LIST TOPPING
In our Nov. 2 issue, we published a profile of Spokane-based author and audiobook narrator Travis Baldree ahead of the hotly anticipated release of his second cozy fantasy novel, BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST. The story is a prequel to his breakout bestseller, Legends & Lattes, which materialized when Baldree challenged himself to finish a novel-length manuscript during National Novel Writing Month a few years ago. He never dreamed the initially self-published Legends would go viral after catching bookworms' attention on TikTok, landing it on bestseller lists. And now, just a few weeks after its release, Bookshops & Bonedust is sitting at the No. 1 spot on The New York Times Best Seller list in the paperback category, and No. 5 overall. Locally, both books can be found at Auntie's Bookstore, but it might be a good idea to call ahead first to see if they still have any left in stock! (CHEY SCOTT)
FREE FIBER
Calling all crocheters, knitting enthusiasts and sewists! Did you know that Spokane's Shadle Park Library houses both a YARN EXCHANGE SHELF and a FABRIC SWAP SHELF? Next time you find yourself with some scrap yarn/fabric, head over to the library branch and exchange it for a new-to-you chunk of fiber! It's an honor system, so make sure that if you take one, you give one as well. The library asks users to refrain from donating knitting/sewing needles, crochet hooks, scissors or pins of any kind — other than that, have at it! (MADISON PEARSON)
CMARIE'S COMPASS POINTS
You've seen her name in the pages of the Inlander, but she's not our little secret anymore! Regular columnist CMarie Fuhrman often writes about her life as an Indigenous woman. Whether in prose or the lines of a poem, Fuhrman's words are bound to take readers on a journey. In January 2023, she started a podcast titled TERRA FIRMA (which translates to dry land). Each episode pairs CMarie's writing about the natural world with recordings of the sounds of the outdoors. Recently, Fuhrman was given the opportunity to create an APPLE MAPS' "I JUST LOVE" guide where people choose points on a map that have meaning or significance to them. For hers, Fuhrman chose eight places with descriptions of each. Here's an excerpt from her paragraph on the Payette National Forest in Idaho: "The Payette National Forest and, more specifically, the steep and beautiful drainages along the South Fork of the Salmon River, not only offer rugged wild beauty but, through the commitment of others who love this place, show that we are capable of a great many things, most of which are fed by hope and community." To see the entire map, visit apple.co/terra-firma-guide. (MADISON PEARSON)
