THURSDAY 6/20
MARIE-ANNETTE BROWN
Brown's When Your Body Gets the Blues is about how light, exercise, and vitamins can help women think more clearly. University Bookstore, 4326 University Way, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
NEILE GRAHAM & JAMES GURLEY
Graham's most recent collection is Blood Memory; Gurley received the 2002 T. S. Eliot Prize from Truman State University Press for his collection Human Cartography. Open Books, 2414 N 45th St, 633-0811, 7:30 pm, free.
RUSSELL ROWLAND
Montana writer Rowland reads from his debut novel, Open Spaces, which is about a sibling rivalry that turns sinister. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
LISA JACKSON
Oregon author signs and reads from Cold Blooded, a romantic thriller set in New Orleans. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St, noon, free.
* KEVIN SAMPSELL, ZOE TROPE, & TYPEWRITERS
See Books Section. Rendezvous Tavern, 2320 Second Ave, 441-5823, 7 pm, $5.
FRIDAY 6/21
NEAL CONAN
Conan signs Play by Play: Baseball, Radio and Life in the Last Chance League, and talks about his life as a reporter and host of NPR's Talk of the Nation. UW Kane Hall, Walker-Ames Room, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
BLAIR WALKER
Walker signs and reads from Don't Believe Your Lying Eyes, the third Baltimore mystery with Afro-American newspaperman Darryl Billups. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, noon, free.
* JIM DODGE
Beat poet Gary Snyder says this about Dodge's new book, Rain on the River: Selected Poems and Short Prose: "[It] contains lyric epigrams that go straight to the non-dualist bedrock, backwoods works' dharma-combat humor, loving poems for wife and son, several high-spirited and near-transcendent poems of truth, sex, and insight, some profound comments on dog and salmon, a few vivid and pithy little prose pieces, and much else that defies description.... Poetry should be a pleasure, and Jim Dodge's work is just that: Anyone who picks this book up has a treat in store." For more information on this evening, please call Elliott Bay Book Company at 624-6600. Zeitgeist Art & Coffee, Second Ave & Jackson, 7 pm, free.
SOPHY BURNHAM
Playwright and author Burnham reads her new novel set in 13th-century southern France, The Treasure of Montsægur: A Novel of the Cathars, an imagining of the Cathar legend. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, free.
MARGARET GEORGE
George reads from and signs Mary, Called Magdalene, a speculative novel/biography about a temptress who was our first sin. Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 6 pm, free.
SALIMA IKRAM
Ikram talks about Furs, Feathers and Fins: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt. UW Kane Hall, Room 110, 634-3400, 7 pm, free w/ticket, available at University Bookstore.
WILD WRITING WOMEN
Contributors to Wild Writing Women: Stories of World Travel will be on hand to read about their adventures around the world. Elliott Bay Book Company, 2 pm, free.
CHRISTOPHER HANSARD
Hansard, a London-based physician of Tibetan medicine, is here to push Tibetan Art of Living: Wise Body, Mind, Life, a book that provides a guide to being (you guessed it) spiritual and healthy. Elliott Bay Book Company, 5 pm, free.
LYDIA KWA
British Columbia writer Kwa is to read from her debut novel, This Place Called Absence, which tells the story of a Vancouver psychologist who, in the aftermath of her father's suicide, becomes drawn into the story of two early-20th-century Chinese prostitutes--who are also lovers. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, free.
* GREG PALAST
Palast is an investigative journalist who uncovers the hidden stories, like how the Florida vote was stolen by Katherine Harris and Jeb Bush in the 2000 election. His most recent book, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: An Investigative Reporter Exposes the Truth about Globalization, Corporate Cons, and High Finance Fraudsters, gets to the heart of the matter. Guerilla News Network writes: "Like the best muckrakers, he is angry, opinionated and armed with a tireless desire to expose the truth. His stories about Bush's election theft and about intelligence agency cover-ups--backed up with smoking gun documents, inside sources and on-the-record interviews--will shock even the most informed reader." For more information on this evening, please call Elliott Bay Book Company at 624-6600. Town Hall, Eighth & Seneca, 7:30 pm, $5.
JAMES ELLROY
See Stranger Suggests. UW Kane Hall, Room 110, 634-3400, 2 pm, free w/ticket, available at University Bookstore.
JOSEPH MOLITORISZ
Bellevue resident Molitorisz reads from his autobiography, The Memoirs of an Immigrant. Elliott Bay Book Company, 2 pm, free.
