Location: Portland, Oregon 97239-4605, United States

Married writer Jay Ponteri finds himself infatuated with a woman other than his wife and writes a manuscript to explore his feelings. Discovery of this manuscript understandably strains his marriage. Wedlocked offers readers an intimate, idiosyncratic view of a human institution that can so often fail, leaving its inhabitants lonely and adrift. The narrator struggles with living deep inside his thoughts and dreams while yearning to be known and loved by either woman in his life. For many marrieds, attraction to people other than their spouses has long been a classic refrain, and even President Jimmy Carter famously admitted to Playboy, "I've looked on a lot of women with lust. I've committed adultery in my heart many times … The guy who's loyal to his wife ought not to be condescending or proud because of the relative degree of sinfulness." Ponteri lays bare his inner life and in doing so provides all of us in monogamous relationships rich material to consider.

Jay will be joined by Portland poet Emily Kendall Frey for readings from her new poetry chapbook collection, Baguette, and to engage in a discussion (with audience participation encouraged!).

Location: Street: 7834 SW Capitol Hwy City: Portland, Province: Oregon Postal Code: 97219-2466 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Juliet by Anne Fortier
Juliet by Anne Fortier
NOOK Simple Touch
NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight
NOOK HD+ Tablet Slate 16GB

Book Group Italians and non-Italians will want to drop by to discuss Anne Fortier's New York Times bestseller Juliet, a Novel. New book club members welcome! (added from Barnes & Noble)… (more)

Alternately funny, menacing, and deeply empathetic, the wildly inventive stories in Ethan Rutherford's The Peripatetic Coffin mark the debut of a powerful new voice in contemporary fiction

Worried about waning enrollment, the head counselor of the world's worst summer camp leads his campers on a series of increasingly dubious escapades in an effort to revive their esprit de corps. A young boy on a sailing vacation with his father comes face-to-face with a dangerous stranger, and witnesses a wrenching act of violence. Parents estranged from their disturbed son must gird themselves for his visit, even as they cannot face each other. And in the dazzling title story, the beleaguered crew of the first Confederate submarine embarks on their final, doomed mission during the closing days of the Civil War.

Whether set aboard a Czarist-era Russian ship locked in Arctic ice, on a futuristic whaling expedition whose depredations guarantee the environmental catastrophe that is their undoing, or in a suburban basement where two grade-school friends articulate their mutual obsessions, these strange, imaginative, and refreshingly original stories explore the ways in which we experience the world: as it is, as it could be, and the dark contours that lie between.

Location: Street: 7834 SW Capitol Hwy City: Portland, Province: Oregon Postal Code: 97219-2466 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Deep in the heart of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula lies Temple Grove, one of the last stands of ancient Douglas firs not under federal protection from logging. Bill Newton, a gyppo logger desperate for work and a place to hide, has come to Temple Grove for the money to be made from the timber. There to stop him is Paul, a young Makah environmentalist who will break the law to save the trees.

A dangerous chase into the wilds of Olympic National Park ensues, revealing a long-hidden secret that inextricably links the two men. Joining the pursuit are FBI agents who target Paul as an ecoterrorist, and his mother, Trace, who is determined to protect him. Temple Grove is a gripping tale of suspense and a multilayered novel of place that captures in taut, luminous prose the traditions that tie people to this powerful landscape and the conflicts that run deep among them.

Scott Elliott is associate professor of creative writing and English at Whitman College and author of the novel Coiled in the Heart. He lives in Walla Walla, Washington.

Location: Street: 7834 SW Capitol Hwy City: Portland, Province: Oregon Postal Code: 97219-2466 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Deep in the heart of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula lies Temple Grove, one of the last stands of ancient Douglas firs not under federal protection from logging. Bill Newton, a gyppo logger desperate for work and a place to hide, has come to Temple Grove for the money to be made from the timber. There to stop him is Paul, a young Makah environmentalist who will break the law to save the trees.

A dangerous chase into the wilds of Olympic National Park ensues, revealing a long-hidden secret that inextricably links the two men. Joining the pursuit are FBI agents who target Paul as an ecoterrorist, and his mother, Trace, who is determined to protect him. Temple Grove is a gripping tale of suspense and a multilayered novel of place that captures in taut, luminous prose the traditions that tie people to this powerful landscape and the conflicts that run deep among them.

