͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌    ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

NIWA NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2026 Supporting Independently Published Authors in the Pacific Northwest WORDS ON WORDS “Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.” ― Diane Duane AUTHOR INTERVIEWS We told you last month but it’s worth repeating. NIWA has launched a new series of video interviews hosted by Pat Luther. Several episodes are now live on the NIWA website. New interviews will be released every Friday at 8 a.m. Pacific for the next year. Members interested in being featured should contact [email protected] to schedule. Priority goes to authors with new releases, and the current wait time is 2–3 months. Paty Jager’s novel, Wolverine Instincts is a finalist in the CIBA Awards, The Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) celebrate outstanding literary works across various genres, offering authors recognition, promotional opportunities, and cash prizes. Ellen Jacobson and three other authors recently founded the Columbia County Authors Alliance to support local writers through education, networking, author events, anthologies, and creative gatherings. Their inaugural anthology, Hidden World, releases in March 2026, and the group is partnering with the St. Helens Public Library on the Stories by the River Festival, featuring free events for readers and writers. Learn more here. Kimila Kay is coordinating NIWA’s upcoming in-person meet-and-greet, planned for March in the Beaverton/Hillsboro area. Anyone interested in helping her should contact [email protected] William Cook has been asked to speak about his writer's journey at a Rotary Club meeting at noon on Thursday, February 26 at the Creekside Golf Course restaurant in south Salem. He will also be at Books 'N Time, 210 N. Water St., in Silverton on Saturday, March 28, from 1:00-3:00, signing and reading from his new release Persona. Pat Luther recently gave a presentation with his audiobook narrator, Deborah Reeves, covering everything you need to know to create an audiobook from start to finish. The session is available on Pat’s YouTube channel and includes practical guidance on resources, where to find them, how the production process works, and plenty of behind‑the‑scenes stories from the making of his audiobooks as well as others Deborah has narrated. Pam Cowan’s short horror story, Homecoming, will appear in the spring edition of Horror Zine magazine which is now available. NEW RELEASES (select cover to review or purchase) THIS MONTH’S SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON … William J. Cook William Cook is a retired mental health therapist, who now has the time to play with his grand-children and write. He is fascinated with moral dilemmas, with the choices that people feel forced to make. His first novel, Songs for the Journey Home, is a spiritual quest, an epic saga that spans the iconic events from 1962 to 2012. His second book, The Pieta in Ordinary Time and Other Stories, is a salad of short fiction, ranging from the droll to the thrilling. His novel Seal of Secrets has been described by a beta reader "as full of twists and turns as a corkscrew about to open a bottle of very fine wine." NIWA: First, please tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know. William: Although I have a Master's Degree in Social Work, I never received a high school diploma. NIWA: What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever written? William: A romantic short story about zombies addicted to coffee instead of brains. NIWA: What’s your favorite element? William: I'm rather fond of oxygen. NIWA: What items are on your writing desk besides a computer/laptop? William: A Sigmund Freud action figure, a framed drawing of a robin by my granddaughter, a Peanuts "Psychiatric Help 5 cents" Christmas ornament, a sign that says "WINE! BECAUSE NO GREAT STORY EVER STARTED WITH SOMEONE EATING A SALAD", a framed photo of my son in full Indiana Jones mode, a Star Trek communicator badge, etc., etc., etc. Find out more about William Cook on their NIWA Author Page. BOOK OF THE MONTH UPSTREAM (The Ghost Trilogy) by Donald McEwing Genre: Horror UPSTREAM (The Ghost Trilogy) Donald McEwing Upstream traces appearances of the Necronomicon and the Talisman across the ages. In a work combining Lovecraftian horror with historical fiction, settings range from prehistoric Greenland to Baghdad at the height of the Abbasid Caliphate and on to Catholic Granada at its apex, Elizabethan London, Colonial Massachusetts at the time of the Salem Witch Trials, San Francisco in 1906, and more. This stand-alone novella also provides the backdrop for the second and third novellas of the Trilogy, Ghosts from the Mountains of Madness and Against the Ghosts. To learn more about Donald McEwing or to purchase this book, visit his NIWA author page. MARCH ZOOM NOTE: A link to the Zoom is usually sent to the email you used when you signed up to become a member. If you have changed your email, contact: [email protected] FEBRUARY ZOOM For February’s Second Tuesday Zoom, Mollie Hunt gave a presentation on why our books may not be selling well as we would like. She listed things to be aware of when designing our books for a great first impression and hosted a lively discussion of various book covers. Around ten members were in attendance. NIWA Zoom chats are held the second Tuesday of the month from 7-8 PM. They are NOT recorded so please attend as they will not be available for later viewing. The theme and a link to the meeting can be found under the events tab on the NIWA Facebook Page. HAVE AN IDEA FOR A PRESENTATION? Contact. [email protected] NIWA MEMBER? To attend use this link. SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR This person is responsible for posting on social media platforms including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. ZOOM HOST (Non-board position) Invite speakers and host monthly (2nd Tuesday at 7 PM) Zoom meeting. NOTE: Board Positions require attendance of quarterly board meetings. All positions are unpaid, volunteer only. Contact [email protected] VISIT NIWA BOOKSTORE Find a great book? Leave a great review! NIWA MERCHANDISE Check out NIWA Merchandise. From totes to t-shirts. NOTES TO NIWA MEMBERS FROM THE NEWSLETTER TEAM SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR: Like to be a NIWA Spotlight Author? Go to the NIWA website Members Only Page and fill out the Newsletter Author Spotlight Application. Pick three random questions to answer and click submit. Our newsletter goes out the 15th of every month. Spotlight authors are chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. ZOOM CHATS: Have an idea for a Zoom chat? Contact [email protected] IT’S A WRITER’S LIFE This newest feature provides a place for members to let others know what is going on in their writing life. This includes but is not limited to the books you’re working on, the conferences you’ve attended, classes you’ve taught, and any honors or awards your work has received. Send all to [email protected] NEW RELEASES: If you have a new release, please send via the contact form on the NIWA website for inclusion in the NIWA online catalog and in the newsletter. STORAGE: To keep books in the storage unit for delivery to events you must sign up for at least six events per year and store only those titles you are currently promoting. To learn more, login to the NIWA website to find and read the storage policy. CONTACT US: To post content on the newsletter email [email protected]. The Northwest Independent Writers Association (NIWA) helps Pacific Northwest writers find a community of independent authors, achieve professional writing and publishing standards, and discover marketing opportunities. To learn more, find us on our website or on social media. Copyright © 2026 Northwest Independent Writers Association. All rights reserved. NIWA PO Box 1171 Redmond, OR 97756 https://niwawriters.com Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe