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The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association ( PNBA ) is a non-profit association of independent bookstores in five Northwest states ; Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. The Association produces educational and promotional events and materials for its members, and offers literacy, free speech and author promotional vehicles through its member stores. One of our oldest and most popular programs is our annual Pacific Northwest Book Awards, which have been presented to such luminary figures in Northwest literature as Ivan Doig, Ursula LeGuin, David James Duncan, David Guterson, Jon Krakauer, Chuck Palahniuk, and Sherman Alexie. In most cases, these writers were recognized before gaining national attention. More information about past winners of PNBA Awards can be found HERE, on PNBA's website. PNBA's Awards Committee is made up of nine volunteer booksellers from member stores throughout the region. The Committee members considered more than 200 titles nominated for a 2010 award, for work published by a Northwest author in 2009. TIMOTHY EGAN is a national enterprise reporter for the New York Times. He is the author of five books and the recipient of several awards, including the Pulitzer Prize. Read the USA Today review on their blog. He lives in Seattle, Washington. On March 16, Tim Egan spoke at the Tucson ( Arizona ) Festival of Books about The Big Burn. CHERIE PRIEST made her debut with the Eden Moore series of Southern Gothic ghost stories that began with Four and Twenty Blackbirds. She lives in Seattle, Washington, and keeps a popular blog at theclockworkcentury.com. Cherie Priest spoke on Oregon Public Broadcasting's "Northwest Passages " on Thursday, March 25, 2010 to discuss "Boneshaker." Highly recommended!