As storms brew in the sky eight months out of the year, so too do the erroneous desires of the fickle-hearted. It should come as no surprise that the Pacific Northwest is often the setting for thrillers and cozy mysteries. Recognizing the morose underbelly rustling sleepily beneath the state’s beautiful flesh, these Oregon authors are taking those creepy campfire stories to the next level with their Pacific Northwest cozy mysteries.
literature
Key Literary Figures in the City of Roses
By Grace Hansen @thegracieve
Portland wouldn’t be the City of Roses without the early influences of certain literary figures in Oregon’s history.
Reproductive Pairing: Books, Podcasts, and Taboos
By Elle Klock @elleklock
It’s helpful to have a fictional way to explore the potential fallout that faces us when our government makes decisions about our bodies. These novels offer context and shine a beam of empathy into a situation that has become highly politicized. Ravenous for more information, I took a dive into digital conversations surrounding health, reproductive rights, and motherhood.
Going All the Way: The Challenges of Editing Sex Scenes
By Olivia Rollins
The Bad Sex in Fiction Award teaches us several things: first, many novels contain profoundly cringeworthy sex scenes; second, even great writers often flounder when they try to write about sex; and finally, there are plenty of editors who (perhaps begrudgingly, or perhaps because they too are at a loss for how to approach this subject) are letting these giggle-inducing scenes sneak through to publication. This state of affairs might lead us to wonder, Why is it so hard to write about sex? And, more importantly, what can editors do to help?
To Be or Not to Be: An Interactive Approach to Classic Literature
By Ari Mathae @Ari_Mathae
Gamebooks are about being able to play around in a familiar world, make mistakes, and try again. Interactive books for adults do just that, but this time, the majority of choose-your-path books are focusing on classic and well-known stories, rather than the nostalgic stereotypes found in the kids’ series. Interactive books use the stories of classics––Austen, Shakespeare, historical romance––to give adult readers a chance to toy with the literary worlds they have known and loved.
Poetic Communication: What it means for writers and editors
By Tiffany Watson
Creating an original voice, going against the grain of convention, has little to do with the spark we are often told about. Rather, it is a conscious effort to know the rules and when to innovate.