We really liked this Oregon Art Beat program featuring Hawthorne Books author Monica Drake when it came out a few years ago. It’s such a good slice of Monica, her Hawthorne title Clown Girl, and the rich and wacky literary world of Portland that we decided to put it on the blog this week. We also love that one of our favorite local media folks — Kelly Clarke, arts and culture editor at Willamette Week — was interviewed for the show.

If you haven’t read Clown Girl yet you can buy a copy directly from us for $10 including shipping and handling. And although I don’t think we really have to sell you on it at this point you should know what Chuck Palahniuk said about the book: “Clown Girl is more than a great book. Clown Girl is its own reality.”

Go clown around!

Loretta Stinson's friend Anja Spence of Miss Zumstein's Cakes and Desserts made a beautiful Ganesh ganache cake for the celebration. Tasted as good as it looks!

So many great people showed up last night for Loretta Stinson’s Little Green book launch party. Even though it was a Sunday night and on the later side with a 9pm start — it was a packed house. Some people in attendance include Debra Gwartney, Eduardo Fernandez, Tony Wolk, Hawthorne Books authors Kassten Alonso and soon to be Hawthorne authors Lidia Yuknavitch and David Rocklin. Here are a few snapshots from the night…

Some songs were sung by Loretta Stinson...

Rhonda Hughes introduced Loretta...

Loretta chatting it up with the lovely Debra Gwartney.

Hawthorne Books author Kassten Alonso with senior editor Adam O'Connor Rodriguez and his wife Sarah Flynn.

Books, books and more books.

Thanks to everyone for coming out!

Time to shake a leg and celebrate Little Green!

We’re all getting pretty excited over here counting down the days until the book launch party for Loretta Stinson’s Little Green. It’s fantastic to have a book launch party precede all sorts of great coverage from the likes of Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, The Rumpus, ForeWord Reviews and then some. When it comes down to it though we don’t need these publications to tell us what we already know. Little Green’s got it going on. Come celebrate with Loretta Stinson and the entire Hawthorne Books crew this Sunday night at Mississippi Pizza Pub!

Little Green Book Launch Party
No cover. All ages. Live music. Pizza and beer on us!
Sunday, July 18th 9:15-11:30pm
Mississippi Pizza Pub
3552 North Mississippi Ave.
Portland, OR
503.288.3231
www.mississippipizza.com

Live music from The Barkers
www.thebandthebarkers.com

On bookshelves nationwide!

Although publication dates are sometimes a bit slippery with books (you’ll often find titles on shelves a week to three weeks before pub. date) it’s still a momentous occasion for the writer and the publisher. Today Loretta Stinson’s Little Green is officially out in the world. We are very happy and so are a lot of you. We know because you’ve told us and so have the reviewers. Here are a few of the reviews rolling in…

Reading Local: Portland
Valet Reader
Brain Candy Book Reviews

A clip from the ForeWord Reviews piece:

Loretta Stinson successfully mixes drama with gritty reality in her first novel, in which she navigates the fraught waters of domestic violence and drug culture with a careful hand and compassionate heart…Her characters are dynamic and utterly real and while we may want to seal our eyes from the images she hands us it’s impossible not to watch, not to hurt for Janie…while her dreams slip further and further from her grasp.–Andie Diehn, ForeWord Reviews

This fine looking fellow, Frank Meeink, will be in PDX June 3-8 for readings and events.

A little more good news…

Since March 30th, Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead’s Frank Meeink has been on his 20-plus city book tour and this week he lands in Portland. From Ames, Iowa, to Chicago, Phoenix, New York City, Boston, LA, Las Vegas, and more Frank has been zigzagging across the country for book readings and events.

We’re looking forward to spending the better part of a week with him here and since we’re good at sharing we hope you’ll join us. Come one, come all!

Portland calendar:

June 5th, 9pm — Book launch party @ Mississippi Pizza Pub, live music by Nicole Berke, no cover and pizza and beer on us, 3552 N Mississippi Ave., Portland OR.
June 7th, 7:30pm — Reading @ Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside, Portland OR.
June 8th, 7pm — Reading @ Barnes & Noble Clackamas Town Center Mall, 12000 SE 82nd Ave., Portland OR.

Recent coverage:

Huffington Post
Ring of Fire Radio
Utne Reader
Coast to Coast
Fresh Air
Chicago Tribune

Check out this lit. conference this weekend in Portland!

Publisher and poet, Geoffrey Faber, once stated “The publisher is a middleman, he calls the tune to which the whole rest of the trade dances; and he does so because he pays the piper.”

For years writers have struggled with the task of not only dancing with, but first discovering what the publisher’s tune is. If only there was a way, a place, or a conference that could demystify the publishing process for writers. Thanks to the folks at Ooligan Press indeed there is now such a conference.

