Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and take place in the Readings Gallery at Village Books, 1200 11th Street, Bellingham, WA, 98225. Changes, additions, and cancellations do occur. Please visit www.villagebooks.com for the most complete information about our author events.
Mon., Dec. 1, 7 pm
VB Reads…General Literature Book Group: The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
Join Cindi and discuss books from a variety of genres at 7pm, the first Monday of each month. Authors DO NOT Attend. Everyone is welcome. In The Good Lord Bird by James McBride, Henry Shackleford is a young slave living in the Kansas Territory in 1857, when the region is a battleground between anti- and pro-slavery forces. When John Brown, the legendary abolitionist, arrives in the area, an argument between Brown and Henry’s master quickly turns violent. Henry is forced to leave town, with Brown, who believes he’s a girl.
Thurs., Dec. 4, 4 pm
Story Time and visit with the Grinch
Join us in the Readings Gallery for a story time from Dr. Seuss’s holiday classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. There will be a special guest appearance by the Grinch himself. Bring your cameras for fun photo opportunities! We’ll also tell you more about our “Merry Grinchmas” program and how you can do good deeds throughout the month.
Thurs., Dec. 4, 5:30-7 pm
VB Writes…Poetry Writing Group
Are you a writer in search of a writing group? Village Books is hosting a poetry writing group on the mezzanine level of the store near the poetry section and Book Fare Café. Come meet other writers who can help you get organized, give feedback, and help you with your writing goals. This group is open to newcomers and drop-ins and meets the first and third Thursday of each month from 5:30-7pm.
Sat., Dec. 6
Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day
Visit Village Books today with your children, grandchildren, or special kids in your life for the fifth annual Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day (TYCBD). Founded by author Jenny Milchman in 2010, this day-long event has grown to include more than 700 bookstores around the world. Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day is about instilling a love of bookstores in children so that they will value and support this most precious of resources as they go on to enter and create communities of their own. Bring the kids to our morning or afternoon story times for additional fun!
Sat., Dec. 6, 10:30-11 am
Story Time featuring The Snowy Day
Join us in the kids’ section of Village Books as we celebrate the snow with a reading of Ezra Jack Keats’ classic story, along with other snow-themed tales. Participants will enjoy discounts on select titles, as well as activities for the kids to take home.
Sat., Dec. 6, 2 pm
Moomin Story Time & Activities
This year Finland is celebrating the centenary of the birth of Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins, and one of the most successful children’s writers ever. Best known for her loveable characters, Jansson was a writer, painter, illustrator and comic strip author. She wrote her first book at 14 years old and eventually was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for her “lasting contribution to children’s literature.” Join Village Books and the Finlandia Foundation as we read Moomin stories and take part in some fun activities, such as creating your own Moomin characters. We hope to see you at this event that will offer fun for all ages!
Sat., Dec. 6, 7 pm
Steven Greenebaum, Practical Interfaith: How to Find Our Common Humanity As We Celebrate Diversity
The interfaith movement is taking root. More and more of us are exploring it. At the same time interfaith finds itself at a crossroads. Where do we go now? Rev. Steven Greenebaum not only suggests the faith of Interfaith as a positive way forward but also offers a practical, down-to-earth approach to a more spiritually fulfilling life. Rev. Steven Greenebaum has dedicated his life and work to cultivating love, compassion and community in the world by teaching respect for all the world’s faith traditions. Featured in the New York Times, he is an Interfaith minister and founder of Living Interfaith Church in Lynnwood, Washington, and author of The Interfaith Alternative. He speaks and leads workshops on Interfaith and compassion as the core of our diverse spiritual traditions throughout the United States and Canada.
Sun., Dec. 7, 11:30 am-1pm
Socrates Café
The Socratic Dialogue is a search for truth by questioning, probing, defining terms and clarifying meanings of important, complex questions. Any participant may propose a question to be discussed using the Socratic dialogue. One question is chosen for discussion during each session. The resulting discussion provides an opportunity to improve our individual and collective skills of civil discourse. We invite you to join in. The group meets the first and third Sunday from 11:30 am to 1 pm in the Readings Gallery.
Sun., Dec. 7, 3:15-5:15 pm
VB Writes…Nonfiction & Memoir Writing Group
We have eclectic tastes that range from biography, history, nature writing, and self-help, but tend to focus primarily on the memoir. Our process is to bring a printed copy of your piece for each member of the group to follow while you read aloud. The group critiques aloud and also writes notes on your print out, and returns the print outs to you for you to keep. Critiquing is honest and encouraging. We ask that new members attend at least two meetings before submitting their own works for critique. This group meets on the mezzanine level of Village Books, near the poetry section, on the first and third Sunday of each month, from 3:15-5:15pm.
