Literopolis: A Weekly Look at Portland Literary Events, March 9-15

Monday, March 09, 2015

Emily Goldman, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Mitchell S. Jackson. Photo Credit: Multcolib.org

The theme of this week’s literary roundup is mystery. More specifically, authors who write mystery. A grand total of nine mystery authors spread across five different events will be at various Portland bookstores this week reading from their latest novels and celebrating their releases. Be sure to check out Annie Bloom’s Book, Another Read Through, and Powell’s Books this week if you’re at all a fan of mystery and/or interested in supporting local talent.

Kicking off the week, Patricia Bracewell, historical fiction author of a trilogy set in pre-Norman Conquest England about the queen consort Emma of Normandy, will be at Broadway Books on Monday. 1714 NE Broadway Ave., 7-8pm, FREE

Next on Monday, science fiction author Brenda Cooper will be at Powell’s at Cedar Hills presenting the first book in her new duology duology Edge of Dark about a universe in which an advanced society that banished its AI to the furthest edges of the universe must now confront their worst nightmare’s unexpected return. 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., 7pm, FREE

First on Tuesday, Mitchell S. Jackson, author of the autobiographical novel The Residue Years, which was the Multnomah County Library’s selection for the Everybody Reads 2015 community reading project, will be speaking at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in an event hosted by Literary Arts. The Residue Years is told from the perspectives of a young man and his mother and chronicles growing up as a black man in Portland and keeping their family together in an impoverished neighborhood under the spectre of crack cocaine. 1037 SW Broadway Ave., 7:30-9pm, $15-65

Next on Tuesday at Powell's at Cedar Hills, Portland’s very own Rose City Rollers derby player Victoria Jamieson will be reading from and discussing her new MG graphic novel Roller Girl, a coming-of-age story about a 12-year-old girl falling in love with roller derby while trying to maintain ties with her best friend. 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., 7pm, FREE

Also happening on Tuesday, best-selling YA author Lauren Oliver will be at Barnes and Noble in Tigard for the first stop in her tour promoting her newest book Vanishing Girls about two sisters and their strained relationship, a car crash that changed things forever, and how far one sister will go to keep her family together. Joining her will be local YA author Laini Taylor. 7227 SW Bridgeport Rd., 6pm, FREE

For Tuesday’s last event, Portland-based publisher Hawthorne Books and Powell’s City of Books are proud to present Megan Kruse and her debut novel Call Me Home, a powerful story following a young woman and her two children through the years as they struggle to come to terms with questions about family, sexuality, and having a home. 1005 W Burnside St., 7:30pm, FREE

Wednesday marks Portland’s first mystery author event of the week at Annie Bloom’s. Lisa Alber will be presenting her novel Kilmoon, in which a trip to Ireland leads to rising violence rooted in a 30-year-old game, at the heart of which lies the town matchmaker. Also present will be Leslie Budewitz, author of the Food Lovers’ Village mystery series, who will be presenting the first entry in a new series of mysteries titled Assault and Pepper. 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, 7-8:30pm, FREE

Also on Wednesday, Powell’s City of Books presents Jeff Chang, author of Who We Be: The Colorization of America, a book analyzing the idea and reality of racial progress in post-Civil Rights America through the lens of popular culture, music, visual media, corporate campaigns, and political protests. 1005 W Burnside St., 7:30pm, FREE

And here we go with this week’s huge Thursday roundup—first up is Clyde Curley who will be at Annie Bloom’s with the second book in his detective mystery series set in Portland titled A Cup of Hemlock, in which the series’ partners are tasked with uncovering the murder of a local high school teacher. 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, 7-8:30pm, FREE

Next on Thursday, Wendi Kali will be at Another Read Through presenting The Butch/Femme Photo Project, a photo compilation that is the result of a four-year project dedicated to capturing the diverse identities of Butch and Femme within the LGBTQI community in the present-day. 3932 N Mississippi Ave., 7-8pm, FREE

Local nonfiction author and death penalty case investigator Rene Denfeld will be at St. John’s Booksellers on Thursday reading from her first novel, the bestselling The Enchanted about a death row inmate who finds escape in the books he reads and the investigator charged with finding information that will save this inmate from execution, and who’s forced to confront assumptions surrounding what it means to be a victim and criminal, or innocent and guilty. 8622 N Lombard St., 7:30pm, FREE

Acclaimed mystery author Laurie R. King will be at Powell’s at Cedar Hills with her new novel The Dreaming Spies, the latest entry in an alternate version of Sherlock Holmes, told from the viewpoint of his new companion, the young and intelligent Mary Russell. 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., 7pm, FREE

Finally on Thursday, Elisa Albert will be at Powell’s on Hawthorne reading from her novel After Birth, an examination of society and women are expected to be naturals at pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood. She will be joined in conversation by Robin Romm, author of The Mercy Papers. 3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 7:30pm, FREE

Friday will be all mystery writers, all the time. Another Read Through will be hosting a launch event for Jessie Chandler’s newest mystery series and its first entry, Operation Stop Hate. Joining her will be Lori L. Lake, author of multiple standalone mystery novels and The Gun series. 3932 N Mississippi Ave., 7-8:30pm, FREE

Also on Friday, Powell’s at Cedar Hills will be playing host to three mystery authors, all of whom share William Morrow as their publisher. Present will be Lou Berney, author of The Long and Faraway Gone, John Burley, author of The Forgetting Place, and Glen Erik Hamilton, author of Past Crimes. 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., 7pm, FREE

On Saturday, Another Read Through is bringing together five memoirists for a reading of local talent and a diverse array of personal journeys. Attending will be Veronica Esagui, Marjorie E. Belson, Frederick Swan, Melissa Gittelman, and Marnie Freeman. 3932 N Mississippi Ave., 1:30-3pm, FREE

Sunday closes the week with two events at Powell’s City of Books. Poet Carlos Reyes will be reading from his collection of short stories featuring a wide cast of characters who embody the speech and spirit of rural Island, The Keys to the Cottage: Stories from the West of Ireland. 1005 W Burnside St., 4pm, FREE

Later on Sunday at Powell’s City of Books, Robert Scheer will be presenting They Know Everything About You, his expose on the erosion of privacy rights of individuals, how both government agencies and tech corporations have been mining and accruing private information of American citizens, and the growth of a surveillance state.
1005 W Burnside St., 7:30pm, FREE