on their way out. It’s one of these, you know, sort of like, “God Is Dead.” I really don’t know what they are talking about.

JEFFREY BROWN: Well, the book…the book that we hold in our hand.

URSULA LE GUIN: Why the advent of the e-book would just suddenly destroy the printed book, I don’t understand the thinking there. These technologies have an overlap area, but they also have very different capabilities, right?

Voyager, Harper Collins’ Sci-Fi imprint, goes behind the scenes with Karen Azinger about her debut novel The Steel Queen, set to be released in July:

Voyager: What can the reader expect from The Steel Queen?

Karen Azinger: The Steel Queen is a fast-paced action-packed fantasy with a stunning female lead. Kingdoms and characters come alive as they are woven together in complex plot twists with surprises that draw the reader through each chapter. You empathize with the good and pray they prevail but you truly feast on the bad who are utterly compelling.

The Foreign Policy Journal reviews Kilong Ung’s Golden Leaf – A Khmer Rouge Genocide Survivor:

In a touching and eloquent manner, Kilong tells readers of his troubles in making the life-changing decision to flee for Thailand en route to the United States. He does not withhold from speaking about his difficulties of integrating into American life as the spectre of his past experiences, combined with concern for his remaining family members in Cambodia, continually haunt him. Once again, we see a changing of Kilong’s character as a competitive student, toughened by his experiences of near extinction. Although he possessed natural academic talent, the pressures of being regarded as a model member for Portland’s Cambodian community come at a heavy personal price during his college years, with one emotional moment while attending the prestigious Reed College. With just one reassuring line when he needed comfort the most, it becomes apparent that all the sacrifices and accolades would shape his future aspirations as a leader.

Gina Ochsner is holding a Q & A on Goodreads to help promote her debut novel, Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight:

Goodreads author of Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight, Gina Ochsner, warmly welcomes you to a discussion of the book. Gina will be available to answer any and all questions from Feb. 10 to March 10.

Patrick deWitt reads from his novel Ablutions in episode #3 of W+K Entertainment’s Storytime:

Patrick deWitt was born in 1975 in British Columbia, Canada. He has also lived in California, Washington and Oregon, where he presently resides with his wife and son. In 2007, Teenage Teardrops press published his short book of random writings and bad advice, Help Yourself Help Yourself. He has worked as a laborer, a clerk, a dishwasher and a bartender.

Music was composed by Patrick’s brother, Nick deWitt, who also provided a WKE Mixtape.

April Henry has launched the website April Henry Mysteries, to coincide with the promotion of her upcoming “Triple Threat” novel Hand of Fate.

Image credit Book People.

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