Sun., Dec. 7, 4 pm
Christine Wallace, Prepare to Come About: A Recounting of Events As They Happened
Christine Wallace writes with great clarity and honesty–and at times, with humor–about navigating the highs and lows of family, career and love in her gripping memoir Prepare to Come About. Wallace chronicles her successful business that brought her accolades and awards, radio and TV interviews. However, as her professional life skyrockets, her family’s lives spiraled down. She unflinchingly shares tales of teenage children in crisis, family pressures, and chaos that illuminate the struggles of many working families. Their lifeline comes in the form of a tall ship named Zodiac and its enigmatic captain. In Prepare to Come About, Christine Wallace, together with her family, weathers rough seas and resets her sails for a new course.
Christine Wallace is the author of two books including The Pocket Doula and Prepare to Come About. Her work has appeared in the literary journal Clover (vol. 3, 2012, vol. 6, 2014). Christine was founder and CEO of “Gracewinds Perinatal,” a nationally award-winning business. She is the mother of five children and a grandmother of six. Recently retired first mate and port captain on the schooner Zodiac, Christine holds a USCG 200-ton captain’s license. She currently resides in the Pacific Northwest onboard an ex-forestry boat with her husband, youngest daughter and a boat-cat named Lucky Jack.
Mon., Dec. 8, 5 pm
VB Reads…Natural Concerns Book Group
Join us the second Monday of each month from 5-6pm in the Readings Gallery for the Natural Concerns book group. We discuss contemporary and classic writings that explore the issues, insights and inspirations of our relationship with the natural world. With a focus that spans from our Pacific Northwest to earth-wide, you can expect beautiful and challenging non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and more. We are always reading something interesting! Authors DO NOT attend.
Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going Crazy by Joanna Macy
The challenges we face can be difficult even to think about. Climate change, the depletion of oil, economic upheaval, and mass extinction together create a planetary emergency of overwhelming proportions. Active Hope shows us how to strengthen our capacity to face this crisis so that we can respond with unexpected resilience and creative power.
Mon., Dec. 8, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Red Wheelbarrow Writers NaNoWriMo Group Reading
Come join the Red Wheelbarrow Writers for a reading from their collective novel for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
Tues., Dec. 9, 4 – 5 pm
VB Reads…Cover to Cover Adventure: Youth Book Group
Calling all kids! Cover to Cover Adventure is a book group for kids 8-12 years of age led by Hana of Village Books. We meet every second Tuesday of the month from 4-5pm in the Readings Gallery. When we get together, we examine and explore the story we have read through discussions, crafts, activities, and games. Don’t miss out on the fun! Reading encourages thinking and imagination, and the goal of Cover to Cover Adventure is to provide kids the opportunity to completely immerse themselves in the world of a book.
Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel
Shade is a young silverwing bat, the runt of his colony. But he’s determined to prove himself on the long, dangerous winter migration to Hibernaculum, millions of wingbeats to the south. During a fierce storm, he loses the others and soon faces the most incredible journey of his young life.
Tues., Dec. 9, 6-8 pm
VB Writes…Spec Fiction/Sci Fi Writing Group
Does your fiction writing lean toward the fantastic? Do any of these terms apply to your stories: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mythic, Magical, Horror, Folk/Fairy Tales, Magical Realism, Slipstream, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Space Opera, Alternative History, or any of the hundreds of other sub-genres of Speculative Fiction? Then come join this supportive group of like-minded writers of this wide-ranging and diverse genre for your creative writing outlet. We meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 6-8pm on the mezzanine level, near the poetry section and Book Fare Café.
Wed., Dec. 10, 1 pm
VB Reads…Afternoon Book Chat
Join Sittrea in the Readings Gallery on the 2nd Wednesday of each month for an open book chat, at 1pm. Authors DO NOT attend. Bring a latte and enjoy! Everyone welcome.
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
Lynnie, a young white woman with a developmental disability, and Homan, an African American deaf man, are locked away in an institution and have been left to languish, forgotten. So begins the 40-year epic journey of Lynnie, Homan, Martha, and baby Julia-lives divided by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet drawn together by a secret pact and extraordinary love.
