OCT. 1
ERIN PRINGLE: UNEXPECTED WEATHER EVENTS
Spokane writer Erin Pringle grew up in the rural Midwest, but she's called Spokane home for over 10 years now. Her newest work's title, Unexpected Weather Events, can be applied to both the Midwest and Spokane's ever-fluctuating conditions. In the collection, Pringle shares stories of characters who navigate perilous conditions and treacherous landscapes in order to overcome predicaments in their lives. To celebrate the new book's publication, Pringle hosts a reading with musicians Liz Rognes and Neil Elwell, who perform while she signs copies. Shadle Park Library, 2-4 pm, free, spokanelibrary.org (MP)
OCT. 14
THE SPOKANE CLOCKTOWER MYSTERIES
Just as October's eerie vibes begin to settle, author Patricia Meredith returns to celebrate her Spokane Clock Tower Mysteries series with a special event at the MAC. Set in 1901 Spokane, the "cozy" detective series is described as "Agatha Christie meets Murdoch Mysteries" with a cast of characters, from heiresses to detectives, who become entangled in a web of suspicion. While the books touch on historical people, places and regional events, the rest is a work of well-researched fiction and mystery. Learn how Meredith crafted her novels' realistic old-Spokane setting, and go on a special tour of the Campbell House. A book signing in the carriage house concludes the afternoon. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 12-4 pm, free, northwestmuseum.org (CS)
OCT. 20
BEDTIME STORIES
Good stories can make us feel safe. The best stories can make us feel sleepy. Cuddle up with Humanities Washington to hear bedtime stories from Washington's own award-winning authors. Charles Johnson, Jess Walter, and writing couple Sharma Shields and Simeon Mills all reveal original work written especially for the evening, themed "Quarter Moon." Johnson's stories often illuminate race and philosophy, Walter's portraits frequently feature recognizable local landmarks, Shields loves monsters, and Mills loves robots. No matter what you need for a good night's sleep, these authors are almost certain to read it to you. If nothing else, you'll be able to drift off in the knowledge that you're supporting good literature in your community for years to come. So grab your teddy and settle in for a night of wild imagination and sweet dreams. Chateau Rive, 6 pm, $150, humanities.org (EB)
OCT. 21, 27 & 29
LORA SENF: THE NIGHTHOUSE KEEPER
After the success of her debut middle-grade horror novel, The Clackity, released in June 2022, local author Lora Senf is back with her second Blight Harbor mystery, The Nighthouse Keeper. The novel follows a brave, young girl named Evie as she navigates the spooky town of Blight Harbor as the town's ghosts start to disappear. Evie must figure out where they've gone before it's too late. Senf is celebrating with release/signing parties at Auntie's Bookstore (Oct. 21), Giant Nerd Books (Oct. 27) and Wishing Tree Books (Oct. 29). Times vary, free, lorasenf.com (MP)
OCT. 23
TOM MUELLER: HOW TO MAKE A KILLING
Patients and profits. Inequality, greed and malpractice. Tom Mueller's How to Make a Killing: Blood, Death and Dollars in American Medicine is the type of reporting you hate to read and can't put down. Join Mueller as he shares about his most recent work chronicling the crime and characters of the dialysis industry. A freelancer for The New Yorker, National Geographic and The Atlantic, Mueller's previous exposés include a cultural history of whistleblowing and an investigation into the mysterious world of extra virgin olive oil. A Harvard and Oxford graduate from east Texas, with a past life as a Goldman Sachs associate and a classical guitar devotee, Mueller's unique background helps him see the secret stories and bloody dollars coursing just under the surface of our lives. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 7 pm, $10-$45, spokesman.com/northwest-passages (EB)
OCT. 24
AN EVENING WITH SABRINA IMBLER
Living in the treacherous and mysterious depths of the ocean is a hard reality to imagine, but Sabrina Imbler's latest work, How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures profiles 10 species and their unique underwater experiences. Each essay depicts a sense of community and family for these otherworldly creatures, and their unique traits in adaptation, sexuality and survival. Imbler's writing invites readers to change the way we envision both their lives and our own. The writer and science journalist from Brooklyn visits Gonzaga University as part of the English department's annual Visiting Writers Series. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 7:30 pm, free, gonzaga.edu/mwpac (SSa)