MADELEINE THIEN
Vancouver writer Thien reads from her debut book of stories, Simple Recipes. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, free.
LILY PRIOR & JOANNE HARRIS
Prior wrote Nectar: A Novel of Temptation; Harris wrote Five Quarters of the Orange. Tonight both will read and sign their sensual books. Third Place Books, 7 pm, free.
* BLURRING BOUNDARIES
Colloque Wheel, the monthly reading series at Victrola Coffee & Art, presents an evening of poetry by local youths reading original work addressing the subject of blurring boundaries. Please come show support for the next generation of writers and performers. Admission is free. Inquiries to colloque_wheel@hotmail.com. Victrola Coffee & Art, 411 15th Ave E, 325-6520, 8 pm, free.
THISBE NISEN & ERIN ERGENBRIGHT
Nisen and Ergenbright talk about and sign The Ex-Boyfriend Cookbook: They Came, They Cooked, They Left (But We Ended Up with Some Great Recipes). University Bookstore, 7 pm, free.
* KATHERINE DUNN
Dunn reads and signs a new edition of Geek Love, a celebrated book that was first published almost 15 years ago. For more information on this evening, please call Elliott Bay Book Company at 624-6600. Zeitgeist Art & Coffee, 7:30 pm, free.
NICOLA GRIFFITH
Seattle writer Griffith launches the annual Clarion West summer series of science fiction and fantasy writers as part of Clarion West's Summer Writers Workshop. For more information on Clarion West, please call 322-9083, or see www.sff.net/clarionwest. Elliott Bay Book Company, 7:30 pm, $4.
SAMPSON DAVIS, GEORGE JENKINS, & RAMECK HUNT
Bill Cosby says this about The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream, an autobiographical story of Davis, Jenkins, and Hunt: "Through the strength of their friendship, these three young men together defied the odds. They are an inspiration to young people everywhere, and their message is one that can transform the world." For more information on this evening, please call Elliott Bay at 624-6600. Mount Zion Baptist Church, 19th & Madison, 7 pm, free.
JUDITH HENDRIX
Hendrix plays (I mean reads) from and signs Bread Alone, a novel that tells the story of a slightly spoiled young socialite who moves from L.A. to Seattle and becomes a rock star (I mean, baker). Third Place Books, 7 pm, free.
POETRY/OPEN MICS
* RED SKY POETRY THEATER--The granddiddy of open mics, featuring Vanessa Sooy. Globe Cafe, 1531 14th Ave, 324-8815, Sun June 23, 7:30 pm, $2.
* HYPOCRISY--A weekly forum for writers by writers. Mondays at 7 pm. Coffee Messiah, 1554 E Olive Way, 208-1188, free.
CATHARTICISM--Poetry, music, performance, and chaos, with host Ricki Rebel. Wednesdays at 8. Coffee Messiah, free.
JET CITY POETRY SLAM--New venue combining poetry, performance, and the cruel dynamics of reality TV. Tuesdays at 8 pm. Central Saloon, 207 First Ave S, 427-2300, $3.
SCRATCHING POST--Poetry open-mic, all ages. Thursdays at 8 pm, sign-up at 7:30 pm. Mr. Spot's Chai House, 2213 NW Market St, 297-2424, free.
SEATTLE POETRY SLAM--This week: Joshua Wilson, who may have been cloned from Jack Kerouac's left elbow. Sit & Spin, 2219 Fourth Ave, Wed June 26, 8 pm, $4.
TAKE A POEM INTO YOUR HEART--With host Christopher Jarmick and featured poet Anne-Marie Hackenberger. Take Another Look Books, 5023 Rainier Ave S, 721-1022, Thurs June 20, 7 pm, free.
SEATTLE SPIT--This week: gay pride night with Tara Hardy and guests. Wildrose, 1021 E Pike, 271-0364, Tues June 25, 8 pm, free.
STAGEFRIGHT--Writing by and for youth, performed and hosted by youth. All ages welcome. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, Wed June 26, 7 pm, free.
POETSWEST--Featuring Michael Magee, Jean Musser, Victory Lee Schouten, and Nicole Thanos. Wit's End Books & Tea, 770 N 34th St, 682-1268, Sun June 23, 7 pm, free.
ELLIOTT BAY OPEN MIKE NIGHT--Hosted by P. Dawg. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, Wed June 26, 7:30 pm, free.