Wed., Dec. 10, 7 pm
Lynn Brunelle
Mama Gone Geek: Calling On My Inner Science Nerd to Help Navigate the Ups and Downs of Parenthood
How do you connect the artsy, science-nerd mom to the art and science of parenting? Lynn Brunelle shares her field trip through pregnancy and parenting, sprinkled with a sparkle of science, in this hilarious and awe-inspiring memoir. With great enthusiasm, Lynn shows how she shares her inner geek–the part of her that is gleefully curious and wide-eyed with wonderment–with her children. For Lynn, science is the stardust that makes common things glow. Why not pass that magic along to the kids? When Lynn brought her passion for science into her parenting, it began to make all the difference to her and her kids. Her heart lifts when her boys are elbow-deep in mud searching for crystals and when she catches them debating whether a chicken is related to a dinosaur. Science isn’t just for geeks. It’s the future. If you’re a parent or planning to become one, it’s your future.
Lynn Brunelle is a four-time Emmy Award-winning writer for the television series Bill Nye the Science Guy, with more than twenty years of writing experience. An editor, illustrator, and award-winning author of over forty-five books and other fun stuff, including the bestselling Pop Bottle Science series (Workman), Lynn has created, developed, and written projects for PBS, NPR, A&E, the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Disney, and ABC. A former classroom science, English, and art teacher for kids K-12, Lynn is a popular speaker at schools and science fairs across the country. She lives in the Pacific Northwest.
Thurs., Dec. 11, 6-8 pm
VB Writes… Fiction Writing Group
Are you a writer in search of a writing group? Village Books is hosting a fiction writing group on the mezzanine level of the store near the poetry section and Book Fare Café. Come meet other writers who can help you get organized, give feedback, and help you with your writing goals. This group is open to newcomers and drop-ins and meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 6-8pm.
Thurs., Dec. 11, 6:30 pm, $18 Ticketed event at the Leopold Crystal Ballroom
Graham Kerr, Flash of Silver: The Leap That Changed My World
Join Village Books for a special evening at The Crystal Ballroom of the Leopold as we welcome renowned chef and television personality Graham Kerr for a new literary project. Kerr will debut his Flash of Silver e-serial book, part memoir, part ecological and spiritual narrative. The story follows the life cycle of a wild Pacific Chinook salmon and compares it to Kerr’s life experiences. Guests will receive a limited edition preview booklet at the event, which Kerr will sign, as well as an invitation to purchase the 64-chapter digital series and join the “Reflective Readers Club,” an online discussion group. The evening includes a complimentary copy of Kerr’s home-entertaining book, The Gathering Place, as well as live music by local musician Dana Lyons, and light food and beverage.
Graham Kerr is an internationally known culinary and television personality, most widely known for the “Galloping Gourmet TV Series,” award-winning author, and master of metaphorical speaking. Visit him at www.flashofsilver.net or GrahamKerr.com.
Fri., Dec. 12, 10:30-11 am
Polar Express Party for Kids
Come get cozy with Claire as we read the Polar Express, play some games, do some crafting, and get in the spirit of Christmas. This story is a great gift and will be specially discounted for participants, so don’t miss out!
Fri., Dec. 12, 2 pm—Kids Event!
MaryElaine De Good-Wheatley, In the Mt. Baker Faerie Forest: A Photo Journal & Activity Book
Join local author MaryElaine for a children’s story time about her new activity book, In the Mt. Baker Faerie Forest. MaryElaine loves pop-up and interactive book designs and created a multi-layered activity book for children and adults to enjoy. Reflective of her delight in children and playful imagination, the activities encourage cognitive and fine motor skills. The book is layered with storytelling, make-believe-creative activities, and a tool for creating happy hearts using happy words. The activities assist in: critical thinking, imagination, a child’s own art, storytelling, dream keeping, collage, and includes project material lists at the back of the book. Children can construct an acorn mobile, make a camera, create a Happy Heart Wand, and even play a board game project from this book.
MaryElaine De Good-Wheatley is a Bellingham-based artist. She credits her tall dreams and fandangled tales to the curious magical tomfoolery from little sparkly lights, darting between evergreens and cedars, of the forest surrounding the slumbering volcano, Mt. Baker. This is her first book.
Sat., Dec. 13, 11 am-noon
Santa Comes to Village Books
Join us for a special visit with Santa. He’ll read from and sign copies of the book, Santa is Coming to Bellingham (available now), and will be handing out a treat to those who stop by.
