Current News + Forthcoming Events
September 24, 2026
Port Townsend Public Library
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Reading and book signing.
Port Townsend, WA.
September 25, 2026
Peninsula Arts Center
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Poetry reading with guitar accompaniment by George Coleman.
Long Beach, WA.
September 26, 2026
ARNP Conference
8:20 PM to 8:50. Talk on Poetry and Wellness.
Bellevue, WA.
September 30, 2026
WVC Speaks
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Reading and music recital at Wenatchee Valley College with Jack Johnson, Michael Choman, and Sam Choman.
Wenatchee, WA.
October 1, 2026
Yakima Valley Museum
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Reading, workshop, Q and A, and book signing with Antonio López, poet Laureate of San Mateo County, CA.
Yakima, WA.
October 2, 2026
MusicBox
6:15 PM to 6:45 PM. Poetry reading mixed with rock n’ roll.
Wenatchee, WA.
October 3, 2026
Write on the Sound
4:15 PM to 5:30 PM. A talk on poetry and wildness and book signing at the Frances Anderson Center.
Edmonds, WA.
October 5, 2026
Arts & Humanities Month at Central Washington University
2:00 PM – 3:50 PM. Work with creative writing students. 7:00 to 8:00 PM. Keynote address on the importance of human creativity with the growing role of AI in our lives.
Ellensburg, WA.
October 22 – 25, 2026
Skagit River Poetry Festival
I will be part of multiple panel presentations and readings alongside Naomi Shihab Nye and many other fine poets at this splendiferous event.
La Conner, WA.
October 26 – 27, 2026
Eastside Preparatory School
I will facilitate poetry workshops and give a reading as I work with students and faculty.
Kirkland, WA.
November 5, 2026
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM. Poetry reading and discussion.
Wenatchee, WA.
November 5, 2026
Washington State University
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Poetry reading with Stacy Boe Miller. Followed by Open Mic at Brused Books from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Pullman, WA.
November 12 – 15, 2026
Poets for Science Gathering
I am part of two panel presentations with J. Drew Lanham, Traci Brimhall, Anne Haven McDonnell, and Eric Magrane at Kent State University.
Kent, OH.
November 19, 2026
Third Place Books, Seward Park
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM. Reading in the company of Melinda Hurst Frye and her exhibit of ecological images at Seattle Light Room.
Seattle, WA.
Previous News + Events
September 12, 2026
Southwestern Writers Conference
2:30 PM to 3:30 PM. Keynote address at Centralia College.
Centralia, WA.
September 11, 2026
Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland Library
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Reading, talk, Q &A, book signing.
Centralia, WA.
September, 2026
Poetry and Polar Science
I will be reading for this fun project blending science and poetry.
Terrain.org, Spring Creek Project, and PRAx.
September 1, 2026
Friday Harbor Poetry Gardens
I will be judging this annual contest.
Friday Harbor, WA.
August 20 – 23, 2026
National Book Festival
Reading and other events alongside other poet laureate fellows from around the country.
Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
August 19, 2026
Pacific Regent Bellevue
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Reading and workshop.
Bellevue, WA.
July 31, 2026
Cloud and Leaf Bookstore
11 AM to 12 PM. I will be doing a book signing and Meet and Greet.
Manzanita, OR.
June 25 – 27, 2026
Chuckanut Writers Conference
I will be teaching a class on revision strategies and giving a keynote presentation.
Bellingham, WA.
June 24, 2026
The American Experiment
I am the voice of Gouverneur Morris in this four-part series documentary produced by Tom Hanks.
Netflix.
June 18, 2026
Wenatchee Valley College Graduation Ceremony
5 pm. I will give the commencement address.
Town Toyota Center, Wenatchee, WA.
June 11, 2026
Plain Valley Adventure Women
5 pm. A reading and book signing with Cynthia Neely.
Plain Cellars, Plain, WA.
May 30, 2026
Madrona Poetry Reading Series
7 pm. A poetry reading with David Lee, Utah’s first Poet Laureate.
Pelican Bay Books, Anacortes, WA.
May 30, 2026
Write on the River Writers Conference
I will lead a poetry workshop.
Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA.
May 21, 2026
Governor’s Residence
5:15 to 7:00 pm. A reading and celebration with Rena Priest the 6th, Claudia Castro Luna the 5th, and 2026 Anaphora Arts Fellow Sahar Fathi, and student poets Jade Terriss Talamo, Eric Luna-Soto.
Olympia, WA.
May 14, 2026
Mirror Northwest and Visiting Writer: Jonathan Johnson
2 pm – 8 pm. Attend reading by visiting writer and the launch of WVC’s literary journal.
Wenatchee Valley College, WA.
May 13, 2026
King County Juvenile Detention Facility
3 – 8 pm. Listen and respond to poems by inmates. Thanks to the Pongo Poetry Project.
Seattle, WA.
May 12, 2026
The American Experiment
3:30 – 5 pm. Recording some voice acting for this Netflix documentary.
Seattle, WA.
May 12, 2026
Beaver Valley Elementary
10 am – 12 pm. Work with students in two classrooms, grades K – 5.
Plain, WA.
May 9, 2026
Kettle Falls Library, Book Lovers Tea
1 – 3 pm. Poetry reading and book signing.
Kettle Falls, WA.
May 8, 2026
Chewelah Arts Guild
6:00 – 7:30 pm. Poetry reading with Dennis Held and workshop at the Chewelah Library.
Chewelah, WA.
May 8, 2026
Jenkins Junior-Senior High
12:30 – 1:45 pm. Poetry workshop with students.
Chewelah, WA.
May 8, 2026
Fort Colville Elementary
9:50 to 10:30 AM. Poetry reading and workshop with a classroom of special education students.
Colville, WA.
