Karen Dale’s ‘Garden On’
Karen Dale, the local author of a blog about all things gardening, will read from her new book, “Garden On, Vashon,” at 12:30 p.m. Friday at the Vashon Bookshop. The reading will focus on a timely theme: the long history of Vashon Allied Arts’ Garden Tour. This year’s tour takes place June 21 to 23.
The 250-page book is a self-published venture, and Dale currently has an online Kickstarter campaign going to fund the final printing of the book. She hopes the crowd-sourced funding brings in $3,500 for an initial run of 500 books, which Dale wants to market for this year’s holiday gift-buying season.
The book aims to teach readers how to do everything from grow an island tomato to start a winter garden, and Dale said it also tells stories from the island’s forgotten past, when Vashon was filled with berry fields and orchards. She interviewed hundreds of local gardeners for the book.
To donate to Dale’s Kickstarter campaign, visit www.kickstarter.com/projects/2043961980/garden-on-vashon. The campaign ends at 5 p.m. July 5 and must be fully funded by then.
Gerald LaSalle’s ‘Widow Walk’
Local author Gerard LaSalle will read from his new historical fiction novel, “Widow Walk,” at 6 p.m. Friday at the Vashon Bookshop.
The book, which weaves together stories of life in the Pacific Northwest during the turbulent mid-19th century, is written in the tradition of tomes like “Cold Mountain” and “The Last of the Mohicans.” A Union soldier, a Haida native and a Whidbey Island community leader all play their parts in the historical narrative, based on events that occurred when United States and Britain both attempted to control vast, fertile new lands. “Widow Walk,” said LaSalle, is the story of the tragic clash of cultures and the brave people who fought to survive the violent confrontations that inevitably accompany ambition and expansionism.
Born in Seattle, LaSalle is a doctor, award-winning filmmaker, teacher, volunteer and storyteller. His diverse interests also include historical research, sculpting and writing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. He works from his studio on Maury Island. To learn more about the book, visit the website www.widow-walk.com.
