Last year, I called Couch—the story of three men trying to move a magical couch to a mysterious destination—"the most exciting, original debut novel to be released this fall." In the time since Couch's release, it has gone from a promising small-press title to a full-fledged bestseller at local bookstores. Now charming and funny Portland author Benjamin Parzybok is returning to Seattle to read again in a kind of literary victory lap. If you like road trips, thrift stores, shark attacks, secret societies, or disaffected computer programmers who learn how to become heroes, this is the reading for you. (Seattle Public Library, Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave NW, 684-4089. 6:30 pm, free.)