Literary Notes

Novelist Jesse Q. Sutanto comes to the WTBBL studios to discuss her new novel Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block. She speaks with library volunteer Ren Caldwell about the trophy-wife upbringing that inspired the novel, her passion for travel, living with ADHD, and much more.

Creative director and food stylist Andrea Pons stops by to discuss her cookbook Mamacita: Recipes Celebrating Life as a Mexican Immigrant in America, and the fascinating true story behind it. She joins WTBBL volunteer Margarita Muñoz to talk about immigration, compare pinto beans and black beans, and enjoy homemade conchas.

Poet Jane Wong stops by the WTBBL studios to chat about her memoir, Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City. Library volunteer Amber Wang, who recorded the book for our catalog, joins her to discuss researching her family without an archive, writing about memories from a distance, hearing new stories from her mom, and much more.

Glen Erik Hamilton joins us to discuss his crime thriller series following the adventures of former criminal-in-training Van Shaw. He joins longtime WTBBL volunteer Rick Sipe to discuss his background, the logistics of Seattle as a setting for a thriller, his favorite (and least favorite) parts of being a writer, and much more.

Sci-fi author Timothy Zahn stopped by WTBBL in 2008 to discuss his book Allegiance, a story set in between the original Star Wars film and its sequel, along with many of his other works. The interview was conducted by WTBBL volunteer Jeff Cavanaugh.

Children's book author, food writer, and "Seattle Soup Lady" Caroline Wright swings by to talk about her cookbook, Soup Club. WTBBL volunteer Beth Larimore chats with her about the book, as well as the COVID lockdown-era club that inspired her to write it.

Writer Diana Morita Cole joins WTBBL via video call to discuss her book Sideways: Memoir of a Misfit. Born in the Minidoka Relocation Center during World War II, she discusses her tumultuous childhood and what we can learn from her story today. WTBBL volunteer Jillian Igarashi, who recorded the book for our collection, conducted he interview.

Fashion journalist and Guinness World Record holder Eden Dawn joins us via video call to chat about The Seattle Book of Dates. Written and researched extensively by Dawn and her husband Ashod Simonian, The Seattle Book of Dates is a guide to exploring the Pacific Northwest for two! WTBBL volunteer Holly Chaffin conducted the interview and recorded the book for our collection.

Author and illustrator Amy Hevron sits down with us to talk about her Tiny Habitats books, a series of picture books that teaches kids about wildlife in peculiar places. She talks with WTBBL volunteer Rachel Glass about her illustrations and research, and they do a deeper dive into some of the habitats depicted in her books.

Writer Jonathan Tropper came by the WTBBL studios in 2009 to chat about his book This is Where I Leave You, about a family forced to stay under one roof after the death of their father. The interview was conducted by WTBBL volunteer Heidi Lang.

New York Times bestseller Robert Dugoni chats with WTBBL volunteer Courtney Maheras about the Tracy Crosswhite novels, a long-running crime procedural series set in Seattle. They talk about the origins of Tracy, researching for crime thrillers, and Seattle restaurants that may or may not be fictional.

Community historian Ellie Belew joins WTBBL volunteer Sara Ainsworth to talk about the first women to work at Seattle City Light and the severe challenges they faced due to racism, sexism, unfair management, and the dangerous nature of their work. She recounts the story in her book High Voltage Women: Breaking Barriers at Seattle City Light.

Urban planning and Asian American history professor Dr. Marie Rose Wong stops by to talk about her book Building Tradition: Pan-Asian Seattle and Life in the Residential Hotels, detailing the history of Seattle's International District and its single-room occupancy hotels. The interview was conducted by WTBBL volunteer Camille Blanchette.

Author and former WTBBL volunteer Kat Richardson sat down with us to chat about the third book in her supernatural mystery series, Greywalker. This interview was conducted back in 2008 by Jeff Cavanaugh.

Science writer Mary Roach joins us to talk about her latest book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy. She discusses the advancements made in replacing and enhancing parts of the human body and the people she's met from around the world to learn about them. The interview was conducted via video call by WTBBL volunteer Rachel Glass.

Historian Peter Blecha joins us to talk about his books Rock & Roll Archaeologist and Stomp & Shout: R&B and the Origins of Northwest Rock & Roll. He recounts his time as the senior curator for the Museum of Pop Culture and gives a brief overview of popular music throughout the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted by lead media technician Nathan Ureta.

Historian Frederick L. Brown discusses his book The City is More Than Human: An Animal History of Seattle with library volunteer Chris Snee. The book recounts the history of the city with a focus on the livestock, pets, and wildlife that helped shape Seattle into what it is today.

