LGBT History Month 2019
by Lois H. (they/them or she/her) October is LGBT History Month! Started in 1994 by high school teacher Rodney Wilson, this monthly observance is a time to celebrate the diverse and longstanding history of the LGBTQIA+ community. The celebration also coincides with National Coming Out Day on October 11.
Some Like it Hot
by Marie B. Well, the sun has set on another Pacific Northwest summer. Some years we’re lucky to have two weeks of warmish weather all season long, but we had a good run in 2019. While I enjoy the warm days, the mercury can only rise so high before it gets to be too hot […]
Movies That Should Have Won Best Picture
by Craig B. I shouldn’t let petty things get stuck in my craw, but every time I watch Apocalypse Now, I’m somewhat perplexed that it didn’t win Best Picture; It’s one of my favorite flicks. Its primeval mass pulls you down the Nung River and deposits you in the jungle like a fragment of Kurtz’s […]
Crossing Borders
By Kristi S. I’ve written before about the power of fiction to both educate and entertain. Obviously, nonfiction is incredibly important, giving voice to real experiences, but fiction adds extra emotion for me. For that reason, I turn to fiction when I am looking to take a deep dive into current events. I want to be […]
Harvey Awards
By Kaley Nominees for the Harvey Awards have been announced, and it looks like a solid selection to choose from. The Harvey Awards started in 1988 as a way for peers in the comics industry to celebrate exceptional work. This year they’ll award creators for Book of the Year, Digital Book of the Year, Best […]
Infernal Adaptations
by Lois H. Every summer, I look forward to packing a perfect picnic and settling in to enjoy some Shakespeare in the park. Recently, I attended performances of the three plays in the Island Shakespeare Festival’s tenth anniversary season. I cried through The Winter’s Tale. Cried with laughter through A Midsummer Night’s Dream. On the […]
Great Worldbuilding
By Jennifer K. One of the things I love about science fiction and fantasy is the worldbuilding. It’s hard to explain what good worldbuilding is, but you know bad worldbuilding when you read it. What if the world is exactly like our world, except everyone has magic powers? Then it wouldn’t be exactly like our world […]
Mind Hacks and Occipital Jacks: Cyberpunk Books and Media
By Isaac H. Before you think it, this blog post is not about the Borg from Star Trek. Sorry fellow Trekkies and Trekkers. It’s also not about the Cybermen, fellow Whovians. In all fairness it could’ve been about either. It might ‘kinda’ be about either. You know what, it probably will be at some point […]
Summer Thrills, Chills and Escapes
by Denise D. It’s August. The dog days of summer. The good-luck-finding-a-fan-nevermind-an-air-conditioner-in-the-store days of the year. Some people live for these days of relentless sun and heat. It makes them yearn to get outside: hike, swim, picnic, get sand between their toes. As much as I enjoy the long days and air of laziness the […]
Beyond Bestsellers: Nora Roberts
by Marina M. Welcome to August, fair readers. The one month of the year that even Washington feels the steamy, sultry summer weather. And, on that note, what’s more perfect for our Beyond Bestsellers theme for August than romance? Even if you don’t read romance, you’re likely to know the name Nora Roberts. She […]