This Saturday, May 22, 2010, marks the first of what will hopefully become many Write to Publish conferences at Portland State University. Write to Publish is hosted by Ooligan Press—Portland State University’s publishing press affiliated with the Writing and Book Publishing program. This two-day event offers classes from industry professionals and speeches from local greats such as Chuck Palahniuk, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Shannon Wheeler—creator of Too Much Coffee Man.

Saturday, day one, is Workshop Day. Available workshops include The State of Publishing, Agent/Writer Relationships, The Dos and Don’ts of Publishing, and How to Find a Publisher. Classes are $32 each or five for $130. For a complete-list of workshops visit go here. An Author and Editor Luncheon will be held from noon to 1 pm, in the Smith Memorial Student Union, room 328. Participants include Hawthorne Books publisher Kate Sage and author Loretta Stinson. Stinson authored Hawthorne’s newest title Little Green and holds an MFA and an MS in Book Publishing from PSU. The pair will discuss the author/publisher relationship in small presses during this free event.

Sunday, day two, is Open House Day. Tickets are $10 or $8 for students and are only available at the door. Palahniuk, Le Guin, Wheeler, and others will speak.

If you’re a writer, a wannabe writer or publisher or know any of the above send them or yourself on down to PSU this weekend to see the dance in action, and of course say “hi” to Kate and Loretta.

A manifesto on YouTube by Ooligan for Write to Publish:

Portland State University’s Ooligan Press
Write to Publish Conference
www.ooligan.pdx.edu
May 22-23, 2010 @ PSU

You're going to be seeing a lot more of Loretta Stinson's name in upcoming weeks...

It’s been busy at Hawthorne Books this spring and that’s not going to stop this summer. Loretta Stinson’s debut novel Little Green, with an introduction by Robin Givens and accolades from Debra Gwartney, Cheryl Strayed, Gina Oschner and other renowned writers comes out in less than a month — June 1st pub. date — and we’re getting ready for her book tour and all sorts of book events.

For now, we have these local PDX events lined up:

Thursday, 29 July 2010 :: 7.00 pm
Elliott Bay Book Company | 1521 Tenth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122. (206) 624-6600 :: Loretta reads from Little Green.

Little Green review copies went out early March...

Followed by Little Green postcards earlier this week...

Little Green, a novel by Loretta Stinson
From Hawthorne Books
pub. date June 1, 2010
www.hawthornebooks.com

Last minute reminder for this fantastic event.

Nearly two months after the catastrophic 7.0M earthquake in Haiti, Mercy Corps is striving to rebuild the country. From securing clean water and sanitation for survivors, to creating jobs clearing debris for locals, Mercy Corps volunteers are doing their part in rebuilding Haiti. Now you can do your part by attending:

Read to Rebuild- A Haiti Benefit Reading

Reading Local: Portland, an online blog for all thing book-related in Portland (we are big fans), has initiated Read to Rebuild, their very first event. Writers’ Dojo has partnered up, opening up their space in St. Johns to host Portland’s literary community. The event will consist of author readings, updates of Haiti from Mercy Corps representatives, music from local musicians Sweeter Than Later, free wine from Cameron Hughes Wine, and a raffle.

Hawthorne Books has donated autographed copies of some of our titles to the raffle. Other raffle donors include Cameron Hughes Wine, Wordstock, Back Fence PDX, Dark Horse Comics, Title Wave Books, Green Bean Books, Second Glance Books, Floating World Comics, Broadway Books, Microcosm Publishing, Annie Bloom’s Books, Random Order Coffeehouse and Bakery, In Other Word’s Women’s Books and Resources, and many more!

Join us on March 16th @ 6:30pm at the Writers’ Dojo in St. Johns. The suggested donation of $10 also includes one free raffle ticket. All proceeds will be given to Mercy Corps, to assist in the relief efforts in Haiti. We look forward to seeing you there!

Better late than never...

Ok so it was a couple months ago but we didn’t have a blog at the time and now we do so time to give a little love to Wordstock. Rhonda Hughes – Hawthorne Books co-publisher — has been on the Wordstock Board of Directors for four years so she knows the ins and outs of this very Portland celebration of all things books.

If you haven’t been to Wordstock I highly recommend that you check it out next fall. The gist: Portland Oregon’s annual festival of books and writers was founded in 2005 and features a book fair, readings, workshops and more. Book fair exhibitors range from McSweeney’s and Fantagraphics to Hawthorne Books, Dark Horse, Ooligan Press and Timber Press.

I’ve been the past three years and every year I come across an author, or two, or three and a publishing house, or two, or three and a publication, or two, or three that joins my favorites. If you love books then you’ll love Wordstock.

Think of it this way – where else do you get the chance to walk up to a table and talk to a publisher, editor and senior editor from one of your favorite publishing houses? You could have done that at our table. In fact many people did. Just don’t try to pitch us your manuscript. You can find our submission guidelines here.

Good times at Wordstock 2009

Wordstock — Portland’s Book & Literary Festival
www.wordstockfestival.com