I can’t think of any other writer of adult novels who would inspire a bookstore to open at midnight to debut a new book, Harry Potter–style, but Haruki Murakami is something special, an international rock star of fiction. His newest book, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, goes on sale at Elliott Bay at midnight, but in the hours before, they’ll be presenting trivia, music, snacks, and other special treats to celebrate the life and work of the man who a lot of critics—myself included—consistently name as one of the very best living writers. (Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, elliottbaybook.com, 10 pm, free)