posts about books, literature, storytelling, stories, story slams, poetry slams, word performances, readings, etc.
by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS Olympia Zine Fest (OZF) makes its second annual appearance this fall. The fun begins Sept. 30 with a pre-fest celebration with special New Orleans guest Osa Atoe. The main event, the tabling expo, takes place Oct. 1, and a number of workshops begin the following day. There will also …
by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS As the seasons change from green to orange, Old Growth Poetry Collective continues to bring poetry events to Olympia. The collective’s weekly poetry show, “Olympia People’s Mic,” takes place every Thursday evening at Ben Moore’s Restaurant. Every first and third Thursday event will take the form of Olympia’s only …
Anna Badkhen writes about people in extremis, exposing the world’s iniquities by honoring the lives these iniquities most affect. Her investigation into what it means to live in the Global South has yielded five books of lyrical nonfiction, most recently Walking With Abel: Journeys With the Nomads of the African Savannah, a book about transience …
Theater Artists Olympia (TAO) will present an evening of science fiction in the Midnight Sun Performance Space. This event marks the sixth installment in the ongoing series Words, Words, Words, a sardonic quotation from Hamlet. Full disclosure: This collection of sci-fi classics was curated by OLY ARTS‘ managing editor, Christian Carvajal, himself a published author …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS The downtown Olympia Timberland Regional Library now has a child-size, handmade bookmobile built by local woodworker Jay T. Scott, with a painting of otters on the back by artist Nikki McClure. On the side is an aphorism hand-lettered by Ira Coyne–“You Otter Be READING!”–and a poem, also lettered by …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS Could Border Songs be on its way to becoming a TV show by acclaimed Canadian screenwriter Graeme Manson, the man behind the award-winning BBC series Orphan Black? It’s taken the first step. Last week, Olympia novelist Jim Lynch announced that Manson purchased an option for TV and movie rights …
by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS This summer Olympia will host a number of authors and writers at events ranging from book signings to story readings. Literary enthusiasts are encouraged to come out and lend their support to the written word. The Interminables Paige Orwin will visit the Olympia Timberland Library to discuss her …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS Political activist Kris Hermes is the author of a new nonfiction book entitled Crashing the Party: Legacies and Lessons From the RNC 2000. He’ll be at Orca Books on Saturday, June 25, at 3 p.m. for a reading and signing from his insightful new work. Michael Ratner, president emeritus …
Olympia author Ned Hayes has published multiple novels. His most recent novel, The Eagle Tree, is his first published with a major publisher: Little A, in New York City. The Eagle Tree is an Olympia-focused novel. All the action takes place in Olympia, and scenes in the novel include experiences from LBA Woods, Procession of the Species, …