washington authors

  • Recent Novels from Washington Authors

    Recent Novels from Washington Authors

    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… Continue reading

  • WA Do I Read Next: Recent Non-Fiction Faves by Washington Authors

    Each year a group of librarians from around the state take the stage at the Washington Library Association conference to share some of their favorite recent titles by Washington State authors. This year’s presentation took place on March 31, in Wenatchee, with Andrea Gough and David Wright of Seattle Public Library, as well as Jenna… Continue reading

  • WA Do I Read Next: Recent Fiction Faves by Washington Authors

    Each year a group of librarians from around the state take the stage at the Washington Library Association conference to share some of their favorite recent titles by Washington State authors. This year’s presentation took place on March 31, in Wenatchee, with Andrea Gough and David Wright of Seattle Public Library, as well as Jenna… Continue reading

  • Congratulations to the 2022 Washington State Book Award Finalists

    Congratulations to the 2022 Washington State Book Award Finalists

    Congratulations to 39 finalists in eight categories for the 2022 Washington State Book Awards (WSBA) for outstanding books published by Washington authors in 2021. A winner in each category will be announced on September 13, 2022. 2022 WSBA FINALISTS: BOOKS FOR ADULTS CATEGORIES Biography/Memoir Being Seen: One Deafblind Woman’s Fight to End Ableism by Elsa… Continue reading

  • WA Do I Read Next? (Part 2)

    Here is the continuation of last week’s WA Do I Read Next post, in which we share a few more recently published titles by local authors shared at this year’s Washington Library Association meeting. (For more, see this Here is  list of many of the books we talked about at this year’s online conference. We… Continue reading

  • 2019 Washington State Book Awards finalists!

    Congratulations to the finalists for the 2019 Washington State book Awards!  The awards, a program of the Washington Center for the Book, honor outstanding books published by Washington authors in 2018. Finalists in all eight categories will be honored and winners announced at a ceremony and reception on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, 7 to 9… Continue reading

  • Listen Local: Download audio books by Washington authors

    If you’re looking for a downloadable audiobook, here are a half-dozen titles — general fiction, nonfiction, historical fiction, and fantasy —  by local authors. She Regrets Nothing by Andrea Dunlop. Fiction The forgotten granddaughter of one of New York’s wealthiest men is reunited with her family just as she comes of age—and once she’s had… Continue reading

  • Announcing Washington State Book Award finalists for 2018!

    Congratulations to the finalists in the 2018 Washington State Book Awards Fiction: This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, of Seattle (Flatiron Books) The Cold Eye by Laura Anne Gilman, of Seattle (Simon & Schuster) The Other Alcott by Elise Hooper, of Seattle (HarperCollins) Solar Reboot by Matthew D. Hunt, of Clearview (Matthew… Continue reading

  • Library Reads: New books for February 2018

    This month’s Library Reads includes a book by a Washington author (The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah), a novel set in a library (Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern), and a memoir reviewed by one of our librarians (Educated by Tara Westover). Time to place some holds! The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah Leni and… Continue reading

  • Read Local: 2017 Washington Book Award winners

    Read Local: 2017 Washington Book Award winners

    Here’s to the finalists and winners of the 2017 Washington State Book Awards, celebrating books and their creators that speak to the creative talent and literary legacy of our state. More than 200 books were considered for this year’s awards. Taking home the top awards on October 14, 2017, in eight categories were: Continue reading

  • New books from Washington authors: September 2017

    We are thrilled to share some of the latest books published by authors in Washington state! First up, three novels for adults, beginning with one from a former SPL librarian: George & Lizzie by Nancy Pearl: From “America’s librarian” and NPR books commentator Nancy Pearl comes an emotionally riveting debut novel about an unlikely marriage at… Continue reading

  • Library Reads: 10 top picks for September 2017

    Extra celebrating this month with the Library Reads Top Ten list — because two local authors are shining bright on this selection of books that librarians across the U.S. are loving! Our beloved Nancy Pearl, former librarian at The Seattle Public Library, has a debut novel you must place on hold now! And Jamie Ford,… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2017: Washington State Authors

    Not to brag too much about the Evergreen state (clearly bragging here), but it’s not actually much of a challenge to ask someone to read a local author. If you’re playing Summer Book Bingo with us, you have hundreds — seriously hundreds — of excellent choices for books to read to fill your “Washington state… Continue reading

  • Books for Giving: Nonfiction by Washington authors

    Keep it local this season by reading (and giving) books by Washington state authors. Here’s a selection of  local authors’ nonfiction titles — a biography of the Romanov family confidante (Rasputin),  a look at some pivotal  feminists (Dead Feminists), an animal history of Seattle (The City Is More Than Human), a look at what went… Continue reading

  • Two Nonfiction books about the Pacific Northwest: ‘The Boys in the Boat’ and ‘The Boy Who Shot the Sheriff’

    I must confess–every year I tell myself that I will try to read more nonfiction and ever year I read a bit more but perhaps not as much as I had intended. Last year I happened to read two nonfiction titles that delve into different slices of Washington state history. First, I had heard so… Continue reading

  • Where It’s At: New books by local authors

    This fall brings a particulary good bumper crop of new books by local authors. There must be something in the air/water/mountains/evergreens/coffee to generate this much awesomeness in one place. Here are some new and upcoming releases to kickstart your fall with some Pacific Northwest flavor: Blasphemy: New and Selected Short Stories by Sherman Alexie Sherman Alexie… Continue reading