Lit Life
A few dates to mark on your literary calendar …
Book sales: The Friends of the Seattle Public Library present their annual HUGE Book Sale (capitalization theirs) from March 13-15 at Seattle Center’s Exhibition Hall (301 Mercer St.). Friday, March 13 is for members only (memberships are $25 in advance or $40 at the door), 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday are open to the general public, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., respectively. Books are $3 for hardbacks and $2 for paperbacks; audiobooks/CDs/DVDs are $1-$2. Credit/debit cards and cash accepted; no checks. Bring a bag! Information: friendsofspl.org
The King County Library System also has several book sales coming up at its branches: in Black Diamond (March 12 and March 14), North Bend (March 13-16), Mercer Island (March 26-29) and Federal Way (April 25-26). Information on all of these: kcls.bibliocommons.com
Book festivals: The 2020 Orcas Island Lit Fest, taking place April 17-19, features a strong lineup of local and visiting authors, with featured artists including Tara Conklin (“The Last Romantics”), Timothy Egan (“A Pilgrimage to Eternity”), Nicola Griffiths (“So Lucky”), Hugo and Nebula award winner Kij Johnson, Arthur Phillips (“The Song Is You”), Rowan Ricardo Phillips (“Living Weapon,” “Heaven”) and Luis Alberto Urrea (“The House of Broken Angels”). Early-bird passes for the full weekend are just $65 through Feb. 29, rising to $70 after that date; a Person of Letters pass, which includes a donation to the festival, is $250. Information: oilf.org
Vashon Lit Con, a four-day celebration for writers and readers, takes place April 11-14 at the Vashon Center for the Arts and other locations on Vashon Island, featuring workshops, lectures, a panel discussion, a Lit Crawl, performances and events for all ages. Information: vashoncenterforthearts.org
Book fun: Independent Bookstore Day, a nationwide celebration of locally owned bookstores, will take place April 25 (it’s always the last Saturday in April), with parties in stores all over town. Past years have included the Bookstore Challenge, in which hardy bookstoregoers can visit multiple stores and win prizes (the ultimate prize: the Bookstore Champion card, one of which lovingly resides in my own wallet). More details will be announced closer to the event; keep an eye on seattlebookstoreday.com.
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