May 7, 2026
Dishman Hills Conservancy
10 am. Lead a walk n’ read through one of the properties Dishman Hills stewards. Poetry meets natural history.
Spokane, WA.
May 7, 2026
Dishman Hills Conservancy
6 pm. Poetry reading, Q and A, and book signing.
Spokane Valley Library, Spokane, WA.
April 30, 2026
Confluence Gallery
7 – 8:30 pm. Reading and book signing with fellow poets Subhaga Crystal Bacon and Thome George.
Twisp, WA.
April 30, 2026
Liberty Bell High School
12:30 – 1:50 PM. Lead a workshop for students.
Twisp, WA.
April 29, 2026
Okanogan Conservation District
5 – 8 pm. Keynote address on Words, Woods, and Wellness.
Okanogan, WA.
April 25, 2026
Bainbridge Library
3 – 5 pm. Poetry reading, conversation, Q and A, and book signing with Erin Malone, Poet Laureate of Bainbridge Island.
Bainbridge Island, WA.
April 24, 2026
Darrington Library
3 – 5 pm. Poetry reading and book signing with Kara Briggs.
Darrington, WA.
April 24, 2026
Darrington High School
I will be working with students.
Darrington, WA.
April 24, 2026
Burlington High School
I will be working with students.
Burlington, WA.
April 23, 2026
Edison Poetry Series
7 – 9 pm. I will be giving a poetry reading with Elizabeth Bradfield and Jeremy Voigt.
i.e. gallery. Edison, WA.
April 18, 2026
Sustainable NCW
12:00 pm. A reading of poems in honor of Earth month.
Wenatchee Valley College. Wenatchee, WA
April 12, 2026
Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges (American Anthroplogical Association)
I will be speaking about my work with college students, multidisciplinarity, pedagogy in the community college, and collaboration with the local communities of the Pacific Northwest.
Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA.
April 11, 2026
Peninsula Art League
10:00 am – 12:00 pm. I will give a poem-peppered talk on the intersection of poetry, nature, and art.
Rosedale Hall. Gig Harbor, WA
April 10, 2026
PN Farm Arts Initiative
10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Please join me as I walk among the trees of the Plas Newydd farm. We will talk trees and poems and wellness as we saunter.
Ridgefield, WA
April 9, 2026
Ghost Town Poetry
7:00 pm. I will be giving a reading at this long-standing, vibrant open mic event.
Vancouver, WA
April 9, 2026
Stanwood-Camano American Assn of University Women
1:00 pm. I will give a reading and a talk on process and do a Q and A.
Online.
April 8, 2026
Gesa Power House Theatre
7:00 pm. I will give a poetry reading and doing a Q and A and book signing.
Walla Walla, WA
April 8, 2026
The Nature of Our Times
4:00 pm. I am part of a reading hosted by Writing the Wild and Hellbender Gathering of Poets.
Online.
March 29, 2026
In this Time: A Gathering of Poets Laureate from the West
1:00 – 3:30 pm. I will be joining the poets laureate from the western states–Oregon, California, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming–to read some poems and discuss what it means to be a state poet laureate at this time.
Carson City, NV
March 26, 2026
Boston College
7:00 pm. Poetry reading, Q & A, and book signing.
Boston, MA
March 19, 2026
Northwest Voices
3:00 to 7:00 PM. I will be hosting a workshop at Lower Columbia College and giving a reading at the Longview Public Library.
Longview, WA
March 18, 2026
Olympia Poetry Network
I will be hosting a workshop and giving a reading.
Olympia, WA
March 7, 2026
Poetry Out Loud
1:00 to 3:00 PM. I will be saying a few words at this state competition, but attending mostly to cheer.
Tacoma Little Theater, Tacoma, WA
March 6, 2026
Harbor Ridge Middle School
I will be presenting on the delights and ubiquity of poetry at an all-school assembly.
Gig Harbor, WA.
January 20 – March 31
Hanford Challenge Poetry Contest
I am judging entries from across the nation. Any student grades K – College can submit poetry on the topic of nuclear weapons waste.
February 5, 2026
Ritzville Public Library
5:00 to 6:00 PM. I will be giving a poetry reading, taking questions, and signing books.
Ritzville, WA.
February 5, 2026
Lind Elementary School
1:00 to 2:00 PM. I will be listening to 4th and 5th grade students read their own poems and sharing my own.
Lind, WA.
February 3, 2026
BookTree
6:30 to 7:30 PM. I will be giving a reading and doing a Q and A and this marvelous indie book store!
BookTree, Kirkland, WA.
February 3, 2026
The Overlake School
9:00 to 3:00 PM. I will be offering two writing workshops for students and giving a talk on poetry in an all-school assembly.
The Overlake School, Redmond, WA.
January 15, 2026
We the People
5:30 to 6:30 PM. In honor of the 250th birthday of the U.S., I will be giving a talk through poetry about the nature of the residents of Washington State.
Washington State Historical Society, Tacoma, WA.
January 14, 2026
The Nature of Our Times: Poems on America’s Lands, Waters, Wildlife, and Other Natural Wonders
7:00 to 8:00 PM. I will be reading with fellow contributors of this new anthology.
Elliott Bay Books, Seattle, WA.
January 13, 2026
The Nature of Our Times: Poems on America’s Lands, Waters, Wildlife, and Other Natural Wonders
6:00 to 7:00 PM. I will be reading with fellow contributors of this new anthology.
Vashon Island Land Trust.
December 11, 2025
Humanities Washington Awards Ceremony
7:00 to 8:00 PM. I will speak briefly and read a poem in honor of the 50 awardees.
Zoom.
November 22, 2025
A Poets Laureate Conversation with Rena Priest the Sixth
6 PM. I will be in conversation with Rena Priest, the sixth poet laureate of Washington State and author of Positively Uncivilized, at Village Books.
