Passing along a call for applications for this position with the lovely and esteemed Bend-based journal. The job itself can be based anywhere in the West.
After five years of operation and the publication of 10 issues, High Desert Journal has a sophisticated editorial and artistic vision. To further its potential, High Desert Journal is seeking a person with a strong entrepreneurial spirit who has a high regard for arts and literature, plus a skill set for developing and executing a sales and fundraising strategy to make the publication self-sustaining.
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The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association released the winners of the 2010 Book Awards today. The organization whose region includes Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington gathers nine bookseller members as volunteers to judge this annual contest, with the winners often times propelling into much greater national attention.
The popular award goes to five authors out of the over 200 books by NW authors that were submitted. Without further ado here’s the list:
The Big Burn – by Timothy Egan (Seattle, WA)
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Earlier today Literary Arts announced the recipients of the 2009 Oregon Literary Fellowships, as well as the endowment of a new fellowship to serve the Oregon poetry community.
Out of 300 applicants, the fellowships and accompanying $2500 grant were awarded to:
Poetry
Jae Choi, The C Hamilton Bailey Fellowship
Fiction
Emily Chenoweth of Portland
Margaret Malone of Portland, Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship
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A couple weeks ago we compiled a list of all the great Portland area literary non-profits that were chosen for the 2009 Willamette Week Give Guide. With the December 31st deadline to donate fast approaching, I thought I would post one last reminder that all of these wonderful organizations are greatly deserving of your contributions.
Also, Willamette Week has partnered with several local retailers to provide a great collection of goodies to donors depending upon the dollar amount given:
The $25 coupon
Make sure to print it out and hang onto it in order to be eligible for the following: Free admission to a special Give!Guide show at Berbatis Pan on Jan. 15, 2010 (value: $10), free Powells pint glass to anyone who makes a purchase at Portland’s favorite bookseller between Jan. 1 and Jan. 24, 2010 (value: $4), $10 off any purchase of $50 or more at Community Warehouse’s Estate Store, 15% off swimwear at Popina Swim Portland’s bathing suit boutique, 2009 MusicfestNW compilation CD (while supplies last).
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This past week provided wonderful opportunities to interact with some of Portland and the Northwest’s finest literary talent. First up was Sunday’s Sci-Fi Authorfest Book Signing, a gathering of 18 Northwest authors fresh off this years Orycon. Next came Tuesday’s Willamette Writers hosted Writer’s Faire, which featured 45 local authors selling and signing their current and past releases. Tomorrow (12-6) this opportunity once again presents itself when over 50 of Oregon’s most well recognized authors will coalesce at The Oregon Historical Society for the 42nd Annual Holiday Cheer.
A sampling of the lineup at this years event and their most recent releases include:
- Barbara I. Bond (Take a Hike Portland: Hikes within Two Hours of the City)
- Brian Booth (Davis Country: H.L. Davis’s Northwest)
- John Daniel (The Far Corner: Northwestern Views on Land, Life and Literature)
- Ellen Heltzel (Between the Covers: The Book Babes Guide to a Woman’s Reading Pleasures)
- Bart King (The Pocket Guide to Magic)
- Jane Kirkpatrick (A Flickering Light)
- Jim Kopp (Eden Within Eden: Oregon’s Utopian Heritage)
- Jim Lommasson (Oaks Park Pentimento)
- Jeff Mapes (Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities)
- Philip Margolin (The Fugitive)
- Lewis A. McArthur (Oregon Geographic Names, Seventh Edition)
- Sarah Baker Munro (Timberline Lodge: The History, Art, and Craft of an American Icon)
- R. Gregory Nokes (Massacred for Gold, The Chinese in Hells Canyon)
- Thomas Vaughan (Incredible Lies: Stories of Old-Fashioned Golf)
- Gerald W. Williams (The U.S. Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest: A History)
- George Byron Wright (Driving to Vernonia, A Novel)
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PNBA has announced the shortlist for their 2010 Book Awards, with the winners determined at a committee meeting in December and formally announced in January. Here are your finalists:
Of course Gwartney’s Live Through This was also a finalist in this year Oregon Book Awards, and Dickman may have the chance to compare trophies with his twin brother Matthew whose All-American Poems won this years Oregon Book Award for poetry. Rakha looks to be a favorite to take home an award, as The Crying Tree has received glowing reviews since its release.