Sat., Dec. 13, 7 pm
Matthew Campbell, Spirit Summoner—Fantasy
Darr has the ability to hear the disembodied voices of the spirits. A young, inexperienced Spirit Summoner, he often wonders at the purpose of such a useless ability. When an unnatural fire sweeps through his village, Darr sets out on a mission of self-discovery, and possibly to save the world. As a Spirit Summoner, Darr learns he can enter the spirit realm. There he has access to the elemental magic contained within the Sephirs, legendary artifacts that once promised balance for a world turning towards chaos. Now, the Sephirs’ powers are dwindling, and Darr is at the center of the quest to find and recover them.
Matt Campbell has been putting his ideas of the fantastic down on paper for the better part of 20 years. Campbell fine-tuned his craft after graduating from the Creative Writing program at Western Washington University in 2003. Campbell’s preservation and perseverance has paid off with his first full-length novel, Spirit Summoner, recently published by Wild Child Publishing.
Sun., Dec. 14, 1:30-3 pm
VB Reads…Afternoon Book Chat Encore
We believe in second chances. Did you miss an Afternoon Book Chat meeting? Can’t attend the Afternoon Book Chat during the week? Here’s your chance! The Afternoon Book Chat will now offer an “Encore” meeting. We will meet on the Sunday following our regular 2nd Wednesday Afternoon Book Chats. Same book, new discussion, 2nd chance. Come join Sittrea in the Readings Gallery from 1:30-3pm for an OPEN Book Chat. Authors DO NOT attend.
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
Lynnie, a young white woman with a developmental disability, and Homan, an African American deaf man, are locked away in an institution and have been left to languish, forgotten. So begins the 40-year epic journey of Lynnie, Homan, Martha, and baby Julia-lives divided by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet drawn together by a secret pact and extraordinary love.
Sun., Dec. 14, 2-3 pm
VB Reads…Motherhood by the Book
Motherhood by the Book is led by Claire, VB staffer, mother of a toddler, and stepmother of an adolescent. The book group meets on the second Sunday of every month at 2pm near the poetry section and beside the Book Fare Café for an hour of spirited discussion of books that celebrate the trials, tribulations, and rewards of motherhood, and what it means to be a mother. This group is by no means exclusive to moms with kids still at home, but much of the selection may be geared toward issues that those moms face. We will read fiction, non-fiction, and parenting books. Authors DO NOT attend.
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Young Jody adopts an orphaned fawn he calls Flag and makes it a part of his family and his best friend. But life in the Florida backwoods is harsh. His family fights off wolves, bears, even alligators, and faces failure in their tenuous subsistence farming.
Sun., Dec. 14, 4 pm
Charles Luckmann, Tim Pilgrim & Paul Piper, Bellingham Poems
Whether it is a peek at Clayton Beach’s naked sun bathers or the aroma of poached salmon and ancient stories found in Salish baskets, Bellingham Poems gives the reader an intimate portrait from three distinctly different poets who have lived for years with these local images. Here are poems of special places and special people.” –Molly McNulty, Executive Director, Skagit River Poetry Foundation
Chuck Luckmann received his M.A. at Western Washington University and currently teaches English at Skagit Valley College. His poems have appeared in Jeopardy, Sqajet, Crosscurrents and the Skagit River Poetry Festival Anthology (2010). He is the co-author of Voices along the Skagit (North Cascades Institute 2005) and X Stories: The Personal Side of fragile X syndrome (Flying Trout Press 2006). Tim Pilgrim is a native Montanan and associate professor emeritus at Western Washington University, in Bellingham, where he has spent the last 22 years. He is included in Idaho’s poets: A Centennial Anthology (University of Idaho Press) and has been accepted by journals such as Cirque, Seattle Review and Windfall. All his poetry can be found at www.timothypilgrim.org. Paul Piper received his MFA at the University of Montana and is currently a librarian at Western Washington University, where he has been for 22 years. Paul has published five books of poetry, the most recent being Dogs and Other Poems, and his poems are included in the anthologies The New Montana Story, Tribute to Orpheus, America Zen, and Shadow and Light.
Mon., Dec. 15, 7 pm
VB Reads…Speculative Fiction
Come discuss thought-provoking speculative fiction in a group that welcomes diversity. Science fiction and fantasy can be a great escape, but it can also be a great way to examine social issues and alternative viewpoints or identities. Historically, science fiction has often been used as a way of commenting on the biases of the age in which it is written, using metaphors such as the creation of robots, alternative relationships between alien species, and the colonization of other worlds to show contemporary problems or questions in a new light. The aim of this group is to enjoy reading provocative science fiction (and occasional fantasy) stories and discussing the themes they might present, in both the original context and for us as individuals today. This group meets the third Monday of every month at 7pm in the writing corner on the mezzanine level of Village Books. Authors DO NOT attend.
