libraries
“Clash of the Books,” Part III
(For parts I and II of Sabrina Flynn’s award-winning “Clash of the Books,” scroll down to the earlier posts, or wait until Tuesday for the entire story.) III “Your wife is certainly something.” “Assuming this is her dream, I’m inclined to agree,” Holmes remarked drily. “And if it’s not?” Kate enquired. “I suggest we discover…
Read More“Clash of the Books,” Part II
(For part I of Sabrina Flynn’s award-winning “Clash of the Books,” scroll down to yesterday’s post, or wait until Tuesday for the entire story.) II “Run, you fools!” A lash of flame descended with a sizzling snap. The detectives and librarian ran, taking cover in the Natural Sciences aisle. Black smoke gathered, writhing…
Read MoreContest winner: “Clash of the Books”
Every year we run a contest celebrating National Library Week, asking readers to talk about their love for libraries. This year I posed the challenge of explaining what “library” means, to someone like a Martian—and said that there would be extra points if the essay/poem/etc mentioned Kate Martinelli, whose 20th anniversary 2013 is. I loved…
Read MoreLiving in libraries
What is the purpose of a library? What is a library? A safe place, a place where the imagination can run riot, a place where I can find a job or learn a skill or use the computer or discover something new, every single day. I love libraries. One of my earliest memories is of…
Read MoreLibraries! Yes!
In case you didn’t open your newsletter (you are signed up for the News, aren’t you?) you may not have seen two Events With Deadlines, both celebrating next week’s National Library Week. Event the First: A contest. There’s a complete set of five Martinelli hardbacks with your name on it–or rather, with my name on…
Read MoreA literary soirée
The third event of the recent Pacific Northwest Library Extravaganza was a soirée called Author! Author! at the gorgeous offices of architects Rice/Fergus/Miller in Bremerton. Over the Puget Sound area’s most tasty appetizers, thriller writer Kevin O’Brien and I talked books– –and writing and drank some beer and talked and answered questions and… well, I…
Read MoreLibraries & love: a ferry tale
My second event for the recent LRK Pacific Northwest Library Extravaganza was even more unusual than in a library built over a river, although this, too, had a watery theme. Once upon a time (last year) I came across an article about a book group that meets on a ferry. These are regular commuters who…
Read MoreLaurie’s Libraries (WA edition)
As part of the 20th anniversary Laurie Loves Libraries extravaganza, I’m packing my bags for a Pacific Northwest Literary storm, due to hit WA tomorrow. That’s right, Thursday, March 14: 2:00 at the Renton library; 4:40 on the Seattle-Bainbridge Island ferry; 7:00 at the library in Bremerton, continuing Friday at 10:00 in Poulsbo. Whew! Surely…
Read MoreLibrary contest, V and VI
I said in the rules of the contest that mention of one of my books wouldn’t give a person any extra points, but… I loved the depiction of childhood glee in Susan M’s piece, since who wouldn’t love a secret passageway into a world of books? But honestly, I had to recognize Kathy Eliot, who…
Read MoreThrills in the library stacks
The fourth winner in last month’s library contest is Beth Anne, whose piece offers insight into the richness and humanity of archival research. Archival research usually consists of long stretches of boredom punctuated by tedium, until bits of evidence start to tumble out of the documents. There is nothing like this sense of discovery, which…
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