MARY RAKOW
With a great deal of praise comes The Memory Room, Rakow's debut novel, a narrative that focuses on repressed memory and abuse recovery. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
ERIKA WARMBRUNN
Former Seattleite Erika Warmbrunn returns from New York with her latest, Where the Pavement Ends, her account of exotic travels through the heart of Asia by tricycle (...I mean bicycle). Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.
BUMBERSHOOT BOOK SIGNINGS
See The Stranger's Bumbershoot Guide for full details.
CHARMAINE CRAIG & ANDREW WINER
Bound jointly in marriage and independently in hardback, Craig and Winer get all lovey-dovey reading from their individual debut tomes, The Good Men and The Color Midnight Made, respectively. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
CRAIG B. HULET
Hulet appears with his self-published, multi-coloned manifesto, The Hydra of Carnage: Bush's Imperial War-Making and the Rule of Law: An Analysis of the Objectives and Delusions of Empire. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 5 pm, free.
BUMBERSHOOT AFTER HOURS SOIREE
Elliott Bay exploits Bumbershoot's budget by roping in a few of its featured poets--namely: Joanne Kyger, Leonard Schwartz, and Kurtis Lamkin. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 8:30 pm, free.
SHARON DUNCAN & MIKE HAWLEY
"TWO-FOR-ONE!" Island County, mystery capital of the western world, serves as the geographical focus for authors Duncan and Hawley's latest works--A Deep Blue Farewell and Double Bluff. Seattle Mystery Bookshop, 117 Cherry St, 587-5737, noon, free.
* MAD ZINE DISEASE
See Stranger Suggests. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7:30 pm, $3-$5.
CAROLYNE WRIGHT
Renowned translator and poet Carolyne Wright makes a pit stop following her Bumbershoot appearance to promote her latest, Seasons of Mangoes and Brainfire. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 3 pm, free.
We've got armadillos in our trousers. It's really quite frightening.
JENNIFER CLEMENT
Mexico City poet Jennifer Clement discusses her debut novel, the delicate and lyrical (what'd you expect, she's a freakin' poet) A True Story Based on Lies. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
STEFAN FATSIS
"Triple-word score, motherfucker!" Fatsis signs Wordfreak, his exploration of the addictive cultural phenomenon that is Scrabble. "What do you mean, 'There's no z in laser'?" University Bookstore, 4326 University Way, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
PEGGY VINCENT
Spectator sadist Peggy Vincent discusses her involvement with over 2,000 "miracles" in her latest work, Babycatcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free. Also Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 5 pm, free.
CHARLES R. CROSS
Pilfering a few more dollars off of the corpse of everybody's favorite dead Aberdeenian, former editor of the late, great music biweekly The Rocket returns to hawk the paperback version of last year's best-selling biography, Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
SUBTEXT
This month the still-excellent Subtext series plays host to featured poets Jacqueline Turner (author of Into the Fold) and Maged Zaher (author of Speculations on a Second Weather). Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, 7:30 pm, $5.
POETRY/OPEN MICS
* CATHARTICISM--Poetry, music, performance, and chaos, with host Ricky Rebel. Wednesdays at 8 pm. Coffee Messiah, 1554 E Olive Way, 861-8233, free.
CoCA POETRY NIGHT--This week's theme: Dopplegangers. Thurs Aug 29 at 8 pm. Center on Contemporary Arts, 1420 11th Ave, 728-1980, 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.
MIDNIGHT CABARET--Stories, song, and performance with host Sylvia O'Stayformore. Saturdays at midnight. Coffee Messiah, 861-8233, free.
OUT OF TUNE--Poetry and music free-for-all hosted by Jon Hogan. Thursdays at 8:30 pm, signup at 8 pm. The 15th, 7515 15th Ave NW, 706-4973, free.
POETSWEST--Open mic with featured poets Cathy Ruiz and Dan Williams. Sun Sept 1 at 2 pm at Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave, 622-9250, and 7 pm at Wit's End Bookstore & Tea Shop, 770 N 34th St, 682-1268, free.
reBIRTH--All-ages open-mic brouhaha. Sundays at 7 pm. French and European Artistic and Cultural Center, 623 Broadway E, 726-4843, 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, feature, and slam with Karen Finneyfrock. Wednesdays at 8 pm. Sit & Spin, 2219 Fourth Ave, 441-9484, $4.
SWIRLS BEFORE PINE--A weekly forum for writers by writers. Mondays at 7 pm. Coffee Messiah, 861-8233, free.
CALLS FORg WRITERS
SURVEILLANCE WRITING CONTEST--In conjunction with Hugo House's current Surveillance exhibition. Entries due Tues Sept 3 at 5 pm. Richard Hugo House, 322-7030. See www.hugohouse.org/programs/surveillance_competition.html for more information.
