Iris Graville

After nearly thirty years living in the Salish Sea's San Juan Archipelago, Iris Graville felt compelled to write about the threats to its interwoven lattice of beauty, wildness, fragility, and relationship. In 2018-19, Graville served as the Washington State Ferries' first Writer-in-Residence on the "Interisland" route, traveling only among Lopez, Shaw, San Juan, and Orcas Islands. As a result, this storytelling lover of the Salish Sea presents Writer in a Life Vest, thirty-six essays that explore climate change and endangered Southern Resident killer whales, while leading readers to ask questions and find resilience, inspiration, and hope.

"Verdict: Reading this expressive and beautifully written memoir is to experience one's own quest toward self-discovery."-Library Journal, *Starred Review"Hiking Naked shows us the possibilities that appear if we take the risk."-Margery Post Abbott, author of To Be Broken and Tender"Narrated with candor and compassion, Hiking Naked reveals as much about marriage, family, and community, as it does about the meaning of vocation."-Scott Russell Sanders, author of A Private History of Awe"This memoir is chock-full of heartfelt reflection and lyrical prose, wisdom and grace, humor and humility. It is a pure delight to read."-Ana Maria Spagna, author of Potluck: Community on the Edge of Wilderness "Iris writes with directness and honesty about her journey of self-reinvention. The snowy peaks sparkle around her, and her prose sparkles too, with accuracy, honesty, and a warm, willing heart."-David Oates, author of The Heron Place and What We Love Will Save Us

After nearly thirty years living in the Salish Sea’s San Juan Archipelago, Iris Graville felt compelled to write about the threats to its interwoven lattice of beauty, wildness, fragility, and relationship. In 2018-19, Graville served as the Washington State Ferries’ (WSF) first Writer-in-Residence on the “Interisland” route, traveling only among Lopez, Shaw, San Juan, and Orcas islands. As a result, this storytelling lover of the Salish Sea presents Writer in a Life Vest, thirty-six essays that explore climate change and endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales, while leading readers to ask questions and find resilience, inspiration, and hope.

Interviews in This Issue: In this issue, we speak with award-winning poet Andrea Gibson, winner of the 2018 Montana Book Award, Chris LaTray, and Founder of The Folded Map Project Tonika Lewis Johnson. Our Signature Features: The Mindful Kitchen by Heidi Barr, Life & the Arts by Eric D. Lehman, the Contemplative Column by Theodore Richards, the Environmental Column by Gail Collins-Ranadive, and the newly-launched Travel Column by L. M. Browning-Feature Poets: Cooper Young, Karina Lutz, Iain Twiddy, Quinn Bailey, Nathan Manley, Robin Ray, Timothy Robbins, Lynn Domina, James Crews, L. M. Browning, Amy Nawrocki, Al Maginnes, Kenneth Kesner, and Kevin Wayne Zerbe Feature Essays: These Things Matter to Me by Iris Graville and Room of a Thousand Stories: Enchantment, Connection and the Ghost of Longfellow's Wayside Inn by David K. Leff.