Wales Literary Agency

Leela Corman is featured in Kirkus Reviews again. If you haven't visited your local bookstore's graphic novel section, here's another reason to check it out!

You Should Be Taking Graphic Novels Seriously | Kirkus Reviews There are still people who think that graphic novels are just for kids. These standout new releases prove them wrong.

Starred review from Library Journal for Brenda Peterson Author's book, WILD CHORUS! Published by Mountaineers and due out next month.

"Award-winning nature writer Peterson’s (Wild Orca: The Oldest, Wisest Whale in the World) new book of essays explores her relationship with animals and the natural world and the wisdom that humans can glean from them. She explains that her love of nature writing came largely from her father, a forest ranger, from whom she learned that all living creatures and participants in nature have meaning, value, and purpose. Personal experience led her to discover that most wildlife can work together with people in a positive manner. Other essays in this book draw upon her encounters with wild animals (whales, dolphins, wolves, bears) to illustrate how people can learn from wildlife about improving the environment and the overall well-being of humans.
VERDICT At first glance, this book seems like a plea from an activist, but it’s far more than that. Peterson’s writing style and her intimately told stories about how animals and people can jointly navigate the planet have the ability to draw readers in and leave them with hope about the future of the world."
Reviewed by Steve Dixon , Mar 01, 2024

We Are Not Strangers is on The Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 at The Mary Sue!

Here's what they said...

Josh Tuininga’s graphic novel is about a Seattle-based Sephardic Jewish immigrant’s efforts to help neighbors whose lives were upended by World War II’s Executive Order 9066, a U.S. law authorizing the incarceration of nearly all Japanese Americans and residents of Japanese ancestry (unfortunately, although the Supreme Court had a chance in 2018, the 1944 case Korematsu v. U.S. upholding the EO has never been overturned). While Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market is best known for its delicious seafood, Tuininga fills the pages of his graphic novel with the stories of the people behind the market and their shared experiences of discrimination.

Check out the link for more books on the list:

https://www.themarysue.com/the-best-nonfiction-books-of-2023/

Publisher's Marketplace: January 24, 2024 -
TRIGGER WARNING, by Jacinda Townsend

Fiction: Literary

Author of MOTHER COUNTRY Jacinda Townsend's TRIGGER WARNING, charting the epic, midlife-crisis road trip of a Black woman who in her 40s finally confronts the trauma of her father's killing by the police when she was a teenager, and who is now newly divorced and raising a trans teenager of her own, to Anni Liu at Graywolf, by Elizabeth Wales at Wales Literary Agency (world English).

Publishers Weekly interview with Leela Corman. And she's on the cover of PW's January 22nd print edition.

Leela Corman Knows Trauma Is Exhausting The latest graphic novel from the cartoonist draws on trauma in all its forms.

A great first review for Leela Corman's graphic novel, Victory Parade! Due out April 2, 2024 from Schocken/Pantheon. Pre-order from your favorite indie, from Bookshop.org or online now.

Comics Grinder Victory Parade. by Leela Corman. Schocken. 2024 (Pre-order) 177 pp. hardcover. $29. Leela Corman is a force of nature within the comics community and so it is no surprise that her latest book is qu…

David Montgomery and Anne Biklé visit Bluebird Grain Farms during a recent trip to Winthrop

November Farmer Notes Quiet, crisp and clear is how October went out. More classic fall, days I can’t recall. Of all the months, perhaps October is the month with the most change. This year October began mild and sunny, with some warm rains mixed in as the month progressed. Then on the 25th we had our first sno...

Wales writers and all writers please read this article from the Authors Guild, which includes actions you can take to stand up to recent AI industry steals of your work. Join the Guild and call us with questions. —Elizabeth

You Just Found Out Your Book Was Used to Train AI. Now What? - The Authors Guild If you’re an author, you may have recently discovered that your published book was included in a dataset of books used to train artificial intelligence systems without your permission. (Search the dataset here.) This can be an unsettling revelation, raising concerns about […]

Congratulations, finalists, including Jacinda Townsend!

