In Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens, Steve Olson has written the definitive account of America's most famous volcano, a disaster (and survival) narrative that is also a fascinating natural and social history of the Pacific Northwest, one that stretches from lofty corporate boardrooms to remote logging camps, from pristine wilderness to the smoking crater itself. Eruption delves into volcanic science, into the economic and political history of the logging industry, and into the roots of the environmental conservation movement, all of which have deep and abiding connections to the Pacific Northwest.

Steve Olson is the author of Mapping Human History (a finalist for the National Book Award) and Count Down, among other books. He lives in Seattle, Washington. The author will be reading and signing books at this event.

For women who enjoy hiking, camping, backpacking, and other outdoor recreation or those inspired by Cheryl Strayed's Wild, this is the definitive guide to being a woman in the great outdoors. This friendly handbook covers the matters of most concern to women, from "feminine functions" in the wilderness to how to deal with condescending men, as well as the basics of wilderness survival tailored to women's unique needs. It includes gear lists in addition to advice for camp setup, fire building, food and water, safety, weather, and navigation.

Ruby McConnell is a writer, dancer, and geologist from Eugene, Oregon. Her published works include professional geologic papers, personal essays, dance reviews, short stories, and her blog, Girl Gone Wild. Her work has appeared in Misadventures Magazine, Oregon Quarterly, and Birder Watcher's Digest, among others. The author will be reading and signing books at this event.

Avenging the Owl takes readers on a hero's journey with 13-year-old Solo Hahn. After his father tries to commit suicide, his mother moves the family from their Southern California beach home to a landlocked trailer in Oregon. Solo is forced to do community service at the local raptor rehabilitation center after he accidentally injures a neighbor with Down syndrome while trying to kill a great-horned owl that's hurt his beloved pet. School Library Journal calls Avenging the Owl "a good action-adventure story compelling enough for reluctant readers. Hand to fans of books about the great outdoors and the wilderness." 

Melissa Hart is a contributing editor at The Writer Magazine, and a Literature and Creative Writing teacher for Laurel Springs distance-learning high school. She's the author of two memoirs. Her essays have appeared in The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Orion, Hemispheres, Education Week, and other publications. This event will feature a raptor slide show and owl pellet dissection! The author will be reading and signing books at this event.