CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January 2010
1/08/10
Michael Gates Gill talks about How to Save Your Own Life.
1/11/10
Sonia Sanchez reads haiku at Moonstone Arts Center.
THE BRANDYWINE VALLEY WRITERS GROUP with special guests Dena Blizzard, a former Miss New Jersey and a stand-up comedian, and Taylor Mason, a comic and the author of the forthcoming work, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Ventriloquism.
Richard D. Bank talks about and signs his book of advice on writing and publishing non-fiction.
1/12/10
Tracy Chevalier signs her new novel, Remarkable Creatures, historical fiction inspired by the life of British fossil hunter and dinosaur discoverer Mary Anning.
Jewish Views of the Afterlife reading with author Simcha Raphael.
1/14/10
Televison news journalist Mika Brezkinski talks about and signs her new book, All Things at Once, a motivational book for women on balancing one’s personal life and family with a one’s career (interestingly, Brezkinski once held her baby during an interview with a senator on TV). Mika Brezkinski will be appearing with her MSNBC Morning Joe show co-host, Joe Scarborough.
1/17/10
Philadelphia Stories hosts a free open house/reading to celebrate the release of the literary magazine’s winter issue. Readers include: Mark Wolverton, Liz Abrams-Morley, Nina Israel Zucker, Jonathan Kemmerer-Scovner and Jenny Lentz. This event is free and open to the public and takes place from 2 to 4 PM at Robins’ Moonstone Arts Center in Philadelphia.
1/19/10
Rebecca Goldstein talks about and signs 36 Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction.
Lise Funderburg signs her memoir Pig Candy: Taking my Father South, Taking My Father Home. (See also 2/3/2010)
1/21/10
Elizabeth Kostova, author of the New York Times #1 best-selling debut novel, The Historian, talks about and signs her eagerly anticipated second novel, The Swan Thieves.
1/24/10
Jeff Fekete talks about and signs Making The Big Game: Tales of an Accidental Spectator, a memoir of attending Super Bowl XLII.
1/25/10
Stephen Kinzer, author of All the Shah’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror, talks about current U.S.-Iran relations in conversation with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Trudy Rubin.
1/26/10
The Villanova Literary Festival presents Elizabeth Strout, author of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning Olive Kitteridge .
Journalist David Sax talks about the history of Jewish food and his book, Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen. This event features (non-kosher) food from Philadelphia’s 80-year old Famous Fourth Street Deli.
1/27/10
Ozzy Osbourne discusses and signs his just-released autobiography, I Am Ozzy.
1/28/10
Joshua Ferris talks about his latest novel, The Unnamed. He will be appearing with with Jonathan Dee, author of The Privileges.
1/30/10
2nd Annual Children’s Illustrator Fair — Jointly sponsored by the Main Line Art Center (where the event takes place) and Children’s Book World in Haverford, this event will include illustrators Eric Wight, Lee Harper, Ponder Goembel, Michael Townsend and Mark Rogalski.
LAUNCH Party for The Secret Year, a debut YA novel by local author Jennifer R. Hubbard (“WriterJenn“) at Children’s Book World in Haverford, 2 to 4 PM. [Editor's Note: Author Jennifer Hubbard is pictured above at a recent meeting of Phladelphia's MILESTONES Children’s Critique Circle, of which she is a member, along with, full disclosure, Local LIT editor Kathye Fetsko Petrie.]
February 2010
2/02/10
Sonia Sanchez reads from her new book of poems, Morning Haiku. The collection celebrates the lives and mourns the deaths of revered African-American leaders.
2/03/10
Lise Funderburg signs her memoir Pig Candy: Taking my Father South, Taking My Father Home.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and critic Gary Wills talks about and signs Bomb Power: The Modern Presidency and the National Security State.
2/09/10
Author Francine Prose (above, right) talks about her new book, Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife. The book analyzes The Diary of Anne Frank as a work of both intended literature and art. PHOTO: Francine Prose at First Annual Free Library of Philadelphia Book Festival, 2006, by Kathye Fetsko Petrie.
