Home grown books

I don’t know if long wet winters are conducive to successful writing, but Oregon has more than its share of up-and-coming and well-established authors. I recently joined the Oregon Authors Committee of the Oregon Library Association, and found out just how prolific Oregon’s writing community really is!

For many years the committee published an annual book called “Oregon Authors Bibliography,” which listed titles published in a given year by authors living in Oregon. The bibliographies are no longer printed, but the information is now added to a website, www.oregonauthors.org.

Every few months committee members receive a packet of news clippings from newspapers around the state, announcing a recent book, a speaking engagement, or a literary award for an Oregon writer. We take those clippings as a starting point and add the writers to the web bibliography. I’ve been awed by the quantity and quality of writing that our state nurtures! Authors may also create an account and add their own information.

The Newport Library currently has a display of books by Oregon authors. Many of them are local writers whose names are familiar in Lincoln County and beyond; Michele Longo Eder, Andrew Vachss, Richard Kennedy, and M.K. Wren are just a few.

The next time you’re looking for something to read, take a look at the Oregon Authors website. Reading a good book will help you enjoy these wet winter months.