THURSDAY 7/24
KATHLEEN ALCALÁ
Raven Chronicles cofounder and former Hugo House writer-in-residence Alcalá will read from Treasures in Heaven, her latest novel. University Bookstore, 4326 University Way NE, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
RICK BRONE
A supplement to the PBS series Barbecue America, Grilling America finds grill jockey Brone (pictured on the book’s cover maniacally brandishing a pair of menacing tongs) exploring the secrets of “barbecue festival” chefs across the country. Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.
RAVEN CHRONICLES
The Raven Chronicles presents its bimonthly reading series at Hugo House combining the works of established writers and unknown writers. This evening’s reading features online writers Mary Jane Beaufrand, Ronda Broatch, Suzannah Dalzell, Tamara Sellman, Ken Sirotnik, and Jan Hodgman, with host Jeannine Hall Gailey. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7:30 pm, free.
JOHN ROWELL
Rowell’s debut short-story collection, The Music of Your Life, is a gay–as in, absurdly homosexual–romp through familial difficulty, and outsider circumstance. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
FRIDAY 7/25
STEVEN BRUST
Imperial orbs, halls of judgment, and characters with too many vowels in their names: Brust signs his latest in a long line of fantastic fluffery. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
SHARON BRYAN, MARVIN BELL, MADELINE DeFREES
The coeditor of the recent poetry collection Planet on the Table (Bryan) and a couple of the book’s local contributors (Bell and DeFrees) share their book about reading books. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
OLYMPIA DUKAKIS
Name a movie Olympia Dukakis has been in. Go ahead. I dare you. All right, so Moonstruck. And maybe Working Girl. And then I guess Steel Magnolias. But I dare you to name another one. Give up? How could you forget the Look Who’s Talking dynasty? I mean, how could you? Dukakis signs Ask Me Again Tomorrow, her recent memoir. Seattle Repertory Theatre Rotunda, 155 Mercer St, 443-2222, 8 pm, free.
BRAIDEN REX-JOHNSON
Over a decade after its initial release, Rex-Johnson’s Pike Place Market Cookbook sees an update in this, its second edition. Rex-Johnson presents a demonstration and signs. Metropolitan Markets, 1908 Queen Anne Ave N, 284-2530, 5 pm, free. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 6:30 pm, free.
SATURDAY 7/26
LETHA GRIFFIN
Sports medicine practitioner Griffin discusses treatment and exercise regimes featured in The 2003 Body Almanac: Your Personal Guide to Bone and Joint Health at Any Age. Barnes & Noble, 600 Pine St, 264-0156, 1 pm, free.
SANDY JOHNSON
A breast cancer survivor seeks out some hocus-pocus, a little hogwash, and a mess of jibber-jabber in her latest, The Brazilian with the Kitchen Knife, and Other Stories of Mystics, Shamans, and Miracle Makers. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
JAN TISSOT
Third Place Books’ press release for this reading of Tissot’s Keiki features a quote taken from these very pages, and written by yours truly. Which makes me feel like a real asshole. First, because the capsule’s reflection of the “electrifying sphere of Hawaiian land-use disputes” was one of sarcasm, and I hate it when I’m caught being sarcastic. Second, because the person preparing the press release didn’t realize I was being facetious, and sent it out in volume. Please accept my humblest of apologies, all around. Ravenna Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave NE, 525-2347, 1 pm, free.
SUNDAY 7/27
* COLLOQUE WHEEL
Colloque Wheel continues its reading series at the much-adored Victrola with welcome readings by the likes of Matt Gano, Diana Ma, Laura Puryear Finnell, Patrick Thiessen. Victrola Coffee & Art, 411 15th Ave E, 7 pm, free.
MARIA DOLAN, KATHRYN TRUE
Natural women Dolan and True give you the lowdown on local locales of natural living at arm’s length in Nature in the City: Seattle. Ravenna Third Place Books, 525-2347, 2 pm, free.
HELEN HELFER
Helfer exposes America’s seedy racist underbelly in Footsteps on the Land, a seemingly random series of interviews with random folks in random locales around the nation–purporting to form a “bridge of understanding,” though of what, I’m not entirely sure. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 3 pm, free.
* C. E. PUTNAM, ADRIANA GRANT, PHILIP WOHLSTETTER
Now in its ninth year and hosted by Doug Nufer, the Titlewave Reading Series presents an assortment of local talent. This round: C. E. Putnam, Adriana Grant, and Philip Wohlstetter. Titlewave Books, 7 Mercer St, 324-6379, 7:30 pm, free.
MONDAY 7/28
JOSHUA FURST
Winner of this issue’s title of the week award, Short People, Furst’s first (HA!) short-story collection, is about the unique perils of childhood. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
TERRY GOODKIND
Best-selling fantasy author Goodkind signs the latest in his seemingly endless Sword of Truth series, the sexy, sexy Naked Empire. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
* ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH
See Stranger Suggests. Smith delivers The Kalahari Typing School for Men, the latest curiously titled mystery in his series featuring Precious Ramotswe (known to fans as “the Miss Marple of Botswana”). University of Washington, Kane Hall, room 130, 7 pm, free.
TUESDAY 7/29
* SAMUEL R. DELANY
See Stranger Suggests. University of Washington, Kane Hall, room 130, 7:30 pm, $3-$4.
MERCEDES LACKEY
Lackey (author of the Heralds of Valdemar books) pens the sixth volume of the Bedlam’s Bard series: Mad Maudlin, the tale of a demon that eats homeless children. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
* CHUCK PALAHNIUK
Palahniuk celebrates his home and our southern sister–Portland, the land of perpetual 4 pm–in his latest, a nonfiction collection titled Fugitives and Refugees. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
WEDNESDAY 7/30
PAUL MARTIN
Triathlete, Paralympics competitor, and motivational speaker Martin calls you out as the big, fat, whiny chump you are with a quick round of the “Oh yeah? Well, my luck is way shittier than yours, and look what I’ve accomplished!” game in One Man’s Leg. Barnes & Noble, 264-0156, 12:30 pm, free.
GAY SALISBURY
Whoa–sorry about that, lady. Salisbury signs The Cruelest Miles, her coauthored account of the 1922 diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 5 pm, free.
* JIM WOODRING
See Stranger Suggests. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
POETRY/OPEN MICS
ELLIOTT BAY OPEN MIKE NIGHT–Hosted by P. Dawg. Wed July 30 at 7:30 pm. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
HOMELAND–Words. So many words. Tuesdays at 7 pm. Caffe Vita, 1005 E Pike St, 709-4440, free.
POETWEST–Featuring Mary Evans, David Horowitz, Ted McMahon. Sun July 27 at 7 pm. Penny Cafe, 1707 NW Market St, 682-1268, free. Also Mon July 28 at 7 pm. Ravenna Third Place Books, 525-2347, free.
SCRATCHING POST–Poetry open mic, all ages. Thursdays at 8 pm, signup at 7:30 pm. Mr. Spot’s Chai House, 5463 Leary Ave NW, 297-2424, free.
SEATTLE POETRY SLAM–Open mic and slam with Karen Finneyfrock. Wednesdays at 8 pm. Bad Juju Lounge, 1518 11th Ave, 709-9951, $4.
TAKE A POEM FROM YOUR HEART–Featuring Tamara Sellman, J. Glenn Evans, Cathy Ruiz, and Stephen Roxborough. Fri July 25 at 7:15 pm. Lottie Motts, 4900 Rainier Ave S, 725-8199, free.
WOMEN’S POETRY NIGHT–Spoken word from the fairer sex. Thursdays at 8 pm. The Bar, 1525 E Olive Way, 322-1788, free.