A Door Into Ocean by Joan Slonczewski
A ground-breaking work both of feminist SF and of world-building hard SF, it concerns the Sharers of Shora, a nation of women on a distant moon in the far future who are pacifists, highly advanced in biological sciences, and who reproduce by parthenogenesis–there are no males–and tells of the conflicts that erupt when a neighboring civilization decides to develop their ocean world, and send in an army.
Tues., Dec. 16, 11 am-1 pm
VB Reads…Sharpen Your Saw Business Book Group—NEW!
Stephen Covey called it “Sharpening the Saw” when he wrote about it in his highly successful debut book “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” back in 1990. No matter what business or profession you have chosen the most important asset you have to preserve and develop is your mind. Staying sharp is a continuous and intentional process. It takes conscious effort to maintain a practice of renewal. We have partnered with the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce and Sustainable Connections to offer you an alternative approach to keeping your saw sharp and be part of a continuous learning community in the process.
Join us the third Tuesday of every month from 11am-1pm in the Readings Gallery of Village Books for a fast paced dialogue facilitated by Mike Cook, local business coach and faculty member at WWU. We promise you your time will be well spent and we’ll all want to know what you have learned. Authors DO NOT attend. Book Fare Café on the mezzanine level of Village Books offers brown-box lunches for pre-order to anyone interested in having a lunch at the book discussion. Lunches are available for ordering through BrownPaperTickets.
The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller
In The One Thing, you’ll learn to cut through the clutter, to achieve better results in less time, to dial down the stress, and master what matters to you. The One Thing delivers extraordinary results in every area of your life: work, personal, family, and spiritual.
Wed., Dec. 17, noon-1:30 pm
VB Reads…Engaged Citizens Book Group
Read and discuss a variety of books exploring how to create a more civil and engaged community. Join Mary Dumas on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from noon to 1:30. Authors DO NOT attend. Meetings are in the Readings Gallery — brown bag lunches are encouraged. Anyone interested in exploring their role as an engaged citizen is welcome.
Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner and Saint by Nadia Bolz-Weber
Wildly entertaining and deeply resonant, this is the book for people who hunger for a bit of hope that doesn’t come from vapid consumerism or navel-gazing; for women who talk too loud, and guys who love chick flicks; for the gay man who loves Jesus, and won’t allow himself to be shunned by the church. In short, this book is for every thinking misfit suspicious of institutionalized religion, but who is still seeking transcendence and mystery.
Wed., Dec. 17, 7 pm
Kent Woodyard
Non-Essential Mnemonics: An Unnecessary Journey into Senseless Knowledge
From creative reinterpretations of classic mnemonics to original creations of dubious usage, master humorist Kent Woodyard brings new life to the memory devices of a bygone era. While everyone knows the handy mnemonics that helped us remember the colors of the rainbow (Roy G. Biv) and the notes on the treble clef (Every Good Boy Does Fine), Woodyard has now updated the art form to cover the entire corpus of human experience with mnemonics.
Kent Woodyard had been a columnist for McSweeney’s Internet Tendency since 2009. He has also written for Relevant Magazine, The Big Jewel, and Yankee Pot Roast. Originally from Oklahoma City, Kent now lives in Southern California. This is his first book.
Thurs., Dec. 18, 5:30-7 pm
VB Writes…Poetry Writing Group
Are you a writer in search of a writing group? Village Books is hosting a poetry writing group on the mezzanine level of the store near the poetry section and Book Fare Café. Come meet other writers who can help you get organized, give feedback, and help you with your writing goals. This group is open to newcomers and drop-ins and meets the first and third Thursday of each month from 5:30-7pm.
Thurs., Dec. 18, 7 pm–$5 Ticketed event at Book Fare Café
Kate Lebo, Pie School:Lessons in Fruit, Flour, and Butter
Join us for a special event at Book Fare Café on the mezzanine level of Village Books as we welcome author and baker Kate Lebo for her new book, Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour, and Butter. Kate will discuss her techniques for creating delicious fruit-based pies, while also demonstrating how to make a pie at the café. A hot beverage will be served with a delicious pie sample. Tickets for this event are $5.00 and can be purchased at Village Books or through brownpapertickets.com.