Scott Elliott is associate professor of creative writing and English at Whitman College and author of the novel Coiled in the Heart. He lives in Walla Walla, Washington.

Location: Street: 7834 SW Capitol Hwy City: Portland, Province: Oregon Postal Code: 97219-2466 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Saturday, May 25 • 1–5 p.m. • Conference Room

Oregon’s Poet Laureate Paulann Petersen will lead a poetry writing workshop in a small supportive group. It is open to all poets regardless of experience. Born and raised in Oregon, Petersen has been Oregon’s Poet Laureate since 2010. Among her many publications are The Wild Awake, Blood-Silk, A Bride of Narrow Escape and Kindle. Because of limited space, registration is required and will begin Wednesday, May 1. Call 503-718-2517.

The poet laureate position is a collaborative project of the state’s five statewide cultural partners, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Humanities and State Historic Preservation Office. The position is funded by the Oregon Cultural Trust and managed by Oregon Humanities. (amanderson)… (more)

Lurlene McDaniel (All the Days of Her Life, Always and Forever, Angel of Hope, Angel of Mercy, Angels in Pink: Holly's Story, Angels in Pink: Kathleen's story, Angels in Pink: Raina's Story, Angels Watching Over Me, A Rose for Melinda, A Season for Goodbye, As Long as We Both Shall Live, A Time to Die, Baby Alicia Is Dying, Breathless, Briana's Gift)

“I write the kind of books I write because I want to help kids understand that nobody gets to pick what life dishes out to them. What you do get to choose is how you respond to what life gives you. No matter what happens, life is a gift. And always worth living.”—Lurlene McDaniel Lurlene McDaniel is a recipient of the RITA Award and several of her works have received the IRA–CBC Children’s Choice Award.ABOUT THE AUTHOR Everyone loves a good cry, and no one delivers heartwrenching stories better than Lurlene McDaniel. But there’s more to her books than that. McDaniel has written over 40 novels about kids who face life-threatening illnesses, who sometimes do not survive. These are powerful, inspirational stories about courage, love, and strength in the face of overwhelming trauma. McDaniel’s books touch the hearts and spirits of the teenagers and adults who read them. Her following is a devoted group of appreciative fans. McDaniel says: “These are books that challenge you and make you think.” Some readers—and their parents—have wondered why McDaniel chooses to write about sad situations. “I tell them that sometimes tragedy hits people—kids, too. They want answers. They want to know ‘why.’ By using novels, I show ordinary kids confronting and overcoming great odds.” McDaniel’s books are ultimately optimistic and life-affirming. McDaniel began writing about young adults when her son Sean was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at the age of 3. His illness changed the lives of everyone in her family forever. “I saw what life was like for someone who was chronically ill, and I experienced how it affected the dynamics of the family,” says McDaniel. She says she found that writing about the trauma and its effects was therapeutic. To make certain that her books are medically accurate, McDaniel conducts extensive research. She interviews health care professionals and works with appropriate medical groups and hospice organizations, as well as the Tennessee Organ Donor Services. “I study medicine and traditional grief therapy techniques to give the novels a sense of serious medical reality,” she says. “I also study the Bible to instill the human element—the values and ethics often overlooked by the coldness of technology.” Growing up, McDaniel lived in different parts of the country because her father was in the Navy. Eventually her family settled in Florida. She attended the University of South Florida in Tampa, where she earned a B.A. in English. She now lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In addition to her popular YA novels, McDaniel has written radio and television scripts, promotional and advertising copy, and a magazine column. She is a frequent speaker at schools, writers’ conferences, and conventions. McDaniel’s books have been named to several bestseller lists, including Publishers Weekly. Three of her novels were selected by children as IRA–CBC Children’s Choices: Somewhere Between Life and Death, Too Young to Die, and Goodbye Doesn’t Mean Forever. Six Months to Live has been placed in a literary time capsule at the Library of Congress, to be opened in the year 2089. The One Last Wish books focus on the interconnected stories of the residents and counselors of Jenny House—a group home for critically and terminally ill young girls. Through the kindness of a secret benefactor, each girl receives a cashier’s check for $100,000, to be used to make her last wish come true. Every One Last Wish novel is a compassionate story of triumph and inspiration that makes McDaniel’s dedicated fans come back for more. McDaniel’s works include To Live Again, one of the Dawn Rochelle books; Angel of Mercy, the companion to Angel of Hope; and How Do I Love Thee, three stories about young couples who are inspired by Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s beautiful sonnet. In her novel, Telling Christina Goodbye, McDaniel shows that everything can change in the blink of an eye.PRAISE ANGELS WATCHING OVER ME “An interesting blend of romance, mystery, and problem novel. The characters are captivating and sensitively drawn and the plot is fast paced.”—School Library Journal DON’T DIE, MY LOVE “Touching scenes abound in this crisis novel. . . . Fans of tear-jerker teen romances will enjoy this offering.”—Booklist I’LL BE SEEING YOU “A satisfying story for those who like to take their romance with tears and gutsy characters who know what it means to live beyond the pale of ‘normal.’ ”—School Library Journal SAVING JESSICA “Readers of McDaniel will enjoy; it’s good to read positive stories about teens.”—VOYA SHE DIED TOO YOUNG “McDaniel has a way of getting you to look at the complicated emotions experienced by YAs with major medical problems. . . . Another winner in her One Last Wish series.”—KLIATT STARRY, STARRY NIGHT “The stories are absorbing, the characters are well developed, and the author does not resolve the girls’ dilemmas with pat solutions. . . . This has solid YA appeal.”—School Library Journal TOO YOUNG TO DIE and GOODBYE DOESN’T MEAN FOREVER “These companion novels . . . cast the events of high school into a meaningful perspective and allow for convincing character development. McDaniel’s writing is light and well suited to this refreshing and involving story.”—Publishers Weekly (added from Random House)… (more)