OCT. 26
SPOKANE IS READING: KIM FU
Garnering enticing, enthusiastic reviews — like this one from TIME: "Bold...profound...surreal and clever. Fu brings magical realism to exciting heights." — Kim Fu's short story collection Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century tempts readers to dive without hesitation into its weird and wonderful worlds. Which makes it an ideal choice as this year's featured title for Spokane is Reading, the annual community reading initiative that culminates with an in-person event with the author. Within this vivid collection, Fu crafts 12 distinct and increasingly surreal worlds and possibilities touching on death, guilt, technology, sexuality and more. The Seattle-based author meets Spokane readers for two free, public events, so don't wait too long to pick up a copy from a local library or bookstore. Spokane Valley Library (1 pm), Central Library (7 pm), free, spokaneisreading.org (CS)
OCT. 27
CARLA CRUJIDO: THE STRANGE BEAUTIFUL
For those of us lucky enough to live inside beautiful, old buildings, imagining the lives of past residents who traced our same footsteps can be an entertaining and even eerie exercise of the imagination. That's sort of the premise behind Carla Crujido's debut short story collection, The Strange Beautiful, which weaves magical tales of the residents of a historic Spokane apartment building — a very real place on the lower South Hill called the Mt. Vernon Apartments — throughout the past century. The Strange Beautiful is already available for purchase, and Crujido is hosting an in-person workshop (Writing Everyday Magic) as part of the Spokane Writers Conference on Oct. 27, followed by a reading at Auntie's that evening. Auntie's Bookstore, 7 pm, free, auntiesbooks.com (CS)
OCT. 27-28
SPOKANE WRITERS CONFERENCE
Whether you're an aspiring writer or seasoned professional, the Spokane Writers Conference can help writers at any stage of their career develop their style and find inspiration for new literary works. Through 18 workshops and panels across its two-day run, attendees can learn about a variety of writing styles and gather tips and tricks from professionals in different fields, including the Inlander's own Arts & Culture editor Chey Scott. This year's conference covers everything from poetry and children's literature to researching, revising and publishing. Sat from 10:30 am-4:30 pm (Central Library); Sun from 9:30 am-5:15 pm (Spokane Valley Library), free, spokanewriterscon2023.rsvpify.com (SSa)
NOV. 7-10
EVERYBODY READS: JOANNE TOMPKINS
Traversing the complex paths of life often requires resilience, passion and the ability to transform oneself. These themes are deeply explored in JoAnne Tompkins' novel, What Comes After. During a prior career as a trial lawyer and mediator, Tompkins frequently witnessed people going through periods of intense conflict, as well as their determination to move forward. Inspired by these emotional moments, her novel follows a community grieving the mysterious loss of two teenage boys. As this year's featured author for Everybody Reads, a regional community reading program in the Palouse and Lewis-Clark Valley, Tompkins makes several stops to discuss her work with the public. Times and locations vary, see website for details; free, everybody-reads.org (SSa)
NOV. 14
JONATHAN EVISON: AGAIN AND AGAIN
New York Times bestselling novelist Jonathan Evison heads to Spokane to present his latest novel, Again and Again. The book follows protagonist Eugene "Geno" Miles, a seemingly ordinary elderly man living out the rest of his days in a nursing home. However, as Geno's new nursing assistant Angel learns, he's anything but normal. Claiming to have lived many lives over a thousand years, Geno insists that he's been searching all this time for a lost love he first encountered in medieval Spain. Angel tries to discover the truth and while doing so learns, along with the reader, that love is timeless, elusive and sometimes right in front of you. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 7 pm, $10-$45, gonzaga.edu/mwpac (AT) ♦
