Our calendar is full of all kinds of fun and fabulous author events in 2012. Here’s a little peek at what to look forward to so y’all can mark your calendars. This list is by no means exhaustive. To see all of the events happening here in the new year, check out our website.
January 12 – Matt Bondurant, The Night Swimmer
If you were one of the big fans of the bestselling novel The Wettest Country in the World, you’ll want to be here when Bondurant introduces this latest novel set in Ireland.
January 13 – Heather Donahue, Grow Girl: How My Life After The Blair Witch Project
Went to Pot
Can you believe it’s been over ten years since The Blair Witch Project scared the bejeezus out of everyone? That’s plenty of time for the film’s star, Heather Donahue, to go down a whole new road….one lined with a certain fragrant green plant. Hey, after freaking out in the woods like that, who wouldn’t need to chill out for a while?
January 17 – Robert LeLeux, The Living End: A Family Memoir of Forgetting and Forgiving
Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy was one of those books that hooked a lot of hearts (including some of ours). Now, LeLeux author is back with this warm and witty true story of his grandmother’s diagnosis with Alzheimers.
January 19 – Luis Alberto Urrea, Queen of America
If you want to see an author give an unforgettable performance, make it down to Urrea’s reading. Tales of his reading here for Hummingbird’s Daughter are still told around the store to this day. The press has been saying good things about this new novel: New York Times; NPR. It’s already available on our shelves, come have a look.
Saturday 21 – John Green, The Fault In Our Stars
This is one of the biggest events happening for us in January; so big that we have to take it off-site to Westlake Community Performing Arts Center. Tickets are flying so get yours now while the gettin’s good. You can buy them in-store or online. Word on the street is that John and Hank Green have an incredible performance in store for their fans. Can’t wait!
January 24 – Ben Marcus, The Flame Alphabet
This is the first event we’ll be doing with our new partners American Short Fiction. If you haven’t checked out their awesome Austin-based lit mag yet, you’re missing out on some of the freshest, most innovative short fiction being published in this country today. And if innovative new fiction is your thing and you haven’t checked out Ben Marcus’ work, we recommend you get on it. The man’s won three Pushcart Prizes already. He’s a major literary voice whose writing will absolutely blow you away.
February 4 – Jackie Luckett in conversation with ZZ Packer
ZZ Packer is another one of our favorite literary authors (and an Austinite to boot!) She’ll be here with her friend and novelist, Jackie Luckett. Luckett has a new novel coming out in 2012, Passing Love. This is another event we’ll be doing with our good friends at American Short Fiction.
February 11 – Dave Isay, All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps
Dave Isay is the founder of StoryCorps, a remarkable project that sets up stations around the country to record the true stories of passersby. Isay is essentially recording our culture for us, one story at a time, and maintaining the tradition of oral storytelling at the same time. This evening he’ll be with us to share a selection of love stories recorded in StoryCorps booths. It will be the perfect way to get an early start celebrating Valentine’s Day.
February 15 – Michael Oher, I Beat the Odds
Oher is the football star made famous in The Blind Side, the book which was turned into the popular movie starring Austin’s own Sandra Bullock. He’s written his own book, telling his true story of moving from homelessness as a child to NFL stardom, which is now in paperback. Oher’s led an incredible, inspirational life, and he’ll be here tonight to tell us all about it.
February 17 – Robin Hobb, City of Dragons
Science Fiction fans, we have an incredible evening for you! International bestselling author Robin Hobb (aka Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden) is heading here with the latest book in the Rain Wilds Chronicles. Tell your friends. Tell the world. This is a big deal!
February 29 – Lisa See, Dreams of Joy
Snowflower and the Secret Fan was a massive bestseller that put this prolific author on the map. Since then, her audience has grown with each new book, and deservedly so. See draws on her family’s Chinese history for inspiration, and then does some serious research in order to recreate the experiences of Chinese culture as well as the experiences of Chinese immigrants to the United States. If you’ve enjoyed any of her books, you’ll be glad to make it down to this event, where you’re guaranteed to learn quite a bit.
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