2/10/10
Donald Welch discusses the Philly-based novel In My Sister’s House.
2/13/10
Michael Townsend signs his latest book in the the graphic novel series, KIT FEENY, and demonstrates how graphic novels and comic books are made.
2/15/10
Joyce Carol Oates (see also 2/16)
2/16/10
Joyce Carol Oates (see also 2/15)
2/18/10
Jazz master and Philadelphia native Jimmy Heath talks about The Autobiography of Jimmy Heath with co-author Joseph McLaren.
Fresh Air television critic David Bianculli talks about and signs Dangerously Funny, his book about the Smothers Brothers.
Eat, Pray, Write: An Evening with Sisters Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat Pray, Love and Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage) and Catherine Gilbert Murdock (Princess Ben, Front and Center and Dairy Queen), in a ticketed event at the Loews Hotel to benefit the Spells Writing Center.
2/23/10
Model-turned-weightloss-writer Kim Barnouin, co-author of the bestselling vegan diet book, Skinny Bitch, talks about and signs the new Skinny Couple in a Box, a boxed set of the hardcover versions of Skinny Bitch and Skinny Bastard.
2/25/10
Chris Cleave, author of the acclaimed Little Bee: A Novel; appearing with Susan Abulhawa, author of Mornings in Jenin: A Novel.
2/26/10
John Banville, author of the Man Booker Prize-winning novel, The Sea, reads from and signs his newest novel, The Infinities.
March 2010
3/02/10
3/04/10
Iranian astronaut Anousheh Ansari an Homer Hickam, author of October Sky and Rocket Boys, talk about the book, My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer, Ansari’s memoir, which Hickam co-authored.
3/05/10
LAUNCH PARTY for local Bram Stoker Award-winning author Jonathan Maberry who will introduce and sign his two latest books: The Dragon Factory, the second book in the Joe Ledger/Patient Zero series; and a film novelization of The Wolfman.
3/06/10
3/09/10
Fiction writers Sam Lipsyte and Adam Haslett talk about their latest work.
3/11/10
3/15/10
Lisa Scottoline (see also 3/17 & 3/19)
3/16/10
3/17/10
Lisa Scottoline talks about and signs her latest mystery, Think Twice, twice today. She will be at the Barnes & Noble in Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia at 12:30 PM and at the Barnes & Noble in Valley Forge at 7 PM. (see also 3/15 & 3/19)
3/18/10
3/19/10
Lisa Scottoline (see also 3/15 & 3/17)
3/22/10
Susan Howe (see also 3/23)
3/23/10
Susan Howe (see also 3/22)
3/25/10
April 2010
4/13/10
Thomas Kennedy signs In the Company of Angels, the first novel in Kennedy’s Copenhagen Quartet series to be published in the United States.
4/15/10
4/26/10
David Milch (see also 4/27)
4/27/10
David Milch (see also 4/26)
May 2010
5/15/10
ALUMNI AUTHORS SERIES at the University of Pennsylvania’s Kelly Writer’s House, featuring a reading with Beth Kephart and Alice Elliott Dark.
5/26/10 – 5/29/10
ART SANCTUARY’S 2010 Celebration of Black Writing Festival “Movement: Paying it Forward, “a focus on the civil rights movement. On Friday, May 29, 2010, at the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia, world-renowned poet, writer, activist and educator Nikki Giovanni will accept the Lifetime Achievement Award. Admission is $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Check the Art Sanctuary website for purchasing information.
June – August 2010
September 2010
October 2010
November 2010
December 2010
Local LIT supports local independent bookstores and businesses and hopes you will, too.
- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -
Local LIT supports Philadelphia Stories magazine and hopes you will, too.
Become a member or donate to Philadelphia Stories
- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -
Appreciate Local LIT? Help keep it going. Donate online, via PayPal. The smallest amount helps. See “Support Local LIT” and DONATION button on menu at right.
Thanks. — Kathye Fetsko Petrie, editor