Charles Todd, author of Proof of Guilt, the latest entry in the bestselling Ian Rutledge series, comes to the Ivy Bookshop Tuesday, February 5 at 7 p.m. to discuss his latest thriller, in which the Scotland Yard inspector must contend with two dangerous enemies!
“If you want shopping at Bendel’s, gin martinis at a debutante’s mansion and jazz bands playing until 3 a.m., Rules of Civility has it all and more,” so says Viv Groskop of The Observer in her review of Rules of Civility, the bestselling novel by Amor Towles. The book, the author’s first, tells the story of a transformational year in the life of a young woman in glamorous 1938 Manhattan.
Meet Towles next week when he comes to The Ivy Bookshop on Wednesday, November 14 at 7 p.m. to discuss his book and sign copies.
It’s the first day of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and you know what that means — if you haven’t already written 1000+ words today, you’re already behind.
If you’re not familiar with the concept, the name pretty much says it all — all over the country, people spend the month of November trying to speed-write a 50,000 word novel. The idea is that the looming deadline forces you to get over your writer’s block, silence your inner critic, and just go for it. Which, of course, means that most of what ends up getting produced this month will probably be pretty bad. (For some reason, NaNoEdMo [National Novel Editing Month] is nowhere near as popular.) Then again, Sara Gruen’s bestselling Water for Elephants allegedly began as a NaNoWriMo project, so who knows.
From what I hear, the way to get through the month is through liberal doses of both caffeine and camaraderie. Last year, writers in Towson met for write-ins at Ukazoo Books, and it looks like those meetings are likely to resume this round as well. Check out the site’s extensive, sometimes angsty forums for details on writerly gatherings near you.
Where? Mount Vernon Place — 600 North Charles Street
When? Today through Sunday
You can pretty much count on the (free!) Baltimore Book Festival to bring three things to town, one, moody weather, two, difficult parking, three, a surprise ending, with an abundant array of writers broad enough to please every citizen.
Because the big list of festival options, from literary authors to Mexican-food-made-easy cookbook writers, from chocolate tasting to manuscript editing, art-of-erotica panels to poetry performances, can be overwhelming, check our personal picks. Tour the efficient website schedule for more detailed information.
Friday, 2-4 — Free Friday Feedback: Got Lit? Get Feedback!
Join CityLit Project’s Gregg Wilhelm and graduate students in the University of Baltimore’s nationally acclaimed MFA program for free one-on-one discussions of your own writing. Authors and poets can bring up to five pages of prose or two poems.
Friday, 5 — James Waller, Drinkology Beer
After you’ve bared your writing soul, have a drink. James Waller is a writer, editor and author of Drinkology, Drinkology Wine and his latest, Drinkology Beer. He’ll discuss his favorite brews–site suggests even diehard beer lovers can learn a thing or two.
Sat, 2 — Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Website raves, “Author, poet and screenwriter Sherman Alexie was named one of The New Yorker’s 20 top writers for the 21st century. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author’s own experiences, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.”
Sat, 4:30 — Harriss Poetry Prize
“2010 Harriss Poetry Prize winner Bruce Sager reads from his winning chapbook Famous (CityLit Press, 2011). Special reading by prize honoree Clarinda Harriss. Hosted by Gregg Wilhelm.”
Sunday, noon — Victoria Vox
The incomparable Victoria Vox sings winning original songs whilst strumming her ukulele.
Sunday, 3 — Novels in Stories
Eric D. Goodman’s Tracks and Susi Wyss’s The Civilized World are novel novels in stories. Hosted by Dave Rosenthal, Baltimore Sun.
Sunday, 4:30 — Novelists of Note Panel Discussion
Hear bestselling and award-winning authors Myla Goldberg, The False Friend, Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Second Nature: A Love Story, and Lisa Unger, Darkness, My Old Friend, discuss their blockbusters.
Sunday, 6 — Laura Lippman, The Most Dangerous Thing
End the fest with a reading by Baltimore’s own mega-award-winning crime writer, and have a very safe trip home.
