CAREN GUSSOFF
Local author, instructor, and burlesque artist Gussoff (Homecoming) explores, among other things, the blogging (oh, right--she's also a blogger) phenomenon in her latest collection of shorts, titled The Wave and Other Stories. Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S Main St, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
KEVIN HENKES
The uncanny parallels between two complete strangers--one living, one dead--and the havoc it causes in their lives. Or, her life--as one is no longer living. As was previously stated. Anyway--Henkes signs Olive's Ocean. University Bookstore, 4326 University Way NE, 634-3400, 2 pm, free. Also Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, TK.
JOE KURMASKIE
Calves that could crush a walnut, this guy. With enough road experience to compose a collection of 40 essays, Kurmaskie (who likens himself to a "metal cowboy") presents his debut in the form of a bicycle travelogue titled Riding Outside the Lines. Barnes & Noble, 2700 NE University Village, 517-4107, 7 pm, free. Also Third Place Books, 366-3333, Fri Aug 8 at 6 pm, free.
DEREK LUNDY
The Way of the Ship continues Lundy's (Godforsaken Sea) argument with the deep dark blue (I think he's starting to make some headway) in a fictionalized look at the routine existence of his great-great uncle, a ship's square-rigger in the 1800s. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
FRIDAY 8/8
TERI HEIN
A reading and signing by the author of Atomic Farmgirl, a memoir of growing up on farmland poisoned by nuclear waste from the Hanford nuclear reservation. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
SKYE KATHLEEN MOODY
Venus Diamond, the heroine of Medusa (the sixth volume in Moody's environmental-mystery series), takes a break from playing Captain Planet to try to help her murder-suspect little brother. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
SATURDAY 8/9
JANE ADAMS
The good Dr. Adams encourages the middle-aged to give up on those little disappointments (namely, their children) and move on with their lives in the book with the most depressing title of all time, When Our Grown Kids Disappoint Us. Ravenna Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave NE, 525-2347, 6 pm, free.
ELLEN KAPLOWITZ
Documentary photographer Kaplowitz discusses her travels east with the signing of her latest book, A World of Decent Dreams: Vietnam Images. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 5 pm, free.
BOB WODNIK
Relaying the lost stories of a local WWII POW survivor, Wodnik contrasts daily life at home in Everett with the horrors of war--and the horrors of coming home--in Captured Honor. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.
PEGGY O'MARA
Mothering magazine publisher O'Mara endorses child-rearing the hard way with her latest, Mothering Magazine's Having a Baby Naturally. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 3 pm, free.
SUNDAY 8/10
TRISH KUFFNER
Kuffner signs The Arts and Crafts Busy Book, her latest. Ravenna Third Place Books, 525-2347, 2 pm, free.
* ZINE TALK: PORTLAND INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS EXPERIMENT
Four representatives from PIPE, the Portland Independent Publishers Experiment, discuss the painstaking craft and process of producing works not likely read outside their circle of friends. Featuring Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man), Laura Brian and Austin Whipple (eye-rhyme), Steve Wilson (Motion Sickness), and R. V. Branhan (Gobshite Quarterly). Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 3 pm, free.
MONDAY 8/11
BENEFIT FOR SPANKSTRA PRESS
The former publisher of Spread magazine is trying to drum up some money in order to dive into the book-publishing game. This benefit features Spread alumni Harvey Goldner, David LaTerre, Ira Parnes, and more. On the House, 1205 E Pike St, 324-3974, 7 pm, free.
VED MEHTA
Mehta, a staff writer at the New Yorker since the days in which it was all hand-scribed by Moses, presents the 10th fucking volume in his autobiographical Islands of Exile series, titled Dark Harbor: Building House and Home on an Enchanted Island. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
TUESDAY 8/12
WILLIAM K. HARTMANN
Hartmann, a celebrated astronomer and consultant for the U.S. Mars Global Surveyor mission, exposes a totally sweet bed and breakfast just west of the Elysium region in A Traveler's Guide to Mars. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
MARY LEE LaBAY
Certified hypnotherapist (which sounds a little like "accredited alchemist") LaBay signs her new book, which takes an introductory look at her chosen specialty--for practitioners and patients alike. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.
* MONKEYBICYCLE READING SERIES
This round of the monthly reading series features Charles Mudede-approved (a high honor, by any stretch) local author Matt Briggs, and Opium magazine editor Todd Zuniga. Lux, 2226 First Ave, 8 pm, free.
WEDNESDAY 8/13
RIKKI DUCORNET
In Gazelle, award-winning novelist/poet/painter Ducornet traces the story of a young American girl's familial strife in 1950s Cairo. Elliott Bay Book Company, 624-6600, 7:30 pm, free.
GREG RUCKA
Rucka (author of the popular Atticus Kodiak series) presents Fistful of Rain, the story of a successful musician who's ejected from her band, promptly kidnapped, and blackmailed. Then somebody ends up dead. Third Place Books, 366-3333, 7 pm, free.
LARRY WITHAM
Reason meets faith, reason beats the fuck out of faith, reason has a change of heart. Witham (Darwin Meets the Bible) discusses his latest text, By Design: Science and the Search for God, an exploration of two new theological science movements. University Bookstore, 634-3400, 7 pm, free.
POETRY/OPEN MICS
HOMELAND--Words. So many words. Tuesdays at 7 pm. Caffe Vita, 1005 E Pike St, 709-4440, free.
POETWEST--Featuring John Burgess, Dejon, and Paul Nelson. Mon Aug 11 at 7 pm. Penny Cafe, 1707 NW Market St, 682-1268, 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.
SEATTLE SPIT--Featuring a special post-MFA reading by Tara Hardy, with guests Lindsay and Carol Kane. Thurs Aug 7 at 8:30 pm. Wildrose, 1021 E Pike St, 271-0364, free.
WOMEN'S POETRY NIGHT--Spoken word from the fairer sex. Thursdays at 8 pm. The Bar, 1525 E Olive Way, 322-1788, free.