Josh Tuininga’s book, WE ARE NOT STRANGERS (out now from AbramsComicsArts) documents some of this story. We can be there for each other.

The Closure of Mutual Fish Opens a Window into Jewish and Japanese Friendship Jewish support of the Rainier Avenue fish shop can be traced back to the early 1900s, the Central District, and World War II.

Wolves in Giant Sequoia National Monument! Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity is one of the scientists searching for wolf s**t and tracks.

After more than 100 years, gray wolves reappear in Giant Sequoia National Monument The sudden appearance of the so-called Tulare Pack in Giant Sequoia National Monument comes with a number of complications, including concerns for livestock.

Seattle launch event for WE ARE NOT STRANGERS has moved to Mon October 23rd, Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park.

A great review from Publisher's Weekly!

We Are Not Strangers
Josh Tuininga. Abrams ComicArts,
Tuininga (Why Blue?) presents an uplifting historical graphic novel that employs the fictional pairing of two fishing buddies from disparate backgrounds to map the rippling effects of the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. Marco, a first-generation Sephardic Jewish immigrant, has carved out a modest living in Seattle’s ethnically diverse Central District. When time allows, he baits his hook to cast on the waterfront, often alongside Sam, the Japanese American proprietor of a local fish market. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Marco hears news of orders to forcibly relocate and incarcerate Japanese Americans. Dismayed by the fearmongering and jingoism, he devises a plan to help Sam’s family retain their home and business. Tuininga augments the straightforward plot with extensive historical detail, portraying the region’s immigrant neighborhoods and documenting conditions in incarceration camps. Pages awash in autumnal brown and overcast gray-blue exude a sense of perpetual worry in the community, while the characters’ affable faces signal hope for a path forward. As a bonus, Tuininga includes archival newspaper headlines and a guide to historical landmarks in an appendix. The result is both a forthright condemnation of a shameful chapter of American history and a heartening reminder of the value of community. Agent: Elizabeth Wales, Wales Literary Agency. (Sept.)

Congratulations to David Montgomery and Anne Biklé, authors of WHAT YOUR FOOD ATE, a finalist for the 2023 IACP Cookbook Awards in the Food Issues and Matters category. Another great book from W.W. Norton.

What Your Food Ate How to Restore Our Land and Reclaim Our Health

A great review from Publisher's Weekly!

We Are Not Strangers
Josh Tuininga. Abrams ComicArts,
Tuininga (Why Blue?) presents an uplifting historical graphic novel that employs the fictional pairing of two fishing buddies from disparate backgrounds to map the rippling effects of the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. Marco, a first-generation Sephardic Jewish immigrant, has carved out a modest living in Seattle’s ethnically diverse Central District. When time allows, he baits his hook to cast on the waterfront, often alongside Sam, the Japanese American proprietor of a local fish market. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Marco hears news of orders to forcibly relocate and incarcerate Japanese Americans. Dismayed by the fearmongering and jingoism, he devises a plan to help Sam’s family retain their home and business. Tuininga augments the straightforward plot with extensive historical detail, portraying the region’s immigrant neighborhoods and documenting conditions in incarceration camps. Pages awash in autumnal brown and overcast gray-blue exude a sense of perpetual worry in the community, while the characters’ affable faces signal hope for a path forward. As a bonus, Tuininga includes archival newspaper headlines and a guide to historical landmarks in an appendix. The result is both a forthright condemnation of a shameful chapter of American history and a heartening reminder of the value of community. Agent: Elizabeth Wales, Wales Literary Agency. (Sept.)

Pre-order Josh Tuininga’s book, WE ARE NOT STRANGERS (Abrams ComicsArts) from a bookstore (or online retailer) near you. Pub date is 9/12/23.

When Marco Calvo arrives at the Jewish Synagogue to attend his grandfather's funeral, he is caught off guard by something very unexpected. Among his close family and friends there are some people he doesn't recognize at all. Several Japanese American families have arrived and no one is quite sure who they are or why they are at the service. Who are these strangers that knew his grandfather so well?