Bellingham, WA.
November 21, 2025
Skagit Libraries Staff Day
I will give a talk about poetry to the staff of the Skagit County Library system.
Anacortes, WA.
November 20, 2025
Charles Wright Academy, Purdy Women’s Correctional Facility, Fox Island Chapel
I will lead a walk and talk with students at Charles Wright, facilitate a workshop at Purdy, and give a reading alongside Kevin Miller and Allen Braden at the Chapel.
Tacoma and Gig Harbor, WA.
November 17, 2025
Terrain.org Reading Series
5:00 pm PT. I will host a reading for Terrain.org featuring Alison Hawthorne Deming, B.J. Hollars, and Catharina Coenen
November 14, 2025
Grays Harbor College, Harbor Learning Center, and Stafford Creek Correctional Center
I will give a reading at Grays Harbor College and give a talk and a workshop to students at Harbor Learning and inmates at Stafford Creek.
Aberdeen, WA.
November 12, 2025
Yakima Coffeehouse Poets
I will give a reading alongside several other local poets.
Yakima, WA.
November 10, 2025
Pacific Regents, Cogir, Senior Living
I will give a reading and answer questions for a poetry appreciation group.
Bellevue, WA.
November 8, 2025
Salish Sea Poetry Festival
6 PM. Whatcom Museum. I will give a reading with my poet daughter, Zoey Sheffield.
Bellingham, WA.
November 6 – 7, 2025
Pend Oreille County
I will work with students in Cusick, Ione, and Newport, and meet with a local writing group, and give a reading at Create.
Pend Oreille County, WA.
October 26th, 2025
Simmons Buntin Reading from Satelllite: Essays on Fatherhood and Home, Near and Far
3 PM. I will host Simmons Buntin for a reading at Fable and Bloom Books.
Wenatchee, WA.
October 15 – 18, 2025
43rd Annual Stegner Lecture
I will work with students at Lewis-Clark State College and give the annual Stegner lecture.
Lewiston, ID.
October 2nd, 2025
Huntingford Humanities Lecture and Chimacum High School
I will work with students in the Chimacum School District and give the annual Huntingford Humanities lecture at the Jefferson County Library.
Port Hadlock, WA.
September 19 – 20, 2025
SOCO Creative Arts Festival and Southridge High School
I will be presenting at Southridge then giving a reading and leading a poetry workshop as port of the Arts Festival.
Yakima, WA.
August 20 – 21, 2025
Serving those who Served
I will incorporating poetry into this special gathering that supports and honors veterans and their families.
Yakima, WA.
June 28, 2025
Okanogan Land Trust Ponderosa Dinner
I will give a short talk on the importance of poetry and wilderness.
Oroville Winery, Oroville, WA.
June 5, 2025
Poetry Reading with Adventure
I will give a poetry reading alongside Cynthia Neely. This event is co-sponsored by Plain Valley Adventure Women.
Plain Cellars, Plain, WA.
May 30, 2025
Harbor Ridge Middle School
I will be working with 6th and 8th graders, hoping to channel the incredible energy of ages 11 and 13!
Gig Harbor, WA.
May 24, 2025
Equity in Leadership Summit, OUT NCW
2:00 PM to 10:00 PM. I will give a short talk, say a poem, and dance the night away.
Numerica Performing Arts Center, Wenatchee, WA.
May 17 – 18, 2025
Write on the River Conference
I will be teaching classes on poetry and nature writing as part of this special gathering in the Valley.
Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA.
May 15, 2025
Mirror Northwest Reading
6:00 to 8:00 PM. I will attend this special gathering of WVC students reading their work appearing in WVC’s literary journal, Mirror Northwest.
MAC, Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA.
May 4, 2025
Skagit River Poetry Foundation Live Auction
1:00 to 4:30 pm. I will be giving a short talk on the value of poetry and the incredible beauty and connection that happens every two years in La Conner!
La Conner, WA.
April 30, 2025
Washington State Poet Laureate Induction Ceremony
7:00 pm. Rena Priest, Washingtion’s sixth poet laureate, and Governor Bob Ferguson hand me the laurel!
Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA.
April 25, 2025
I’m happy to share the news that I have new poems forthcoming in the Southern Review, Talking River Review, Hampden-Sydney Poetry Review, and Mirror Northwest.
April 22, 2025
Earth Day Celebration
12:30 pm – 4:00 pm. I will be hosting Sue Sampson, Ana Maria Spagna, and Jarrett Ziemer in a reading in honor of Earth Day and Poetry Month.
Wenatchee Valley College.
April 19, 2025
Sustainability NCW Earth Day Fair
11:30 am. I will be reading some earthy poems along with my colleagues, Holly Thorpe and Ana Maria Spagna.
Wenatchee Valley College.
April 10, 2025
Visiting Writer
I will be visiting with creative writing students at the University of Wyoming.
Laramie, WY.
April 6, 2025
Tribute to Colleen J. McElroy
I will join other former students and friends of Dr. McElroy to read her work and celebrate her life.
Seattle Public Library, Downtown.
April 1, 2025
Governor Ferguson appointed me to be the eighth poet laureate of Washington State (2025 – 2027).
March 27 – 29, 2025
AWP Conference: March 26 – 29, L.A.
Poetic Fathers: On the Entanglements of Writing about Our Children
How do our identities as fathers influence our poems? And how, if at all, does our poem-making influence the way we parent? When our children enter our poems, what are the ethics involved? Five poets who are also fathers share and discuss their poems–and the poems of fellow poetic fathers such as Primus St. John and Robert Frost–that poignantly address these questions and more.
Presenters: Derek Sheffield, Gregory Pardlo, Nathaniel Perry, Simmons Buntin, and Mathew Nienow
Los Angeles, CA. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS.