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There are a bunch of sci fi authors in town this weekend for OryCon, and if you weren’t able to make it down to the conference you still have a chance to meet and greet 18 of those authors who will be at the Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing store tomorrow (11-29) at 4:00 as part of the third annual Sci-Fi Authorfest Book Signing. This event coupled with the Writer’s Faire on Tuesday gives Portland book lovers ample opportunity to support local authors, and get your books signed while you are doing so.
A majority of the authors signing at the Authorfest are from Oregon, and all of them are from the Northwest. The list of attendees includes:
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This post is authored by contributor, Teresa Bergen. Ms. Bergen is the author of the novel Killing The President, and in addition to writing, transcribes and edits oral histories, paints animal portraits, makes costume devil horns, teaches yoga, and plays bass in an indie rock band.
Tuesday December 1st offers Portlanders a great holiday shopping opportunity. Forty-five authors will be selling their books at a Writer’s Faire at The Old Church in downtown Portland. What better way to spend your holiday shopping dollars than to buy books directly from local authors? They will probably sign them for you, too.
The Writer’s Faire is put on by Willamette Writers. According to event organizer Randal Houle, an open mic will “feature readings, ramblings and pitches. Some of the featured authors will read a short blurb and then invite people to come to their booth.”
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KOIN Newschannel’s Keep It Local program stopped into Powells yesterday in order to help them celebrate 15 years of selling books online. The story includes an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the processes involved in preparing online orders for shipping. The end of the video features an interview with Powell’s Books President & Founder Michael Powell, who discusses everything from electronic readers to running a family business.
This is all comes as Powell’s is attempting to revamp their web strategy by improving “site search and navigation,” creating a “streamlined checkout process” and running “new promotions like free-shipping offers.” Overall Powell’s aim is to bring the “wonderful process of discovery” shoppers feel when they wander the stores aisles to their “shopping experience online.” This process partly began with Dave Weich leaving the company and now has them looking for an e-Commerce Marketing Manager. That is a great job for anyone interested!
Now onto the video:
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Publishers Weekly has spearheaded an effort to have tomorrow (11-7) serve as National Bookstore Day. They are encouraging indie bookstores across the nation to participate by holding one day promotional events including: raffles, giveaways, discounts, prize baskets, and other ideas.
The Publishers Weekly website shows three Oregon bookstores partaking in the festivities: Third Street Books in McMinnville, Grass Roots Books & Music in Corvallis, and Portland’s St. John’s Booksellers who is having a “buy 2 get 1 free sale.” I’m sure that every other Portland (and Oregon) bookstore would enjoy you celebrating National Bookstore Day at their store as well.
So use this as an excuse to get some early Christmas shopping taken care of for that book lover in your life, or just as a way to celebrate all that neighborhood bookstores bring to our communities.
The Nature of Words, Central Oregon’s Premier Literary Event, officially started their “long-weekend” of events last night with the Rising Star Creative Writing Competition Awards & Reception. It continues tonight with guest author readings and signings with Karen Karbo, Matthew Dickman, and Sherman Alexie at Bend’s Tower Theatre.
Tomorrow’s (11-6) events include Sherman Alexie Unplugged (which I’ve heard is quite an experience), several guest author workshops, and another reading and signing event this time with Valzhyna Mort, Seth Kantner, Kim Stafford, Jane Kirkpatrick. Workshops and other events continue through the weekend, and the event culminates with a reading by Charles Goodrich and an Open Mic for workshop participants and the community at the Bend Public Library.
Check out the website for the full schedule of events, further details, and pricing.
I would like to send out a big Reading Local congratulations to the winners of the 2009 Oregon Book Awards, which are listed below. Check out Jeff Baker’s wrap up of the “surprises and emotions” at this years announcements.
KEN KESEY AWARD FOR FICTION
Jon Raymond of Portland, Livability: Stories (Bloomsbury)
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