For the first time since 2007, I took no part in the Stumptown Comics Fest, except by hanging out both evenings with folks who’d spent their days there. It was still an eventful week. Monday was the Oregon Book Awards. … Keep reading
Category Archives: Portland
Four places to write in Portland
Originally posted at the Wordstock blog. I have a Designated Writing Zone in my house. I’ve written many thousands of words in it, and I’ve even blogged about it. But sometimes I need other voices, other rooms. Fortunately Portland has … Keep reading
Lunch break bus tour: Lodekka
I’ve been loving Laini Taylor’s recent photo-rich posts — writers who are also artists have an unfair advantage! ;) — and this one about a Portland neighborhood ramble inspired me to document what I did on my lunch break today. … Keep reading
Photo post
I was tempted to make this into a user icon. Still might. Sadly my camera couldn’t capture the rotating X-rays behind the bird-mask mannequin’s head. I love that she has no hand. Risked an accident by quickly snapping this through … Keep reading
Mysterious device
Sighted near one of Portland’s myriad food cart pods. I like the combination of industrial and rustic-decor components. Any guesses as to function?
William Gibson at Powell’s: SRO
I wasn’t surprised that there were a lot of people, but I was surprised that I knew so few of them; further evidence that Portland’s nerd community is multifaceted. We were mostly quiet while he read. Not, I would attest, … Keep reading
Tiny vacations
If you are a creature of habit, as most of us are to varying degrees, you probably operate with a significant number of routines: your usual route to work, your standard hangout spots, the typical ways you spend a weekend … Keep reading
YA Trends & Audience talk at Write to Publish
Hey, thanks to all who attended my YA Trends and Audience workshop this morning at the Ooligan Press Write to Publish conference, and to the conference folks who were super helpful with the usual tech troubleshooting hassles. Special shoutouts to … Keep reading
3 things.
1. If you missed Mr. Gordon Edgar, author of Cheesemonger, the virtues of which I have previously extolled, when he was recently in Portland, you are in CRAZY LUCK because he will be here again TOMORROW, May 19, at 6:30 … Keep reading
What A Girl Wants, Write to Publish
Hey hi! Short post, lots of exclamation points! The new What A Girl Wants post is up! (And I am blushing because Colleen says very kind things about my work in the introduction.) We wrote about the books we wished … Keep reading
A Walk in the Park
No, really. An actual walk in an actual park. I, um, don’t spend a lot of time outside typically. So today I met up with my friend Deborah in an attempt to partially remedy that. Outside can be awfully pretty. … Keep reading
Hey, I’m gonna be on the radio.
Specifically, I’ll be on KBOO‘s queer youth show The Other Team tonight from 6-7 pm, talking about queer YA & children’s lit along with the fine folks from Bare Bones Press and Productions and Marcus Ewert, author of 10,000 Dresses. … Keep reading
Photo post
I have recently become a fan of the Grilled Cheese Grill. Its sandwiches are delicious, and the mural on the ceiling of its seating area — a schoolbus — is fantastic. See: The artists are Eatcho and Jason Graham. I’m … Keep reading
Rainy Saturday
I’m working on the graphic novel all day today, and listening to John Coltrane and Miles Davis. While staring into space (because that is, of course, an important component of working) I suddenly noticed the pleasing industrial geometry above. If … Keep reading
One block over
I took a different route home today. Here are some of the things I saw: Five unblinking cats, camouflaged by the brown-and-black facade of the house they appeared to be guarding A man rinsing out a toilet for repurposing as … Keep reading
Tiger, tiger
On our way to sell/donate books at the majestic Powell’s warehouse in the northwest industrial district, we saw this: Any Portlanders familiar with this tiger? My Flytrap characters would’ve scaled the fence and done circus stunts on it.
Cynical optimism, or vice versa.
I don’t tend to dwell on the negative. I said once in an interview that I write toward the world I’d like to see. I have a cynical side, sure, but most often, I assume best intentions. Look for the … Keep reading
New interview up
…over at the also new, nifty Circle into Square: a Portland-based label, online magazine, and local artist community. It’s called Everybody Knows You’re Not From Here. Me and Steve talk about a whole bunch of stuff, including but not limited … Keep reading
Day-making
So I was at Powell’s Hawthorne to finally get a copy of Pretty Monsters, and spotted this lovely shelftalker: Best part: Dot, who made it, was there, and I got to burble thanks at her and sign the stack of … Keep reading
Obligatory OMGSNOW photos
It’ll be continued light posting here for a little while as I hunker down and try to use the weather to encourage productivity. Enjoy whatever holidays you celebrate.
November roses
Portland, you sure are pretty today. The full moon last night wasn’t bad either, but I was driving when it was at its most grapefruit-like, and so I did not attempt to capture it. Did any of you? (I realize … Keep reading
Book awards photos, as promised
Thanks, everyone, for all your lovely congratulatory messages! Here are a couple of photos from the reception after the Oregon Book Awards, at the Portland Art Museum. Linda Zuckerman and I have just been busted by a security guard for … Keep reading
Heads up Portland: Wordstock is this weekend
…and I would sure love to see you at 5 pm Sunday afternoon (the link is to the festival’s Sunday schedule and, warning, for some reason it has music) , when I’ll be reading as part of the Oregon Book … Keep reading
The ambiguous messages of the street
These sidewalks aren’t far from each other.
Yet more bicycle euphoria
Do you know, Portlanders, that there is an I-205 bike path? I discovered it today and felt that I had learned one of the city’s secrets. I rode along, saying “On your left, pardon me, thank you” to the occasional … Keep reading