March 14, 2025
MOHAI: Place-based Learning Workshop
I will be working with high school teachers, museum educators and curators, librarians, academics, journalists, writers and public historians to create place-based learning activities for high school students that will be housed on HistoryLink.
Museum of History and Industry, Seattle, WA.
February 15th, 2025
Hike ‘n Write and Reading in the Desert
Thanks to the arts collective POG and the Sabino Poets, I will be leading a Hike ‘n Write in the morning in Sabino Canyon. In the evening I will be giving a reading alongside fellow poets Simmons Buntin and Lisa Periale Martin.
Tucson, AZ. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS.
December 1, 2024
Big thanks to Cuthroat: A Journal of the Arts for the honor of nominating my poem “Hawk” for a Pushcart Award.
November 4, 2024
The Dangerous Work of Ten Thousand Things: Toward a More Perfect Revision
4 PM PST. Presented by the Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Western Colorado University. Dr. Steve Coughlin and I are teaming up to talk about the WHAT of revision: the changes made from one draft to another, and the WHY of it: the effects a change has on the overall work of the poem. We’ll also address the dangers of revision, as when a poem’s original energy or spark is written right out of it, leaving a well-crafted shell for Eliot’s hollow men to brood over.
Zoomland. CLICK HERE to register.
October 9, 2024
Community: The Origin Story of Cascadia Field Guide
I will be presenting to Susan Ballinger and her students in an amazing class, Wenatchee Naturalist.
Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA.
October 3 – 5, 2024
Finding Cascadia
Skagit River Poetry Festival. I will be presenting and reading alongside CMarie Fuhrman, Elizabeth Bradfield, Ellen Bass, Arthur Sze, Robert Wrigley, Tawanda Mulalu, Caitlin Scarano, Roberto Ascalon, Tim McNulty, and many other essential poets.
LaConner, WA.
September 10, 2024
Cascadia Field Guide receives Honorable Mention for the 2023 Idaho Book of the Year.
September 3, 2024
Cascadia Field Guide named finalist for the 2024 Washington State Book Award.
July 22 – 27, 2024
Reading, panelling, and teaching at Western Colorado University’s MFA Residency
“The Space Which Is In-Between: Riding the Associative Leap” with poems by Eugenio Montale, Jarrett Ziemer, Victoria Chang, and CMarie Fuhrman.
Gunnison, CO.
June 28, 2024
The Poetry of Cascadia
6 PM. I will be reading and in conversation with Jean-Paul Pecqueur and Joanna Fuhrman.
University Book Store. Seattle, WA.
June 10, 2024
Cascadia Field Guide wins the 2023 Foreward INDIES Book of the Year Award (Gold Medal) in Nature!
“Thousands of books are entered each year, and over 100 librarians and booksellers take part in the judging process.”
May 22, 2024
Cascadia Field Guide wins a 2024 Independent Press Publisher Award (IPPY) Award: Silver Medal in Anthologies!
May 21, 2024
Q & A with students of Writing the Wild
4 PM – 4:30 PM. I’ll be answering questions from students on the special year-long journey curated by Krissy Kludt and J. Drew Lanham.
Zoom.
May 18, 2024
Birds and Words with Rebecca Heisman
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. I will lead a birding trip alongside Rebecca Heisman, author of Flight Paths.
Leavenworth Fish Hatchery, Leavenworth, WA.
May 16, 2024
Art & Poetry in the Wild
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. I will lead an afternoon of field and feel work alongside artist and writer Heather Murphy as part of the 2024 Leavenworth Spring Birdfest.
Icicle Gorge Trail, Leavenworth, WA.
April 30, 2024
Q and A with Rhina Espaillat
9:30 AM to 10:30 AM. I’m ending Poetry Month is the best way by hosting the beautiful and amazing Rhina Espaillat for a Q and A around her recent books and process.
Wenatchee Valley College. Zoom.
April 26, 2024
InVerse Functions: A Theatrical Evening of Science Poetry
7 PM. A few of my science poems performed, alongside others, in a fun intersection of poetry, theater, and science.
Seattle, WA.
April 25, 2024
Q & A with Nature Writing Students
3:00 PM. Western Colorado University Graduate Program in Creative Writing. Liz Bradfield and I will be visiting CMarie Fuhrman’s nature writing class to talk about Cascadia Field Guide.
Zoom.
April 23, 2024
Celebrating Earth Day, Poetry Month, and Cascadia Field Guide’s Pacific Northwest Book Award
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. I’ll be reading with Katharine Whitcomb, Jack Johnson, and Kevin Craft at Water from Wine, next to A Book for All Seasons.
Leavenworth, WA.
April 22, 2024
Terrain.org Earth Day and Poetry Month Reading
5:00 PM PT. I’m hosting Byron Aspaas, Gary Soto, and Dorianne Laux in a reading to honor Gaia and the Muse.
Zoomlandia.
April 20, 2024
The Ecopoetry of Cascadia
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. I’ll be poking around the wilds of ecopoetry in a talk peppered with readings from Cascadia Field Guide at the Orcas Island Library alongside contributor Jill McCabe Johnson.
Orcas Island, WA.
April 19, 2024
Earth Day Celebration on the Salish Sea
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. Thanks to the San Juan Makers Guild, I’m reading with Jill McCabe Johnson and Quinn Bailey at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
Orcas Island, WA.
April 18, 2024
Earth Day and Poetry Month Celebration
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. I’m honoring Mother Earth and the Muse with visiting writer Kurt Caswell and the student winners of the annual Wenatchee Valley College Earth Day poetry contest.
Wenatchee, WA.
April 16, 2024
Visit to Bellevue College
12:00 PM. CMarie Fuhrman and I are visiting an environmental sciences class to discuss Cascadia Field Guide and the power of blending science and art.
Bellevue, WA.
April 13, 2024
Earth Day Fair
11:30 AM. Sustainable NCW. Pybus Public Market. I will be reading some poems in honor of Earth Day.
Wenatchee, WA.
March 30, 2024
Books After Dark: A signing from Cascadia Field Guide, Dear America, Not for Luck, and Through the Second Skin
5 PM – 8 PM. Cloud & Leaf Bookstore. Wine, cheese, books, and chitchat.
Manzanita, OR.
March 11, 2024
Q & A with T.J. Klune, author of In the Lives of the Puppets
7 PM – 8 PM. The Red Barn at WRI. I’m asking T.J. Klune about his new book, his writing process, and more.
Leavenworth, WA.
March 7, 2024
Cascadia Field Guide announced as finalist for the 2023 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award in Nature
March 6, 2024
Greater than the Sum of Its Parts: Toward a More Perfect Biophilia with the Consilience of Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry
4 PM – 5 PM. I will give a talk on what happens when science is blended with the arts. Science in Our Valley is sponsored by WSU and the Apple Stem Network
Wenatchee, WA.
February 15 – 27, 2024
Writing a Being-Centric Poem
Derek Sheffield teaches a 3-session class over Zoom through Writing the Wild, the amazing year-long experience curated by Krissy Kludt and J. Drew Lanham.
February 7 – 11, 2024
AWP Conference Whirlwind, Kansas City, Missouri
Weds.
6 pm AWP Small Press Publisher Award; Terrain.org is one of the finalists, alongside Obsidian and The Rumpus
Thurs.
11 AM Terrain.org booth, 3025, signing for Not for Luck and Through the Second Skin with Brian Turner
1:30 to 2:00 PM Trinity U. booth, signing with Elizabeth Dodd and Simmons Buntin for Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance, and Democracy
3:00 to 4:00 PM, Terrain.org booth, 3025, signing with Tess Taylor for Leaning Toward Light
6 PM Terrain.org, 25th Anniversary celebration reading, Kirk Family YMCA
8 PM PNBA Award Ceremony, with Elizabeth Bradfield and CMarie Fuhrman, online
Friday
9:00 AM Terrain.org booth, 3025, signing with Liz Bradfield and CMarie Fuhrman for Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry
1:00 PM, Wheelbarrow Books booth, 744. Signing for Not for Luck with Daniel Lassell, author of Spit
Saturday
9:00 AM Terrain.org booth, 3025, signing with Elizabeth Dodd and Simmons Buntin for Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance, and Democracy
January, 2024
Judge: 2024 Summer Fishtrap Fellowship.
January 11, 2024
Terrain.org 25th Anniversary Celebration
7 PM MT, Derek Sheffield joins 2022 National Book Award finalist Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, Julie Swarstad Johnson, and Simmons Buntin at the University of Arizona Poetry Center in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Terrain.org, the world’s oldest online journal dedicated to the writing and art of place.
Tucson, AZ. In person and streaming online.
January 8, 2024
Cascadia Field Guide wins a 2024 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award!
November 6, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide shortlisted for the 2024 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award.
November 5, 2023
Rewilding with Cascadia Field Guide: A Talk Peppered with Poems, Art, and Your Questions
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Join co-editors CMarie Fuhrman and Derek Sheffield for a talk about Cascadia Field Guide with respect to the concept of Rewilding.
NatureCulture. Free attendance through Zoom. Details here.
October 19, 2023
A Saunter through Cascadia Field Guide: A Talk Peppered with Poems, Art, and Your Questions
7 PM, Poet, naturalist, and co-editor Derek Sheffield will lead us on a saunter through the wilds and words of an extraordinary collection which fuses image, science, cultural knowledge, and the ineffable singing we call poem to honor the beings and place of our bioregion. Come with an open heart and be ready to love even more the interconnected and wonder-riddled place we call home.
Wenatchee River Institute, Leavenworth, WA. Free attendance in person and through Zoom. Details here.
October 7, 2023
Words for the More-Than-Human World
9 AM – 12 PM, Join Derek Sheffield and Cynthia Neely for a generative writing workshop on the beautiful grounds of the Wenatchee River Institute.
Leavenworth, WA
October 6, 2023
The MAC Gallery at Wenatchee Valley College show opening: Cascadia: A More Than Human Experience
5 pm, Join artist Justin Gibbens and poets Xavier Cavazos, Maya Jewell Zeller, Derek Sheffield, and Jack Johnson for a reading from and discussion of Cascadia Field Guide.
MAC Gallery, Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA
Thursday, October 5
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA
7 PM, A reading and celebration with Rick Barot, Elizabeth Bradfield, Derek Sheffield, CMarie Fuhrman. Part of the PLU Visiting Writers Series.
Details here.
Tuesday, October 4
Bloedel Reserve: UP Lift: Collaborations with Nature
Bainbridge Is., WA
Join editors Holly Hughes, Rena Priest, Elizabeth Bradfield, Derek Sheffield, and CMarie Fuhrman for a presentation on the making of anthologies.
details to come
Tuesday, October 3, 6 pm
Washington State History Museum Presents Cascadia Field Guide
Tacoma, WA
Join editors Elizabeth Bradfield and Derek Sheffield with writers Ever Jones, Kevin Miller, and Anastacia-Reneé to celebrate connection and wonderment.
details to come
Sunday, October 1, 3 pm
Tsunami Books
Eugene, Oregon
Attending this Earth: Poetry, Ecology, Gardens, and Art: Cascadia Field Guide and Leaning Toward Light: Poems for Gardens and the Hands that Tend Them, two new anthologies that honor and strengthen our connection to the more-than-human world, invite you to rejuvenate your love of the plants, birds, and other beings of this beautiful place through poetry, story, and more. Editors and poets Elizabeth Bradfield, Derek Sheffield, and Tess Taylor will be joined by poet Garrett Hongo; Jorah LaFleur will host the event, and Don Latarski will offer music. Artist for Cascadia Field Guide Emily Poole will have artwork on display. Whether you enjoy your back yard, your neighborhood park, or deep wilderness, this evening will nurture your sense of connection and care. This event is co-sponsored by the McKenzie River Trust and the Eugene Natural History Society. More details.
September 30, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide: A Celebration! with Derek Sheffield, Elizabeth Bradfield, Alyssa Ogi, Nancy Slavin, and Lex Runciman
6 PM, Hoffman Center for the Arts in partnership with Cloud and Leaf Bookstore
594 Laneda Ave, Manzanita, OR. More details.
September 29, 2023
Join editors Elizabeth Bradfield and Derek Sheffield and contributors Rebecca Hoogs, Lena Khalaf Tuffaha, Rachel Edelman, Elizabeth Austen, and Christianne Balk in a reading from Cascadia Field Guide.
7 PM, Elliott Bay Books
Seattle, WA. More details.
September 28, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide: A Celebration! with Robert Lashley, Jeremy Voigt, Derek Sheffield, and Elizabeth Bradfield. In partnership with North Cascades Institute’s Nature of Writing series
7 PM, Village Books
Bellingham, WA. More details.
September 28, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide named as one of four finalists in the “Fiction and Poetry” category for the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival.
Banff, Alberta
September 22-24, 2023
Reading and presenting at Litfuse in Mighty Tieton!
Tieton, WA
September, 2023
Judge: Oregon Poetry Association Award in Elegy
August 29, 2023
Inhabiting Cascadia
11:30 PM, A Presentation with Elizabeth Bradfield for the Global Centre of Advanced Studies College Dublin
World Forestry Center, Portland, OR, and Zoom. Free and open to the public.
July 27th, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide: A Celebration! with Derek Sheffield, Barbara Drake, David Oates, Joe Wilkins, Kim Stafford, Nancy Slavin, Paulann Petersen, and Travis London.
7 PM, Powell’s Books
1005 W. Burnside St., Portland, OR
July, 2023
Reviewer: Public Humanities Fellows Program, Humanities Washington
July 10, 2023
Terrain.org 25th Anniversary Reading with Teresa Mei Chuc, Derek Sheffield, Jasmine Elizabeth Smith, and Joe Wilkins
8 pm, ASLE Conference
Architectural Heritage Center, Portland, OR
July 9th, 2023
Reclaiming the Commons with Cascadia Field Guide: A Panel Presentation with Andrew Gottlieb, Karen Leona Anderson, Elizabeth Jacobson, and Anne Haven McDonnell
1 PM, Oregon Convention Center
Portland, OR
June 29th, 2023
Raising Daughters at the End of the World: Derek Sheffield in Conversation with David Gessner
7 PM, Powell’s Books
1005 W. Burnside St., Portland, OR
June 20, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide: a Celebration! with Lyanda Fern Lynn Haupt, Claudia Castro Luna, Sarah Van Sanden, Derek Sheffield, Allen Braden, Betsy Aoki, Erin Fox, Martha Silano, and Sierra Nelson
7 PM, Seattle Public Library
1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA
June 3, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide signing with Kevin Miller
1 – 2 PM, Invitation Bookshop
5125 Olympic Drive, Gig Harbor, WA
May 20, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide book signing with Derek Sheffield and John Marzluff, author of Gifts of the Crow, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest
Wenatchee River Institute, Leavenworth, WA
May 11, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide book signing with CMarie Fuhrman and Derek Sheffield
11 AM – 2 PM, Pilgrim’s Market
Coeur d’Alene, ID
May 10, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide reading and book signing with Derek Sheffield, CMarie Fuhrman, Stacy Boe Miller, Michael McGriff, Alexandra Teague, Cori Dantini
6:00 PM, Neill Public Library
Pullman, WA
April 30, 2023
Reading and book signing with Derek Sheffield, Juniper Moon, and William O’Daly
2:00 – 4:00 PM, Salem Public Library
Salem, OR
April 29, 2023
Book signing with Derek Sheffield in celebration of Independent Bookstore Day
1:00 – 3:00 PM, A Book for All Seasons
Leavenworth, WA
April 24, 2023
Terrain.org Online Reading in celebration of Earth and Poetry Month
Derek Sheffield hosts Pattiann Rogers, Andrew Gottlieb, and Kamella Cruz
5:00 PM Pacific
April 22, 2023
Two events centered on Cascadia Field Guide, including contributors Gabrielle Bates, Andrew Gottlieb, Elizabeth Aoki, Kathryn Smith, Maya Jewell Zeller, and editors Derek Sheffield, Elizabeth Bradfield and CMarie Fuhrman
Get Lit!
Spokane, WA
April 20, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry
A reading and celebration with Elizabeth Bradfield, Andrew Gottlieb, CMarie Fuhrman, Sarah Van Sanden, Maya Jewell Zeller, Justin Gibbens, Jack Johnson, Katharine Whitcomb, and Xavier Cavazos
7:00 PM Pacific
Gallery One, Ellensburg, WA
April 20, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry
Earth Day Celebration and Book Launch with Elizabeth Bradfield, Andrew Gottlieb, Sarah Van Sanden, Derek Sheffield, CMarie Fuhrman, Justin Gibbens, and Jack Johnson
1:00 PM Pacific
The Grove Recital Hall, Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA
March 30, 2023
The Canadian Launch of the Cascadia Field Guide
Hosted by the University of the Fraser Valley
Featuring Maleea Acker, Yvonne Blomer, Lorna Crozier, Fiona Tinwei Lam, Matt Rader, Al Rempel, Derek Sheffield, Sandy Shreve, Bren Simmers, Rob Taylor, and Isaac Yuen
Thursday, March 30th, 7 PM, Zoom
March 16, 2023
Twitter livestream: Paisley Rekdal interviews Derek Sheffield, Garrett Hongo, and Carmen Selam about Cascadia Field Guide for High Country News
11:00 AM Pacific
March 11th, 2023
Book Signing with Elizabeth Bradfield and CMarie Fuhrman: Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry
AWP Bookfair, Mountaineers Books Booth, #T-227
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Pacific
Convention Center, Seattle, WA
March 11th, 2023
Book Signing with Elizabeth Bradfield and CMarie Fuhrman: Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry
AWP Bookfair, Terrain.org Booth, #410
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific
Convention Center, Seattle, WA
March 11th, 2023
Book Signing: Not for Luck, Dear America, Cascadia Field Guide
AWP Bookfair, Terrain.org Booth, #410
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Pacific
Convention Center, Seattle, WA
March 10, 2023
Terrain.org’s 25th Anniversary: A Reading and Celebration
AWP Conference
7:00 PM Pacific
Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum, Seattle, WA
March 10th, 2023
Book Signing: Not for Luck
AWP Bookfair, Western Colorado University MFA Booth, #907
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific
Convention Center, Seattle, WA
March 10th, 2023
Book Signing with Elizabeth Bradfield and CMarie Fuhrman: Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry
AWP Bookfair, Western Colorado University MFA Booth, #907
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Pacific
Convention Center, Seattle, WA
March 9th, 2023
Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry
AWP Conference Book Launch: “Defining Cascadia: A Cultural Celebration”
6:00 PM Pacific
Seattle’s Town Hall, Seattle, WA
March 9th, 2023
Book Signing: Not for Luck
AWP Bookfair, Wheelbarrow Books Booth, #T1223
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM Pacific
Convention Center, Seattle, WA
March 9th, 2023
Book Signing: Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance, and Democracy
AWP Bookfair, Trinity University Press Booth, #T1113
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Pacific
Convention Center, Seattle, WA
February 9th, 2023
A Fine Madness: The Art of Revising a Poem
Western Colorado University MFA Program
5:30 PM MT
Gunnison, CO
January 6th – February 10th, 2023
I’m leading a poetry workshop for Orion Magazine: The Weave of Your Life in World and Poem, featuring guests Ellen Bass and Ross Gay.
November 15th – 30th, 2022
Registration window for the online poetry class I’m teaching for Orion Magazine
This class will meet over Zoom on six consecutive Fridays between January 6 and February 10, 2023
November 28, 2022
Terrain.org Reading Series
Online reading by Chris Dombrowski, CMarie Fuhrman, and Julie Trimingham
Moderated by Derek Sheffield
October 7, 2023
First Friday: PechaKucha Poetry Reading
The Music and Arts Center
5:00 PM Pacific
Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, WA
August 8, 2023
My next book of poems has started to shape itself, and I’m grateful to the editors who are finding individual poems in their submission piles. Between now and next August, new poems will be forthcoming in The Southern Review, Northwest Review, The Georgia Review, Post Road, High Country News, and two new anthologies from Storey Press: Leaning Toward Light: Poems for Gardens & the Hands That Tend Them edited by Tess Taylor and The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace & Renewal edited by James Crews.
July 27, 2022
Tieton Arts Reading Series
Poetry reading and open mic
7:00 PM Pacific
Fueling Station, Tieton, WA
June 12, 2022
Words, Wine, Bird song, and Beer at Ski Hill Lodge
Poetry reading with Ana Maria Spagna and Sarah Van Arsdale, hosted by A Book for All Seasons
6:00 PM Pacific
Ski Hill Lodge, Leavenworth, WA
May 21, 2022
A Thousand Blended Notes: A Life of Birds and Poetry
Keynote Address, Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest, including a special poetry broadside courtesy of J. Drew Lanham and Juniper Moon of Dwell Press
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Barn Beach Reserve, Leavenworth, WA
May 21, 2022
Literary Birding
A reading of avian-inspired poetry and prose with Heather Durham, Cynthia Neely, and Jackie Haskins
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Barn Beach Reserve, Leavenworth, WA
March 26, 2022
Book Signing for Not for Luck
Hosted by Terrain.org
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
AWP Bookfair, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Phila, PA
March 24, 2022
Book Signing for Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance, and Democracy
Hosted by Trinity University Press
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Eastern
AWP Conference. Bookfair, Booth #740, Pennsylvania Convention Center
March 24, 2022
Socializing the Nature Poem: The Non-Human World and Identity
Panel reading with Brian Teare, Chaun Ballard, Derek Sheffield, Elizabeth Aoki, and Andrew Gottlieb
10:35 am – 11:50 am Eastern
AWP Conference. Number: T137. Location: 113A, Pennsylvania Convention Center, 100 Level
March 24, 2022
Urgent Wonder: The Practice and Paradox of Teaching Environmental Writing
Panel presentation with Ana Maria Spagna, Derek Sheffield, CMarie Fuhrman, Laura Pritchett, and Nicole Walker
12:10 pm – 1:25 pm Eastern
AWP Conference. Number: T178. Location: 124, Pennsylvania Convention Center, 100 Level
February 10, 2022
Visiting Writer
Nancy Takacs’ poetry class.
Online
January 16, 2022
Big thanks to MSU Press for nominating several poems from Not for Luck for a Pushcart Prize.
January 1, 2022
Gratitude and admiration for the editors of The Massachusetts Review who have included one of my poems in an incredibly wide-ranging special issue focused on the climate crisis.
November 18, 2021
Cascadia: A Field Guide through Art, Ecology, and Poetry, edited by Elizabeth Bradfield, CMarie Fuhrman, and Derek Sheffield, will be published by Mountaineers Books in the spring of 2023.
October 21, 2021
Visiting Writer
Western Colorado University, MFA Program in Nature Writing
Online
October 1, 2021
Shenandoah nominates “Monsters” for the 2021 Best of the Net anthology.
September 21, 2021, 7 PM (Alaska Time), Zoom, Live. Register here.
Alaska World Arts Festival
“New Work, New World.” Rich Chiappone will host Kazim Ali, Allison Adelle Hedge Coke, Chaun Ballard, Nicole Stellon O’Donnell, and me for a live reading. The festival with also feature Elizabeth Bradfield and Sean Hill.
September 7th, 2021, 11:00 AM (Pacific), Podcast, Coming from Left Field
Poets Kevin Miller, Janice O’Mahony, and I will be joining hosts Pat Cummings and Greg Godels for a round of light verse!
September 2, 2021, 6:30 PM (Pacific). Ski Hill Lodge, Leavenworh, WA. Live and in person!
A Book for All Seasons is hosting Jack Johnson, Holly Thorpe, Zach Eddy, and me for a live, outdoor reading in the spectacular setting of Ski Hill. Plenty of microbrews will be on tap.
August 23, 2021, 5 PM (Pacific) Terrain.org Reading Series. Zoom. Register here.
I will be hosting three amazing writers–Alison Hawthorne Deming, Suzanne S. Rancourt, and Anne Haven McDonnell. Alison’s new book, A Woven World: On Fashion, Fishermen, and the Sardine Dress, is just out from Counterpoint!
June 17, 2021
Not for Luck nominated for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award.
June 14 – 17, 2021, Story Catcher: Summer Writing Workshop and Festival. Live. In-person. Register here.
Chadron State Park, Nebraska
In the company of my co-presenters–Alyson Hagy, Carson Vaughan, and Laura Pritchett–I will be giving a craft talk and reading and leading a workshop.
June 5, 2021, 10 AM to 10:50 AM PT. Poets in the Park. Zoom. Register here.
Redmond, Washington
I will be reading with Terrain.org editors Allen Braden and Elizabeth Jacobson and Terrain.org Editor’s Prize winner Chaun Ballard.
May 6, 2021, 6 PM – 7 PM (Pacific Time), Zoom, Live. Registration.
Oregon Poetry Association.
I will be giving a short workshop called “Tracking the Ecopoem in the Anthropocene.”
May 4, 2021, Visiting Writer
Eastern Washington University, MFA Program
April 26, 2021, 5 PM Pacific, Zoom, Live. Register here. (free)
Terrain.org monthly reading series.
In honor of Earth and Poetry Month, a reading and talk with Jane Hirshfield, Derek Sheffield, Alison Hawthorne Deming, and J. Drew Lanham.
April 22, 2021, 1 PM Pacific, Zoom, Live. Register here. (free)
Wenatchee Valley College.
In honor of Earth Day, Derek Sheffield hosts Ross Gay and Scott Russell Sanders for a reading and conversation on the art of joy, connection, and resilience as we work together to address the interconnected challenges of social and environmental degradation.
April 12 – 18, 2021, Zoom, Live. (must register for GetLit!)
Spokane’s legendary lit. fest, GetLit!
Ecopoetry and cocktails with Derek Sheffield, Ellen Bass, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Jess Walter.
March 22, 2021, 5 PM Pacific, Zoom, Live. Register here. (free)
Terrain.org monthly reading series.
With Derek Sheffield, Arthur Sze, Susan Cohen, Cameron Walker, and Kristina Moriconi.
March 2, 2021, Visiting Writer
Orion Magazine Poetry Workshop
With Liz Bradfield.
February 26, 2021, 12 PM Pacific
Michigan State University Press.
Podcast with Derek Sheffield and Noah Davis.
February 23, 2021, 6 PM Pacific, Skype/Facebook, Live. Register here. Or here.
Rattle Magazine.
Rattlecast with Tim Green, Editor of Rattle Magazine. A livestreaming poetry reading and podcast.
February 18, 2021, 1 PM Pacific, Zoom, Live
Wenatchee Valley College.
In honor of Black History Month and with the Climate Crisis looming, Derek Sheffield hosts J. Drew Lanham for a reading and talk on the intersections of race and the environment.
January 30, 2021, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM Pacific, Zoom, Live
Winter Fishtrap: Resilience
Join a group of poets including Derek Sheffield, Todd Davis, Jane Hirshfield, and James Crews as they discuss and read from two anthology projects, Dear America and Healing the Divide, devoted to bringing us together and building community resilience through verse. In the afternoon, hear from prose writers and place-based activists about what resilience means in their lives and local communities.
January 10, 2021, 5 PM Pacific
Writing for Peace: Reading and Interview with Juniper Moon.
January 4, 2021, 6 PM Pacific
Elliott Bay Books, Zoom.
An Evening of Ecopoetry with Ellen Bass and Derek Sheffield. Join poets Ellen Bass and Derek Sheffield as they read from their new collections, Indigo and Not for Luck, and discuss the nature of ecopoetry in today’s world. Hosted by Elliott Bay Books. Preorder copies of Not for Luck here. Order copies of Indigo here.
Not for Luck named a must-read poetry collection in The Millions. Jan. 4, 2021.
Reading with Dennis Held. Blacksmith House Poetry Series. Cambridge, MA. December 14, 2020.
Broadsided Press nominates “Timid As Any Herd Thing” for a Pushcart Prize. November 29, 2020.
Presenter. Virtual Town Hall: After the Election, Readings and Conversations sparked by Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance, and Democracy. Featuring Dear America co-editors Derek Sheffield, Elizabeth Dodd, and Simmons Buntin, with special guests Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, poet and essayist Alison Hawthorne Deming, and poet and essayist Cherene Sherrard. Hosted by Elliott Bay Books, Seattle, WA. November 10, 2020