Writer and social worker Michael Keen visits our studio to talk about Notes From the Trauma Party, a novel taking heavy inspiration from his experiences with love, writing, addiction, and more. The interview was conducted by former WTBBL patron services specialist Izzy Fernandez. 

Writer and former National Park ranger Russell Cahill sits down with WTBBL volunteer Howard Lazzarini to discuss his memoir, two works of fiction, and the life outdoors that inspired them.

In 2009, author Jamie Ford stopped by our studios to discuss his debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. It tells the story of a Chinese-American boy in Seattle during the 1940s and his connection to a Japanese-American girl who was interned at a camp south of Seattle. Former volunteer Na Young Kwon sat down with Ford to talk about the novel, the hotel that serves as its setting, the Seattle jazz scene, and more.

Historian Jennifer Ott joins us to chat about Seattle's drastic 19th century transformation that she writes about in Waterway: The Story of Seattle's Locks and Ship Canal. WTBBL volunteer Martha Baskin conducts an in-depth interview with Ott about the engineering, planning, and immigrant labor that went into connecting the bodies of water within and around the city.

The Sound of Seattle: 101 Songs That Shaped a City is a look into the rich, storied history of the Pacific Northwest's music scene. It was written by musician and KEXP DJ Eva Walker along with writer Jacob Uitti. They sit down with WTBBL volunteer John Gahagan to discuss music in the Northwest, the history of KEXP, and more.

Jessica Gigot is a poet, writer, and farmer who spends most of her days on her sheep farm in the Skagit Valley. She wrote about her experiences with farm life in her memoir A Little Bit of Land. WTBBL volunteer Ren Caldwell sits down to speak with her about writing the memoir, Skagit Valley food tours, and bookstores owned by writers.

Writer, filmmaker, and King County Metro bus driver Nathan Vass has collected stories about the riders he meets along bus routs 7 and 49 in his book The Lines That Make Us: Stories From Nathan's Bus. He chats with WTBBL volunteer Chris Snee about the book, how the bus experience has changed over his career, and optimism during trying times.

Poet, novelist, screenwriter, and translator E.J. Koh reunites with her former roommate and current WTBBL volunteer Yoon Park to discuss her memoir, The Magical Language of Others, and her novel The Liberators. They talk about Koh's writing process, Korean mothers, and Koh returns some money she owed Park from back in the day.

Disability advocate Anna Zivarts has a conversation with WTBBL volunteer Betsy Haddox about her book When Driving is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. They discuss how mobility can improve for all sorts of populations, the disability activism of years past, their favorite Seattle bus lines, and much more.

Musician, record producer, and neuroscientist Daniel Levitin dropped by our studios back in 2008 to talk about his book The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature. Library volunteer Dave Watson conducted the interview.

Disabilty activist, community organizer, and writer Syren Nagakyrie visits the WTBBL studios to discuss their book, The Disabled Hiker's Guide to Western Washington and Oregon. It features 46 outdoor adventures around the Puget Sound accessible to all sorts of folks. Nagakyrie and WTBBL volunteer Rachel Glass discuss the selections of trails, the benefits of outdoor activity, and spoons.

Writer and historian Paula Becker sits down with WTBBL volunteer Courtney Hudak to talk about two books about grief. A House on Stilts: Mothering in the Age of Opioid Addiction and A Little Book of Self-Care for Those Who Grieve are honest, deeply personal looks at her experiences with the loss of her son.

Author and educator Lauren J.A. Bear comes by the studios of Washington Talking Book & Braille Library to discuss her first novel, Medusa's sisters. She sits down with library volunteer Rachel Glass to talk about adding her own spin to a centuries-old literary tradition.

Washington Talking Book & Braille Library volunteer Rick Sipe sits down with urban planner Tom J. Phillips to talk about his work in developing High Point, a thriving, diverse community in West Seattle. They discuss Phillip's book about the process, called High Point: The Inside Story of Seattle’s First Green Mixed-Income Neighborhood.

Micho Kaku visited the studios of the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library in June 2008 to talk about his book "Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel." Library volunteer Jeff Cavanaugh conducted the interview.

Washington Talking Book & Braille Library volunteer Rachel Glass interviews journalist Blaine Harden about his book Murder at the Mission: A Frontier Killing, Its Legacy of Lies, and the Taking of the American West.

Washington Talking Book & Braille Library volunteer Bob Carlson interviews Seattle sportscasting legend Mike Gastineau about his book Fear No Man: Don James, the '91 Huskies, and the Seven-Year Quest for a National Football Championship.