2026 Spring Nature of Writing Speaker Series
Discover your next great read in presentations by authors, artists, poets and naturalists sharing their latest works during our Nature of Writing Speaker Series. Hosted partnership with Village Books in Bellingham and Third Place Books in Seattle, this series explores a broad range of natural and cultural history topics, and nonfiction inspired by Cascadia. By bringing our community together in conversation at these events, we aim to amplify the creative voices promoting lifelong stewardship through better understanding of the natural world.
Upcoming Speaker Series Events
a collaboratively written book with Se'Si'Le director Kurt Russo
Tuesday, February 10 at 7 pm
Third Place Books, Seward Park
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Given the rising climate anxiety and the relentless environmental and biodiversity crisis, it is increasingly difficult to envision or have hope for a way forward for all our relations and future generations. A new Indigenous-led approach to ensure equal, respectful, and productive conversations and solutions between Tribes and other invested partners, communities, and government entities is emerging. In The Spirit of Right and Respectful Relations promotes dialog with Indigenous Peoples to increase understandings, build relationships and momentum, and inspire action to support, protect, and restore our region’s imperiled lands, waters, life, and lifeways.
by Tae Keller
Tuesday, March 3 at 7 pm | Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
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Once there was a tree. For two hundred years, there was a tree. There was a tree. There was a tree. Until the tree fell in a forest--and then there was a book.
When best friends Nomi, Vi, and Arthur were younger, they discovered a book of prophecies. It was so very comforting to know what was coming. But as the kids grew older, they forgot about the book. Until the final prophecy started coming true. Now, as seventh grade tests their friendship and wildfires threaten Seattle, the final prophecy promises fire and destruction. Nomi tries everything to prevent calamity. The only problem? She needs help...but Vi's acting strange and Arthur stopped talking to her. As the prophecy escalates, past and present intersect, fate and friendship collide, and secrets spread like wildfire. Together, Nomi, Vi, and Arthur must face the future...even, and especially when it's so uncertain.
by Charles Luckmann
Saturday, March 14 at 2 pm
Village Books, Fairhaven
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In a world where exploration, resilience and compassion have never been more vital, Carry the Flame: The Remarkable Story of the Canadian Outward Bound Wilderness School takes readers on an inspiring journey through the rugged landscapes and transformative experiences that define this iconic institution. Packed with candid and deeply personal stories, rich history, and unforgettable moments, the book provides a rare glimpse into how the school has shaped generations of leaders, adventurers, and changemakers. More than just an essay collection, Carry the Flame serves as a testament to the enduring human spirit and the power of nature to transform lives.
Family Story Hour | Double Feature
Unfathomable: 20 Wild (but True) Stories About the Ocean by Mary Boone
AND
Twelve Daring Greys: A Whale Migration Adventure by Nora Nickum
Thursday, March 19 at 6 pm
Third Place Books, Ravenna
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ABOUT UNFATHOMABLE
ABOUT TWELVE DARING GREYS
A Speaker Series Special Event, in partnership with Third Place Books
by Suzanne Simard, in conversation with Indigenous scientist Jessica Hernandez
Monday, March 30 at 7 pm
Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
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Raised in a family of loggers committed to sensible forest stewardship, trailblazing ecologist Suzanne Simard has watched as timber companies leave forests at higher risk for wildfires, water crises, and plant and animal extinction. But her research has the potential to chart a new course. The forest, she reveals, is a symphony of finely honed cycles of regeneration that hold the key to protecting our forests. Working closely with local Indigenous communities, whose models of responsible forestry have been largely dismissed, Simard examines how human interventions—particularly destruction of the overstory's mother trees—endanger new growth and longevity. As she considers how older living things facilitate the conditions for new growth to flourish, Simard faces parallel rhythms of loss and regeneration in her own life, watching her two daughters grow into adults and savoring her final days with her ailing mother. Animated by wonder for our forests and the intricate practices of caretaking that have long sustained them, When the Forest Breathes is a vital reminder of all the natural world has to teach us about adaptability, resilience, and community.
by Maria Mudd Ruth
Tuesday, April 7 at 7 pm
Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
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Sunday, April 26 at 4 pm
Village Books, Fairhaven
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The Bird with Flaming Red Feet is a lively and heartfelt natural history of the Pigeon Guillemot–a charismatic seabird with a surprising story to tell. Found along the coast around the North Pacific and from Alaska to Southern California, this talkative and often-overlooked bird plays an outsized role in the health of marine ecosystem--earning its status as an "indicator species," especially for Washington’s Puget Sound. Author and longtime volunteer surveyor Maria Mudd Ruth weaves together science, field observation, and community storytelling in this engaging exploration of one bird’s life. Along the way, readers meet the passionate citizen scientists who have built a unique community around caring for and studying this vibrant bird. Bridging the gap between field guide and memoir, The Bird with Flaming Red Feet invites readers to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with the wild places--and creatures--just outside their door.
