DANIEL HECHT
Hecht's latest toes the infinite subgenres of the mystery world (e.g., the "blues mystery," the "culinary mystery") with a paranormal mystery entitled City of Masks. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
ERIK LARSON
Loosely based on the killing spree of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, Larson's latest book epoxies historical figures and events with a narrative account of a serial killer. University Bookstore, 4326 University Way NE, 634-3400, 7 pm, free. Also, Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, 6:30 pm, free.
TONY PARSONS
Best-selling author of Man and Boy and former NME editor Parsons signs that book's sequel, Man and Wife. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.
JERRY WENNSTROM
Portrait of an artist as a raging lunatic: A "rising star" in the art world of late-'70s New York, Wennstrom decided to throw it all away, literally, and spend 10 years searching for enlightenment. Inspired Heart tells his story. Ravenna Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave NE, 525-2347, 7 pm, free.
FRIDAY 3/7
JEFF CRANDALL, PETER PEREIRA, CARLETTA CARRINGTON WILSON
As presented by Jack Straw Productions and Rainier Valley Youth Theatre in part of a new series, these Columbia City residents share their divergent works. Starbucks, 4824 Rainier Ave S, 890-6517, 6:30 pm, free.
DESTROYING THE WORLD TO SAVE IT
A two-day conference on the impending apocalypse, anchored by Robert Jay Lifton, keynote speaker and author of the titular book, with subsequent presentations by the likes of Merlyn Mowrey, Sheldon Solomon, Daniel Liechty, Patrick Shen, and Greg Bennick. University of Washington, Kane Hall, room 220, 634-3400, 7:30 pm, free.
* PAULANN PETERSON & JAN WALLACE
Portland's Peterson and former Seattleite Wallace double-team for an evening of poetry culled from their latest works, The Wild Awake and Kick Pleat in the Cosmos, respectively. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
SATURDAY 3/8
SCOTT CARPENTER
In For Spacious Skies, Carpenter, a distant second in that whole Earth-orbiting shtick, tries to relieve the strain of his inferiority complex by convincing the world that his efforts were more than a vanity mission. Third Place Books, 366-3333, noon, free.
ROBERT STEVEN RHINE
Human guinea pigs, battles with dress shoes, hermaphroditic warriors--Rhine's My Brain Escapes Me combines the finer things in life for a collection of sci-fi/horror shorts. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 4 pm, free.
NIKKY FINNEY
After an eight-year publication hiatus, Kentucky-based poet Finney returns with his follow-up to 1995's Rice, the devastatingly titled The World Is Round. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
SUNDAY 3/9
THOMAS TRIMBATH
Another crazy fool does something crazy. And is celebrated with a book deal. Seattle cyclist Trimbath rode his bike from here to there (Florida), and wrote a book about it. Ravenna Third Place Books, 525-2347, 2 pm, free.
LIDIA YUKNAVITCH & LANCE OLSEN
Representing the nonprofit, author-run publishing venture Fiction Collective 2 (or "FC2," for the kids), Yuknavitch and Olsen bring the noise of their latest--Yuknavitch with her story collection Reel to Reel, and Olsen with Girl Imagined by Chance. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 4 pm, free.
MONDAY 3/10
SCOTT BROWN
Children's liberation has just gone too far. Goddamn CPS! Back in my day... anyway, Brown discusses his latest, How to Negotiate with Kids... Even When You Think You Shouldn't. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
MICHAEL GRUBER
The press release implores you the reader to "hang onto your hat," and if that isn't incentive enough to join in on the fun, I sincerely suggest you check your pulse. Gruber signs Tropic of Night. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 6:30 pm, free.
FLOYD SKLOOT
It just thrills me to death when a book title, the moniker that an author chooses to represent the thousands of thoughtful, passionate words contained within, sounds like some meaningless drivel I toss off to fill space in the visual arts section. Case in point: Skloot's In the Shadow of Memory (now doesn't that just hit you?), the apparently riveting autobiographical account of his battle with a brain virus. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
TUESDAY 3/11
ANDREA BARRETT
Barrett and her award-winning and science-riddled works of fiction (Ship Fever, The Voyage of the Narwhal, Servants of the Map) are the focus of the latest in this season's illustrious Seattle Arts & Lectures Series. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St, 621-2230, 7:30 pm, $9-$23.
WILLIAM DIETRICH
The Pulitzer Prize-winning Seattle Times contributor, like so many writers before him, provides yet another obvious salute to the universal beauty of the Pacific Northwest in his latest, Natural Grace. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
GABRIELLA GUTIERREZ Y MUHS
Poet and Seattle University professor Muhs reads from her debut "book-length" collection, A Most Improbable Life. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
ANTHONY SWOFFORD
A marine sniper in the first Iraqi conflict, Swofford details his time as a soldier at the moment that Operation Desert Shield became Desert Storm in Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle. Ravenna Third Place Books, 525-2347, 7 pm, free. Also, Borders Books & Music, 1501 Fourth Ave, 622-4599, Wed March 12 at noon, free.
WEDNESDAY 3/12
JOHNNETTA B. COLE & BEVERLY GUY-SHEFTALL
Where racial and gender issues intersect: Cole and Guy-Sheftall discuss the matters of sexism and politics among the African American community with their latest joint venture, Gender Talk. Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center, 104 17th Ave S, 624-6600, 7 pm, $5.
GEORGE JOHNSON
The potential future of home computing as whittled down to us simpletons, Johnson maps some mess about the quantum computer--in which information is transmitted through switches the size of atoms--in A Shortcut Through Time. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
ANDREW VACHSS
Noir! Noir! Vachss pays homage to pulp paperbacks of the '50s with a modern-day departure entitled The Getaway Man. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
POETRY/OPEN MICS
BASEMENT NATION--Yonnas Tesfai presents an evening of poetry and hiphop. Wed March 12 at 8 pm. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, free.
HOMELAND--Words. So many words. Tuesdays at 7 pm. Caffe Vita, 1005 E Pike St, 709-4440, free.
LITTLE METAL MEN--Hosted by Vanessa Sooy. Tuesdays at 7 pm. Coffee Messiah, 1554 E Olive Way, 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--Featuring Richard Brugger, Patricia Travers Ryan, Carol Shaw. Sun March 9 at 7 pm. Penny Cafe, 1707 NW Market St, 682-1268, free. Also, Mon March 10 at 7 pm, featuring John Burgess, Laura Gamache, Leonard Tews. Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave NE, 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.
RED SKY POETRY THEATRE--Featuring Ezra Mark. Sun March 9 at 7:30 pm. Globe Cafe, 1531 14th Ave, 547-4585, 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. Sit & Spin, 2219 Fourth Ave, 441-9484, $4.
STAGEFRIGHT--All ages open mic. Wed March 12 at 7 pm. Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, 322-7030, free.
TAKE A POEM INTO YOUR HEART--Featuring Thomas Hubbard, Christopher J. Jarmick, Stephen Roxborough. Thurs March 6 at 7 pm. Lottie Motts, 4900 Rainier Ave S, 725-8199, free.
WORDS AND ART FROM THE HEART--Featuring Stephen Roxborough. Tues March 11 at 7 pm. Otis Cafe, 1005 Boren Ave, 342-9866, free.