Navigation by Brittney Corrigan
Navigation by Brittney Corrigan
NOOK Simple Touch
NOOK HD Tablet Snow 8GB

Book Group, Author Event We welcome local talent Brittney Corrigan and Deborah Akers to our Last Tuesdays Poetry Group. Both will read their work in between open mic performances. We feature a full menu Cafe and the largest selection of poetry titles in Vancouver. (added from Barnes & Noble)… (more)

Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Scott Magoon (Illustrator)
Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Scott Magoon (Illustrator)
NOOK HD Tablet Snow 8GB

Storytime Spoon has always been a happy utensil. But lately he's felt jealous of Fork, Knife and Chopsticks. Are they really better? Amy Krouse Rosenthal has created a gentle reminder about what makes each of us special. Crafts and Cafe snacks too. (added from Barnes & Noble)… (more)

NOOK HD Tablet Snow 8GB by Barnes & Noble
NOOK HD+ Tablet Slate 32GB by Barnes & Noble
NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight by Barnes & Noble
NOOK HD+ Tablet Slate 16GB by Barnes & Noble

Book Group Creative quilters and passionate readers from southwest Washington get together and talk about good books during this last Wednesdays event. Check bn.com/events for our May title! (added from Barnes & Noble)… (more)

Daria Gibron is a woman with a deadly past and an uncertain future. A former Shin-Bet agent now in exile in the U.S. and under the protection of the F.B.I., she works primarily as an interpreter. But Daria is a thrill junkie who can't resist the occasional freelance job as an operative—a habit that has left her with a trail of corpses behind her, and a few still living, very dangerous, high-powered enemies who would stop at nothing to get revenge.

En route to an impromptu meeting with an old contact from her days in the Israeli Secret Service, Daria gets an unexpected and anonymous tipoff that she's about to walk into an ambush. Unsure who is after her, or why, she slips away from her followers and soon learns that she's been set up—and set up good. Someone has linked her to a much sought-after terrorist, and now all the resources of the U.S. intelligence community are being marshaled against her. As she tries to escape the ever-tightening snare laid out for her, someone else is using the operation against her as a distraction to hijack a very dangerous, highly guarded shipment. Now the only person who can keep this shipment from falling into terrorist hands is the one person they chose to set up as a diversion. Daria Gibron is many things—trigger-happy, resourceful, focused, and extremely dangerous —but the one thing she isn't is anybody's fool.

Location: Street: 7834 SW Capitol Hwy City: Portland, Province: Oregon Postal Code: 97219-2466 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)