From Seattle to Spokane and everywhere in between, Washington is home to many great authors. Check out this (small) selection of 2025 fiction releases by Washington authors.
Intemperance by Sonora Jha
In this satirical novel out in October, a woman nearing her 55th birthday decides to hold a contest inspired by an Indian ritual in which men will pass through a competition of strength and intelligence to wed her. Drawing fire from all sides, she nonetheless finds support from a wedding planner, a disability rights documentarian, and her son. Jha lives in Seattle.
Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel
25-year-old Calla Williams looks after her two younger brothers but is haunted by the Nightmare – a recurring dream in which her brothers die. After a night where mysterious figures save both her brothers from death but leave destruction in their wake, the three siblings retreat to a remote mountain Airbnb, where they find themselves battling subconscious demons made real. Viel lives in the Washington woods.
Midnight in Soap Lake by Matthew Sullivan
Abigail moves to Soap Lake, WA and finds herself investigating the dead of a young boy’s mother, the local legends, and the magic lurking in the lake. Sullivan lives in Anacortes.
The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas
Plague has broken out in 1765 Mexico, and Alba Díaz has fled with her family to a remote village near the silver mine owned by her fiancé. But what lurks in the mine may be more dangerous than the plague. As she suffers hallucinations and sleepwalking, Alba turns to her fiancé’s cousin Elías to root out the possession.
So Far Gone by Jess Walter
Rhys Kinnick lives off the grid – in the woods, no tech – until he learns that his daughter is missing and his grandkids were kidnapped by members of a militia. Rhys comes out of the woods and joins up with a motley crew in search of his family and redemption for past mistakes. Author Walter lives in Spokane.
Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald
In mid-1990s Seattle, April, lonely, leaves an anonymous note in a book for Westley, a bookseller she has a crush on. But it’s customer Laura who finds the note, thinking Westley left it for her. More notes follow, as the unlikely love triangle spins on.
Supersonic by Thomas Kohnstamm
In a story spanning nearly two centuries, Kohnstamm’s saga traces the history of one hilltop in Seattle through the people in one extended family who live there, from a Duwamish chief, to a Boeing machinist, to the daughter of a Japanese woman who survived the WWII internment camps, and beyond, all placed into relief over the fight to rename the local elementary school. Kohnstamm lives in Seattle.
We Loved to Run by Stephanie Reents
At a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts, six members of the 1992 women’s cross country team battle personal demons, hidden secrets, academic pressure, and lack of support as they prepare for the New England Division Three Championships. Reents lives in Seattle.
When We Were Real by Darryl Gregory
Seven years after discovering that we all live in a digital simulacrum, best friends JP and Dulin head out on a guided cross-country tour of geographic glitches. Alongside them are fellow travelers, each seeking their own answers. Gregory lives in Seattle.
For even more recent books by Washington authors, check out this year’s finalists for the Washington State Book Award.
~ posted by Andrea G.