NWBookTalk

Julie McDonald Zander – Bringing an Oregon Trail Pioneer’s Story to Life Southwest Washington author, journalist, and historian Julie McDonald Zander joins Patty Grasher on Northwest Book Talk to discuss The Reluctant Pioneer, her historical novel inspired by the true story of Matilda Koontz Jackson. After discovering Matilda’s story while volunteering at a local museum,

Author and historian Richard Moreno joins Northwest Book Talk to discuss his newest book, Washington Historic Places on the National Register. Moreno is a longtime journalist, former publisher of Nevada Magazine, and history writer who now lives in Ellensburg, Washington. His latest book highlights 50 historic places from around the state, chosen from more than

Richard Wing: The Remarkable Story of Vancouver’s Old Apple Tree Richard Wing has spent years bringing the history of Fort Vancouver to life as a volunteer certified interpretive guide. Now he has turned one piece of that history into a children’s book about Vancouver’s remarkable Old Apple Tree. Working with local artist Pam Gunn, Wing

Nicole M. Miller: Horses, History and Until Our Time Comes Nicole M. Miller is a Southwest Washington historical fiction author, lifelong horsewoman, and award-winning journalist whose love of horses and history comes together in her novel Until Our Time Comes. Set in Poland during World War II, the novel follows a story of courage, survival,

Northwest Book Talk host Patty Grasher talks with Corbin Muck, author of High Water Heavy, a hard-boiled mystery set in 1948 Portland, Oregon. Corbin shares what drew him to this pivotal period in Portland history, how extensive research helped shape the world of the novel, and how two very different private investigators became the center

Northwest Book Talk host Patty Grasher talks with Judith Dickenson Ackaret, author of the Die-cut Cozy Mysteries, about the unusual path that took her from criminal investigations and composite art to cozy mystery writing. Judith also shares how paper crafting became part of her fictional world and how teaching crafts to adults with developmental disabilities

Book Fair in Review: Authors, Media, and Northwest Storytelling On this episode of Northwest Book Talk, host Patty Grasher reflects on the 2026 Northwest Book Fair & Media Fest, a community event bringing together regional authors, readers, media creators, workshop presenters, volunteers, and sponsors. Patty looks back at the purpose of the fair, the energy

Christy Peterson on Bookselling, Local Authors, and Vintage Books Patty Grasher talks with Christy Peterson, nonfiction writer, editor, and bookseller at Vintage Books in Vancouver, Washington. Christy shares an inside look at how local and indie authors can approach bookstores, what makes a book a good fit for consignment, and why authors need to actively

Monika Spykerman: Finding the Human Story Behind the Headlines Feature writer Monika Spykerman of The Columbian joins Patty Grasher to discuss the art of human-interest storytelling and why people are often the most important part of any story. Monika shares her unconventional path from newsroom assistant to feature writer, how she discovers story ideas, and

Dawn Sellers of POV Filmmakers: Bringing Stories from Page to Screen How does a story become a film? In this episode of Northwest Book Talk, Patty Grasher talks with screenwriter Dawn Sellers of POV Filmmakers, a Vancouver-based nonprofit supporting independent filmmakers through collaboration, education, and production. Dawn shares how authors can use film trailers to