A Speaker Series Special Event, in partnership with Village Books
by Terry Tempest Williams, in conversation with author and poet Brenda Miller
Saturday, April 11 at 6 pm
Sehome High School Theater, Bellingham
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In this time of political fragility, climate chaos, and seeking beauty wherever we can find its glimmer, Terry Tempest Williams introduces us to the Glorians. They are not distant deities, but the ordinary, often overlooked presences—animal, plant, memory, moment—that reveal our shared vulnerability and interconnectedness with the natural world. They can be as small as an ant ferrying a coyote willow blossom to its queen or as commonplace as the night sky. But what they can collectively show us—about the radical act of attending to beauty and carrying forward against all odds—is immense. Journeying through encounters with the Glorians in the red rock desert of Utah to Harvard University where she teaches in the Divinity School, Williams weaves a story of astonishing personal and societal insight. As she grapples with the unsettled state of the world, she turns not to despair but to deep reflection. She sees how the Glorians are calling us all to attention, not as an army, but as fellow inhabitants of our sacred, threatened home. They remind us of the power of contact between species and the profound courage—and awareness—it will take to dream a more cohesive future into being.
by Eric Wagner
Thursday, April 23 at 7 pm
Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
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Every spring, thousands of rhinoceros auklets return to Destruction Island off Washington’s coast, where they dig burrows, lay eggs, and raise their chicks. Small, gray, and adorned with a curious horn on their bill, these funny-looking birds have become an unlikely but vitally important indicator for the health of the Pacific ecosystem as a whole. In Seabirds as Sentinels, Eric Wagner joins a team of scientists who have been tracking the lives of auklets and other seabirds to gauge the effects of climate change in the region. The North Pacific—sometimes called the Blue Serengeti—is one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, supporting salmon, whales, seals, and countless other species, including people. Yet its waters are changing in unprecedented ways. Wagner intersperses accounts of research expeditions with deep dives into phytoplankton, forage fish, lighthouses, ocean currents, and other important elements in the Pacific Ocean’s tangled ecological web. Weaving together natural history, marine science, and the myriad stories that humans tell about their environments, Seabirds as Sentinels helps us keep a close watch on the uncertain future of the oceans that sustain us all.
Special Double Feature
Day Hiking Snoqualmie Pass by Tami Assars
AND
Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula, 3rd edition by Craig Romano
Tuesday, May 12 at 7 pm
Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
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Wednesday, May 13 at 6 pm
Village Books, Fairhaven
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Within easy day-hiking distance for Seattle and Ellensburg area hikers, the Snoqualmie Pass region boasts an abundance of incredible variety: forested valleys, alpine meadows, craggy peaks, and even high desert terrain.Day Hiking Snoqualmie Passfeatures boots-on-the-ground research by seasoned Washington hiking expert Tami Asars. With 126 handpicked trails, this is the most accurate and comprehensive guide to one of the state’s most beloved outdoor playgrounds.
With hikes to rugged alpine peaks, lush river valleys, and the wild Pacific coast, Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula, 3rd Edition, is the essential guide for exploring one of Washington’s most iconic regions. Featuring 136 hikes--including 10 all-new routes--this completely revised edition is packed with accurate, boots-on-the-ground research. Hikes range from backcountry treks to family-friendly nature trails under three miles--so there are adventures for hikers of all levels. Each entry includes key details on distance, difficulty, and trail highlights.
Thursday, May 21 at 7 pm
Third Place Books, Seward Park
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Saturday, May 23 at 6 pm
Village Books, Fairhaven
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What happens when we truly pay attention to the natural world? Astonished by Beauty offers a thoughtful and practical guide to reconnecting with nature through the practice of natural history. Through a series of brief, intimate stories from the Alaskan Arctic to the Amazon, Fleischner reveals how both easy and meaningful it is to deepen our connection with the land and its creatures. Readers are invited to learn how to look closely, see clearly, and feel deeply the living world around them, while recognizing the vital link between our well-being and the health of the Earth. Offering simple, grounded steps to nurture this bond, the book is part reflection, part guide, calling for a life lived with care, presence, and respect for the wild beauty that surrounds us.