Category Archives: Reading

On Books, Fathers, and Travel

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Laura Stanfill

I’m in Santa Fe for PubWest’s annual conference, with the theme “A Passion for Books.” My traveling companion is H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald, a tightly written, stunning, visceral memoir about training a goshawk in the wake of her … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Reading | 2 Comments

Author Interview: Lauren Kessler on Counterclockwise, Narrative Nonfiction, and Technology Use in Media

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Laura Stanfill

Lauren Kessler actively engages in her material, whether it’s working with Alzheimer’s patients, sitting through middle school classes or sweating through a two-week fitness bootcamp. She funnels research, interviews and hands-on experience through her own perspective, distilling all that material … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Reading, Seven Questions, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Amazing Amanda Coplin

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Laura Stanfill

Imagine an overflow crowd of readers, asking questions about your characters as if they were real people. I was one of the few people at Annie Bloom’s Books in Portland on Monday night who hadn’t yet experienced The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fiction, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

What It’s Like to Read at Powell’s

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Laura Stanfill

This essay is a more personal response to our Jan. 7 Brave on the Page event at Powell’s City of Books. I close my eyes. The lighting is that good golden light, the kind of evening glow that’s hard to photograph, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Community, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Quick: How Do You Handle Nerves?

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Laura Stanfill

I’m getting surprisingly nervous today, as we approach this evening’s Powell’s reading. I’ve read in public before–not tons of times, but enough to know I can get up on stage, or behind the podium, look out at friends and family … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 26 Comments

Dream Come True

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Laura Stanfill

These days, when you hear authors talking about the dream-come-true scenario of getting an agent, or a publishing deal, the dream isn’t always what they expected. Times have changed significantly. Advances, for instance, I was told earlier this week by … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Happy News–and the Shrinking of Newspapers’ Book Coverage

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Laura Stanfill

We have a lot of new author interviews coming up in 2013, including Anthony Lee Collins of U-town scheduled for New Year’s Eve. My writer-friend Kristen Forbes had her essay “Dream Girl” published in The Rumpus last week. It’s a candid … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Journalism, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Book of the Year and Other News

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Laura Stanfill

I’m new to being a small press publisher, with my first title just released in October, and I’ve already learned how much time marketing and setting up readings takes away from working with the words themselves. I’ve also learned that … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Author Interview: Jon Bell on the Allure of Mount Hood, the Research Process and Tips on Becoming a Freelance Writer

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Laura Stanfill

Jon Bell, a full-time freelance writer, turned his love of Mount Hood into a comprehensive book about the mountain. His journalism background shows in how he approaches his 11,245-foot subject from every conceivable angle, including on foot with his wife … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Journalism, Reading, Seven Questions, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Check the Chairs: 15 Tips on Setting up Successful Readings

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Laura Stanfill

Have you always wanted to share your writing with the public? Or dreamed of standing on stage and reading from your novel-in-progress? Anyone can set up a reading and invite an audience. You don’t even need a book to sell–but … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments