🌟 Speaker Spotlight: Eileen Coughlin
Her first poem was titled “Unfinished.”
Now, decades later, Eileen Coughlin is finishing what she started—one powerful poem at a time.
A former VP in higher ed turned full-time writer, Eileen brings deep emotional clarity and lived experience to her poetry. With an MFA in creative writing and a doctorate in Educational Psychology (yes, she’s brilliant and lyrical), her work explores motherhood, aging, autism, and the quiet complexities of life.
Her newest collection, Postcards from Autism (Kelsay Press, 2024), is both personal and universal—a must-read for anyone who loves poetry with heart and bite.
📝 Come hear her read, reflect, and reconnect with your own creative fire.
06/20/2025
This is your sign.
📍 A weekend in Bellingham.
✍️ Surrounded by storytellers.
🌊 Coastline, craft, and creativity.
The Chuckanut Writers Conference starts NEXT WEEK — and you belong there.
👉 Register before it’s full.
📣 WHEN YOU REALIZE THE CHUCKANUT WRITERS CONFERENCE IS NEXT WEEK AND YOU HAVEN’T PACKED A SINGLE PEN
🏃♂️💨 But hey, snorkel and fins? Bold choice. You’re halfway there.
🗓️ June 26–28 | 📍 Bellingham, WA
✍️ Workshops, keynotes, pitch sessions, and lit-loving weirdos just like you.
🎟️ Register before it’s full (and maybe leave the fins at home): https://chuckanutwritersconference.com/
06/19/2025
📣 Sponsor Spotlight: Chanticleer Book Reviews✨
Your book deserves to be discovered. And our friends at Chanticleer Book Reviews are here to help make that happen.
Whether you’re traditionally published or flying solo on the indie route, Chanticleer champions today’s authors with:
📖 Professional editorial reviews
🏆 A robust and respected book awards program
📣 Marketing tools and author resources
🌟 A supportive community invested in your success
Founded in 2011, Chanticleer was born from a bold idea: that authors are entrepreneurs—and deserve services that reflect that truth. Their mission? To shine a light on today’s best books (like yours) and help them rise in a crowded publishing landscape.
💡 Ready to take your book to the next level?
👉 Visit chantireviews.com to learn more and join the movement.
06/18/2025
🎙️✨ We’re kicking off the 2025 Chuckanut Writers Conference with an evening of music, poetry, and stories you won’t want to miss!
📅 Thursday, June 26 | 6:30–8:30pm
📍 Hotel Leo Crystal Ballroom | Bellingham, WA
Join Village Books for a special Chuckanut Radio Hour featuring:
🎤 Rena Priest
🎤 Robert Lashley
🎤 Ryler Dustin
🎤 Kevin Murphy
🎶 Musical guests 3-oh
👉 Space is limited — registration required!
🎟️ Tickets $5 — [insert Eventbrite link]
Come kick off the conference weekend with inspiration, laughter, and a whole lot of creativity. 🌟 See you there!
06/16/2025
🚨 Sponsor Spotlight! 🚨
We’re thrilled to welcome Atmosphere Press as a proud sponsor of the Chuckanut Writers Conference!
✨ Atmosphere Press is a best-in-class hybrid publisher known for their honesty, transparency, professionalism, and—above all—kindness. This selective press isn’t just about publishing books—they’re about building relationships that support and empower authors every step of the way.
📚 From expert editorial guidance to stunning design and strategic promotion, they make sure your book gets the care and attention it deserves.
Check them out at 👉 atmospherepress.com
Let them help make your book awesome.
06/14/2025
🌙 Meet the Presenter: Claudia Castro Luna 🌙
Poet, activist, and literary powerhouse Claudia Castro Luna has spent years giving voice to the stories that need to be heard. A former Washington State Poet Laureate (2018–2021), Seattle’s first Civic Poet, and a Poet Laureate Fellow with the Academy of American Poets, her work resonates across borders and languages.
She’s the author of Cipota Under the Moon and Killing Marías—both finalists for the WA State Book Award—along with One River, A Thousand Voices, This City, and essays featured in There’s a Revolution Outside, My Love and Memory’s Vault.
Born in El Salvador, Claudia writes and teaches in both English and Spanish from Seattle, on unceded Duwamish lands. Her poetry holds memory, migration, place, and justice in lyrical tension—and we’re honored to welcome her to .
06/11/2025
🚨 Speaker Spotlight: Sharon Castlen
If you're publishing a book—or thinking about it—you want Sharon Castlen in your corner.
Founder of Integrated Book Marketing, Sharon brings 40+ years of experience in pre-press coaching, distribution, and full-scale marketing strategies. Whether you're working with a small press, hybrid publisher, or indie imprint, Sharon knows how to get your book into readers' hands—and hearts.
She's mentored authors across the country, led workshops, given keynotes, and served as an expert at top publishing events. And now? She’s coming to Chuckanut Writers Conference to share her hard-earned wisdom with you.
📦📣 Learn how to market smarter, distribute wider, and prepare for success from the start.
06/09/2025
We are thrilled to announce the distinguished faculty for the 2025 Chuckanut Writers Conference, taking place June 26-28 in Bellingham, Washington. This year's lineup features a diverse group of accomplished writers and educators, including:
Nicole Meier and Gretchen Schaffer are the duo behind Book Works, empowering authors through book coaching and branding expertise. Nicole, a certified book coach and author of four novels, hosts the Steps to Story podcast for emerging writers. Her books have been recognized by Booklist, Refinery29, BookBub, and Popsugar. Gretchen, a PR strategist with experience at Adobe, Microsoft, Meta, and Sony, now helps authors build strong platforms and pitch strategies. Together, they guide fiction writers in establishing their brand, connecting with readers, and confidently pitching their work in the literary world.
📅 Register now to secure your spot: https://chuckanutwritersconference.com/registration/
06/07/2025
📢NEW BOOK! Tragedy to Triumph by Martha Bray
💔 When Martha Bray’s beloved husband Bob is killed in a tragic crash in Skagit County, her world is shattered. A respected Bellingham businessman and devoted family man, Bob’s death wasn’t just heartbreaking—it was senseless. The driver who caused the wreck was fleeing police, with a criminal record in tow.
In her powerful memoir Tragedy to Triumph, Martha shares her journey through unimaginable grief, unexpected humor, and the messy, human quest to find love again. From dark days to awkward online dates, she finds her way—not to a fairytale ending, but to something even better: peace, purpose, and the unwavering strength of faith, family, and friendship.
✨ A story of heartbreak, healing, and hope.
📖 Tragedy to Triumph is available now.
06/07/2025
🌲 Meet the Presenter: Linda Conroy 🌲
Linda Conroy is a poet, prompt-lover, and longtime writing group facilitator at Village Books. She’s the author of two poetry collections—Ordinary Signs and Familiar Sky—and a firm believer in the power of story to build community and connection.
After moving to Bellingham from Canada, Linda earned her M.Ed. in adult education from WWU and spent years working as a social worker and advocate for people with unique needs—experiences that deeply shaped her writing and her belief in honoring human complexity.
A winner of the Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest and nominee for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net, Linda’s work often explores the comforting link between humans and the natural world, especially in times of change. Expect warmth, insight, and inspiration when she shares her process at !
06/04/2025
We are thrilled to announce the distinguished faculty for the 2025 Chuckanut Writers Conference, taking place June 26-28 in Bellingham, Washington. This year's lineup features a diverse group of accomplished writers and educators, including:
Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor’s non-fiction, poetry, and short fiction have appeared in print and online, and she was the co-editor of True Stories: The Narrative Project Vol. I-IV. She released her poetry and essay collection Dancing Between Bamboo Poles in 2019. A performance storyteller since 2006, she retells stories based on Filipino folktales.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sidekick Press posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
My journey into publishing started more than twenty years ago when I was a technical writer for database report writing software. My company blossomed during the dot com boom from four to more than fifty employees. We had teams translators who converted our words into French, German, Portuguese, and Japanese.
When it came to printing, however, Japanese took the longest time as each word had to be manually typeset. Digital files were simply too large due to the complexity of Japanese characters. But through trial and error, I found a way to compress the files and reduce the printing time by four months and print Japanese directly from digital files—something that had never been done before. I flew from Bellingham to Toronto to oversee the production where I fell even more in love with process of creating a book.
Though I’ve been a lifelong writer and reader, I always knew that someday I’d write books. When that opportunity arrived, I was astounded at the myriad of choices authors have when it comes to publishing. I also noticed that many authors struggled to find representation and were turning to independent publishing, which presented a whole new learning curve—which not all authors want to do.
I worked for an independent publisher for several months learning about best practices for helping authors reach their publishing dreams before taking over the company in 2020. And I’m happy to report, I love the return to being a part of the publishing process.
Sidekick Press is dedicated to guiding authors through their publishing journey. We partner with you on developing and promoting your big idea, from branding to book creation, promotion, and marketing. Our hybrid publishing model is uniquely positioned to offer the benefits of both traditional and self-publishing. We provide the publishing services; you keep creative control, intellectual property, and royalties.