Set in the multicultural Central District of Seattle during World War II, this graphic novel explores the unique situation of Japanese and Jewish Americans living side by side in a country at war.

We Are Not Strangers Inspired by a true story, this graphic novel follows a Jewish immigrant's efforts to help his Japanese neighbors while they are incarcerated during World War II Marco Calvo always knew his grandfather, affectionately called Papoo, was a good man. After al

Coming Soon: A Japanese theatrical adaptation of TWO OLD WOMEN by Velma Wallis. Aug 4-6 at Uchisaiwaicho Hall.
Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Originally published by Epicenter Press (and still available in paperback from )

Coming soon to Uchisaiwaicho Hall, a stage adaptation of Velma Wallis’ classic book, TWO OLD WOMEN. Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku. Aug 4-6.

More coverage of Senior Wolf Advocate and writer Amaroq Weiss. A former public defender (with degrees in entomology), Weiss worked with a variety of wildlife conservation organizations before going to work for the Center for Biological Diversity.

“These species are under attack from politics every single day. And also just the lack of understanding in the public of how important they are, and that we can live with them. My work is really focused on making sure that agencies are not killing wolves illegally, that they’re restoring wolves where they’re supposed to be restoring them, and helping to bring information to the public.”

-Amaroq Weiss

The Weekly Anthropocene Interviews: Amaroq Weiss, Senior Wolf Advocate An Exclusive The Weekly Anthropocene Interview

Some positive news from Amaroq Weiss: the passage of the Safe Roads and Wildlife Protections Act will support more wildlife crossings and road improvements proecting wolves and other creatures.

Wildlife Crossings Will Save Wolves Like OR-93 This month marks one year since the remarkable wolf known as OR-93 was struck and killed by a vehicle. OR-93 made international headlines…

Covered in the New York Times this week are our Seattle Mariners, who have high hopes of a Wild Card playoff this year at last.
Go, M's!
Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez is one of those profiled in the article, but you'll find out much more about him in his book, Edgar: An Autobiography, (co-authored by Seattle Times journalist Larry Stone).

The Remaking of the Seattle Mariners As the longest postseason drought in major American men’s team sports appears to be nearing its end, a look at the people who helped carry the Mariners back to contention.

Congratulations to Lynda Mapes, winner of a 2022 Washington State Book Award for her book, Orca: Shared Water, Shared Home (co-published by Braided River/Mountaineers and the Seattle Times). This year's finalists also included Lyanda Lynn Haupt, author of Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature and Spirit (published by Little, Brown Spark).

2022 Washington State Book Award winners announced The 56th annual awards celebrate Washington state authors published in the previous year.

Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity shares some good news on CBC radio's "As It Happens" – they wanted to talk about Oregon’s newest wolf family and wolves generally. Amaroq Weiss' book, Wolf Odyssey, is under contract at Greystone Press.

A possible new wolf pack in Oregon has conservationists cheering | CBC Radio A new family of wolves has been spotted in Oregon, giving conservationists hope for a species that was once nearly wiped out across the U.S.

Nantucket island

Spotted in The Seattle Public Library Peak Picks today: What Your Food Ate (WWNorton).
Fun Fact: Peak Peaks was created by an SPL librarian.

University of Washington geomorphology professor David R. Montgomery and science writer Anne Biklé believe that the roots of good health start on farms. Their latest book, "What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land" (published by W.W. Norton), provides evidence from recent and forgotten science to illustrate how the health of the soil ripples through to crops, livestock, and ultimately us. Co-presented with Elliott Bay Book Company Click the link to register to attend "in person" or to stream from home. This event will be recorded and available for later broadcast.

David Montgomery and Anne Biklé Setup Email Reminder (close pop-up) Tue 6/21, 2022, 7:30pm Event Format:In-Person & Livestream David Montgomery and Anne Biklé What Your Food Ate BUY TICKETS $5 Tuesday, June 21, 2022, 7:30PM Google iCalendar The Great Hall 1119 Eighth Avenue (enter on Eighth Avenue) Seattle, WA 98101 Google Maps D...