Welcome to Kate Lebo’s Pie School! Come in, tie on an apron, and prepare for a thorough schooling in the delightful art of all things pie. Roll call: all the usual suspects are here as well as deliciously unique pies in chapters on rhubarb, blueberry, cherry, peach, plum, blackberry, apple, preserved fruits, and chiffon. Here you’ll find no-nonsense techniques for creating that perfect flakey pie crust (Lebo has a best-in-show ribbon to prove it), tricks for choosing the best fruit for swoon-worthy fillings, and much more. Bring people together with Black Cherry Chiffon Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust, Marionberry Pie with Hazelnut Crumble, Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie, or Whiskey Maple Pecan Pie and watch the slices disappear.
Besides baking dreamy pies of all varieties, Lebo is an award-winning poet, and colorful diction creeps into her descriptions. Blueberries are “like the note taker in the group project, recording louder fruits’ flights of fancy and bringing them down to earth long enough to make something actually happen, so it’s not just pie in the sky.” Each bite of Peach Bourbon Pie is “like a long talk on a summer porch, crackling with sugar, spinning with alcohol.” Photos by Rina Jordan are as luscious as Lebo’s writing.
Kate Lebo is the author of A Commonplace Book of Pie and The Pie Lady’s Manifesto, a zine republished by The Rumpus in 2014. She founded Pie School, her roaming pastry academy, after graduating from the University of Washington’s MFA program. Her poems have appeared in Best New Poets, Gastronomica, Willow Springs, and AGNI, among other journals, and she teaches creative writing workshops nationally. For more, visit KateLebo.com.
Sat., Dec. 20, 11 am-noon
Santa Comes to Village Books
Join us for a special visit with Santa. He’ll read from and sign copies of the book, Santa is Coming to Bellingham (available now), and will be handing out a treat to those who stop by.
Sun., Dec. 21, 11:30 am-1 pm
Socrates Café
The Socratic Dialogue is a search for truth by questioning, probing, defining terms and clarifying meanings of important, complex questions. Any participant may propose a question to be discussed using the Socratic dialogue. One question is chosen for discussion during each session. The resulting discussion provides an opportunity to improve our individual and collective skills of civil discourse. We invite you to join in. The group meets the first and third Sunday from 11:30 am to 1 pm in the Readings Gallery.
Sun., Dec. 21, 3:15-5:15 pm
VB Writes…Nonfiction & Memoir Writing Group
We have eclectic tastes that range from biography, history, nature writing, and self-help, but tend to focus primarily on the memoir. Our process is to bring a printed copy of your piece for each member of the group to follow while you read aloud. The group critiques aloud and also writes notes on your print out, and returns the print outs to you for you to keep. Critiquing is honest and encouraging. We ask that new members attend at least two meetings before submitting their own works for critique. This group meets on the mezzanine level of Village Books, near the poetry section, on the first and third Tuesday of each month, from 3:15-5:15pm.
Mon., Dec. 22, 7 pm
VB Reads…Pacific Northwest Book Group
Bellingham is uniquely situated in one of the most beautiful places on earth, marked by rugged mountains, serene islands, dense forests and dynamic waterways. It is a place of exploration and adventure, but also rest and relaxation. Unsurprisingly, the writers and writing that emerges from this area is also uniquely beautiful. This book club will explore this writing, focusing on writers from the Pacific Northwest and writing set in or about the Pacific Northwest, both fiction and non-fiction. This group meets the fourth Monday of the month at 7pm in the Writers’ Corner on the mezzanine level of Village Books. Authors DO NOT attend.
Wildwood by Colin Meloy
Prue McKeel’s life is ordinary. That is, until her brother is abducted by a murder of crows and taken to the Impassable Wilderness, a dense, tangled forest on the edge of Portland. No one’s ever gone in, or at least returned to tell of it.
Tues., Dec. 23, 6-8 pm
VB Writes…Spec Fiction/Sci Fi Writing Group
Does your fiction writing lean toward the fantastic? Do any of these terms apply to your stories: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mythic, Magical, Horror, Folk/Fairy Tales, Magical Realism, Slipstream, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Space Opera, Alternative History, or any of the hundreds of other sub-genres of Speculative Fiction? Then come join this supportive group of like-minded writers of this wide-ranging and diverse genre for your creative writing outlet. We meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 6-8pm on the mezzanine level, near the poetry section and Book Fare Café.
Thurs., Dec. 25
Village Books and Paper Dreams will be closed.
Have a Happy Holiday!