Category: Member News

Sherri Levine is proud to announce Waking in the Blue is available now!

In this ground-breaking anthology—curated by Sherri Levine—more than three dozen authors share their poetry and personal reflections on illness, healing, and how mental health shapes the craft of writing. In the Foreword by John Fox, founder of The Institute for Poetic Medicine, he writes, “Waking in the Blue is infused with inclusion & surprise, heartbreak & struggle, wisdom & love.” This book is an invitation for anyone to tap into their own creative spark as a way to heal and maintain their own mental health or help someone who may be struggling. The compassionate message that rings true throughout these pages will remind the reader: you are not alone.

Follow Sherri at their website.

Kangaroo Forth by Curtis C. Chen – on sale now in paperback and ebook! Where out of this world is Agent Kangaroo now?

On the way to his next secret mission, a high-speed kinetic projectile destroys Kangaroo’s transport, leaving him adrift in deep space—until a helpful passerby rescues his escape pod. Given the vastness of the cosmos, it’s a remarkable coincidence.

Millions of kilometers away in Earth orbit, thermal regulation is failing and the Intelligence Division of Kangaroo’s spy agency has gone into lockdown. The mysterious malfunction puts not only life support but also an unruly eight-year-old boy in jeopardy. Now the Eyrie has to deal with Joey’s escalating shenanigans and the possibility of saboteurs aboard what should be one of the Solar System’s most secure facilities.

Could these two emergencies be connected? Who would possess the resources to engineer such a thing? Of course, Intelligence Division has plenty of enemies.

And so does Kangaroo…

This new adventure continues expanding the universe that started with a bang in Waypoint Kangaroo and Kangaroo Too, and picks up immediately after the electrifying events of True Blue Kangaroo.

PRAISE FOR THE KANGAROO SERIES

“”The Kangaroo books are a fantastic romp from start to finish! These sci-fi spy thrillers are served up with a good heaping of humor, and quirky characters you’ll be delighted to spend time with. I’d follow Kangaroo and his friends (safely, from a distance) on any adventure.””
— Jessie Kwak, author of the Bulari Saga

“”Chen delivers the perfect balance of witty humor and twisty spy intrigue, featuring a secret agent with one of the coolest superpowers in science fiction. I’ll happily follow Kangaroo on many adventures.””
— Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga

Follow Curtis at Website, Facebook, Instagram.

Crescendo: Chronicles of an Adventurous Violinist at Grassroots Bookstore on Nov 3 @7:30. Music and stories from my memoir. “Grass Roots is honored to host Anthea Kreston for her memoir, Crescendo. Weaving together music and stories from her book, and performing on the violin that was stolen on a fast train in Germany, she delights with tales both tragic and funny.

When American violinist Anthea Kreston is selected as the fourth member of Germany’s Artemis Quartet, it is the culmination of decades of dedication. In Crescendo, her enchanting and deeply personal memoir, Kreston writes about growing up in a well-to-do but difficult family in Chicago, leaving home at sixteen, studying at the ultracompetitive Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia (Hilary Hahn was a classmate), then leaving it all behind for a commune in Oregon. “A singular voice in music, and now in words. Crescendo is a searingly honest look at the classical music world from within and manages to be as funny and uplifting as it is devastating. The same vulnerability and power that makes Kreston such a compelling instrumentalist is equally commanding in her prose. This memoir is a necessary and insightful look at what makes being an artist, a woman, a mother, and all three at the same time so incredibly challenging, but worthwhile.”

Follow Anthea at website, Instagram

We absolutely love celebrating our members’ accomplishments—big and small! Every milestone, breakthrough, publication, award, finished draft, or personal victory deserves recognition.

When you share your news, you’re not just celebrating your own success—you’re inspiring fellow authors, building connections, and reminding everyone that progress comes in many forms.

✨ Have something to celebrate? We’d love to help spread the word! Simply fill out our Member News Form, and we’ll share your exciting update with the community.

And don’t forget to check back often! You’ll discover what your fellow authors are accomplishing, celebrate their successes, and stay in the loop about exciting community news, upcoming events, and opportunities.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 💜

Dawn Babb Prochovnic is pleased to announce the October 13, 2026 release of her latest children’s book, Mama’s Home (and Baby Too!), which tenderly captures the moment a family changes with the arrival of a new sibling. It’s a 95-word story that took over 20 years to become a book!

What happens when a family welcomes home someone tiny and new? Mama’s Home (and Baby Too!) tenderly captures the moment a family changes with the arrival of a new sibling. Written by Dawn Babb Prochovnic and illustrated by Adèle Dafflon, this lyrical board book offers comfort, reassurance, and joy for families experiencing one of childhood’s most meaningful transitions.

Told through rhythmic, poetic text, the story follows a brother and sister as they navigate the everyday moments of missing mama—meals, chores, playtime—while preparing for her to come home. But when she returns with a new baby, the story beautifully reflects both the excitement and adjustment that come with welcoming a sibling.

With warm, expressive illustrations and a focus on family connection, Mama’s Home (and Baby Too!) helps young children process feelings of separation, build emotional understanding, and embrace their evolving role within the family.

Perfect for growing families, baby showers, and everyday reading, this sweet board book celebrates the enduring bond between parent and child—and the joy of making room for one more.

Follow Dawn at website, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky and LinkedIn.

Cristina White’s essay “The Privet Hedge” has been published in the Fall Issue of Canary – A Literary Journal of the Environmental Crisis. Canary is an independent journal publishing work that records the losses to the natural world we experience in our home environment, and the joys we stand to lose because of those losses. “The Privet Hedge” is about a new practice of using growth retardants on the shrubs along Cristina’s block, and the loss of the sweet-scented privet blossoms that bees have visited over the decades. No longer will there be a flowering welcome for those mighty pollinators.

Follow Cristina at Website, BSKY.

Please join us in celebrating the release of Willamette Writer’s member, Lily Cooke’s, debut horror novel, A Single Beat. This Pacific Northwest apocalyptic horror explores grief, anxiety, and what it means to survive… All while keeping your heart racing. Get your popcorn ready for this fun ride.

Follow Lily at Website, Facebook, Instagram.

Kacey Carpenter celebrated the release of Murder in Vacationland: Danger Follows the Trail to Acadia National Park, the second book in his National Park Mystery-Thriller series, at the Cannon Beach Library’s Local Authors Festival on September 26, joining 15 published Oregon authors to meet readers and sign books as part of the library’s NW Authors Series.

In Murder in Vacationland, three childhood friends reunite for a vacation in Maine: Alex, the confident adventurer; Ben, the steady aspiring detective; and Mitch, the brilliant tech expert. Their trip quickly turns dangerous. Secrets and spies draw them into a chase along Acadia’s rocky shores, and to survive and solve the case, they must rely on the careful guidance of Captain Dell, a lobster fisherman who knows the coast better than anyone.

The story took shape during a spring road trip up Maine’s Midcoast. While hiking Acadia’s trails on a foggy day in May, Carpenter found himself imagining what his characters might discover: a clue hidden along a trail, near a lighthouse, or in a place where hundreds of visitors pass every day. He wanted the book’s locations to feel real because he had walked them himself.

The series began with Do Not Die Today: Use Caution! The Desert Can Be Deadly, set in California’s Joshua Tree National Park. Each book takes place in a different iconic national park and follows the same group of friends as they uncover secrets hidden in the wild. Readers will find suspense and vivid natural settings, along with themes of friendship, memory, and resilience.

Follow Kacey for more information at Facebook, X and Instagram.