Hal Calbom will be reading an excerpt from his new history of Longview, Empire of Trees, concerning the tense business negotiations and cat-and-mouse play between two Mr. Longs: Longview’s founder Robert A. Long and George S. Long, the wily river boat gambler who managed western operations for the Weyerhaeuser Company. Their negotiations would make or break Longview and Long-Bell Lumber Company.

Rebekah Anderson will read from The Grand Promise, a historical novel about the impacts to the communities on the Columbia River in the 1930s with the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam. A town is uprooted by the New Deal public works project, resulting in personal and financial dilemmas for the Price family as well as other families in the community.

Tom Larsen will be reading from his mystery novel, Stealing History, which tells the story of Wilson Salinas who returns to Ecuador after 15 years in the U.S. Broke, disillusioned, and an alcoholic, he ekes out a living running errands for an elderly attorney who befriended his late mother. As a boy, Wilson loved to read detective stories, and he decides to become a private detective.

Tiffany Dickinson will read from her second middle-grade novel, A Mink’s Tale. The farm is the only home Malinka has ever known, but when a stranger arrives, she realizes that her home is not the safe haven she thought it to be. Accepting the truth of what life on a fur farm means for her, she must make a choice to remain in her comfortable world at risk to herself and her young kits, or to run for freedom. And if they do run, will freedom be worth the costs?

In a departure from cozy mystery writing, Jan Bono will discuss writing television movie scripts. After reading a stack of books on the subject, taking two professional 10-week screenwriting classes, navigating script formatting software, as well as  participating in numerous online seminars, workshops, and the Willamette Writers’ monthly “Happy Hour in the FilmLab” gatherings, Jan will share how she went from being totally clueless to completing two TV movie scripts in 11 months.

Sally Jones began penning poetry and stories when she was 11 years old and she has never lost the enthusiasm for writing. During her a 38-year career in 9-1-1 communications, and as a long time volunteer for domestic violence shelter programs, she wrote professional reports, grants, manuals, and media releases. During this time she also continued writing poems, a few of which were published in college and local literary publications.

Women’s history author Marianne Monson will read from The Opera Sisters, a historical novel based on the true story of the Cook sisters who smuggled valuables out of 1930s Nazi Germany to finance a daring operation to help Jews escape to England. 

Award winning author Ashley Bugge knows tragedy and triumph. Her debut memoir, Always Coming Back Home, detailing the 2018 tragic scuba diving accident that claimed her young husband’s life, has won multiple awards. Her new book, The Ocean is Calling, is the story of her life’s greatest love and loss: the death of her spouse followed by giving birth to her child alone. Bugge takes readers through a journey, from a bitter dark night with a bottle of sleeping pills in her hand to an expedition through eight countries with her three young children in tow.

A WordFest favorite, retired judge Ed Putka will be reading a new story about growing up in his Polish neighborhood in Cleveland. This tale is about Mr. Wojcik who kept racing pigeons. When a new renter moves next door, he is taken by the pigeons and an adventure ensues. Ed is enjoying his retirement, serving on the Legal Aid Board and traveling within the country and abroad with his wife, Mary.

Brianna graduated valedictorian of her Kelso High School class. Today she lives in London, a senior researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development. She started as an intern in 2011 at the UN climate negotiations. Four years later, she witnessed the adoption of the Paris Agreement first hand.

Grays Harbor poet Carrie Born will read from her collection, titled Diesel Cats’ Poetry, about the world of heavy construction and other blue-collar work. Carrie graduated from St. Martin’s University with a master’s in counseling psychology and completed a 6,000-hour union heavy equipment apprenticeship. She has two poetry zines in the Timberland Library. 

Local writers read at WordFest on Tuesday, March 14, 6:00-8:00 pm, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 1428 22^nd Avenue in Longview. Tom Larsen will read from his mystery novel, Cantor’s Gate. Set on the Island of Jersey off the coast of England, the story involves a contested inheritance, a band ofneo-pagansand valuable artwork that was looted by the Nazis and hidden on the island.

Krysten is local to Longview, graduating from WSU Vancouver with a degree in English and creative writing. Her writing has been featured in various publications such as the Salal Review, the Salmon Creek Journal, and the Columbia River Reader. You can connect with Krysten at karalston.com or via social media on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.