Southwest Washington Writers Conference

Kyle Pratt’s Latest Release

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Kyle Pratt

Southwest Washington Writers member Kyle Pratt released his fifth book. The novel, Braving the Storms, is the third book of the Strengthen What Remains series.

Author Kyle Pratt

In the first book, Through Many Fires, nuclear terrorism strikes the nation’s capital and six other American cities. In the second book, A Time to Endure, society continues to unravel, and civil war threatens the divided and economically-crippled land.

Now a new and even more lethal problem emerges. A swift and deadly flu epidemic sweeps out of overcrowded FEMA camps and strikes the nation with horrific results. Caden Westmore struggles to keep his family and community safe, while others use the plague to advance their own military and political agendas. Caden must succeed, but how can he, when both the epidemic and chaos attack his hometown and family?

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Julie Zander’s Newest Book

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Kyle Pratt

Southwest Washington Writers member Julie Zander recently released her latest book. For more than a century, the Southwest Washington Fair has drawn farmers, friends, and families to the fairgrounds in Chehalis to show off their livestock, agricultural products, cooking and handicrafts.

Author Julie Zander

Now the history of the Southwest Washington Fair, the only one in the state mandated by the Washington Legislature to occur every year, has been captured in a comprehensive 329-page book published this month.

Chapters of Life at the Southwest Washington Fair features stories and photos about the fair, which began in 1909 and still flourishes today. Edna Fund, now a Lewis County commissioner, and I began collecting memories from people during the 2009 centennial. Many of those recollections appear in the pages of the book.

I scanned photos from the fair office, the Lewis County Historical Museum, The Chronicle, Washington State University Extension’s 4-H office, and Centralia teacher and FFA coordinator Chris Guenther’s scrapbooks. Continue reading →

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The First Two Conferences

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Kyle Pratt

Robert Dugoni and Kyle Pratt at the 2015 conference

Robert Dugoni and Kyle Pratt at the 2014 conference

Seattle has conferences for writers, and so does Portland, but until September of 2014 this area lacked that level of education and networking. The first year of the conference, I both presented and helped with the organization and operation. This year I just helped. While both conferences were a success, this year attendance rose and the operation ran smoother.

The morning of the 2015 conference we came in early to complete final preparations. Julie Zander soon discovered the main auditorium was locked. She got it open just in time for me to turn on the projector, computer, adjust the lights and test the microphone. I finished as the first few people walked in.

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