Wednesday, October 11: Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions Reading

Publishers are, understandably, hitting the heavy nonfiction titles pretty hard right now. But maybe you should take a breath and read a fun mystery series for a while? Amy Stewart’s Kopp Sisters series focuses on a woman who becomes deputy sheriff in the year 1916, and she focuses on women-centric crimes. So even while you enjoy a novel, you’ll still have strong feminist women to admire. Third Place Books Ravenna, 6504 20th Ave NE, 525-2347 http://thirdplacebooks.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Thursday, October 12: Noir at the Bar

This Halloween edition of the ongoing mystery series features local writers including Waverly Fitzgerald, Alice Boatright, Tracy Weber, and, making her debut as a mystery novelist, longtime Seattle writer Bharti Kirschner. Get a fancy drink, take in the fancy surroundings, and let host Will "the Thrill" Viharo guide you through the evening of scary mystery. Sorrento Hotel, 900 Madison St., 622-6400, http://hotelsorrento.com. Free. 21 and over. 7 p.m.

Friday, October 13: Word Works: Mary Reufle

Poet and essayist Mary Ruefle’s new book, On Imagination, is a thoughtful examination of everything that makes imagination the most important human trait, pulling together anecdotes about geniuses like Jane Goodall, Gertrude Stein, Steve Jobs, and Emily Dickinson. Tonight, she’ll provide an original talk on imagination intended for aspiring authors. Frye Art Museum. 704 Terry Ave., 622-9250, http://fryemuseum.org. $15. All ages. 7 p.m.

Saturday, October 14: Cascadia Poetry Festival

See our Event of the Week column for more details.

Sunday, October 15: The First 500 Words

Seattle young adult writer Martha Brockenbrough teaches a free class that will help writers refine the vital first 500 words of their books by minding six important points. It might sound gimmicky, but this is important stuff; the first 500 words are what will get you noticed by agents, editors, and browsers. Seattle Public Library, Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N.. 684-7519, http://spl.org. Free. All ages. 2 p.m.

Monday, October 16: A Conversation with Armistead Maupin

From his beloved newspaper column to his even-more beloved series of Tales of the City novels, Armistead Maupin has enjoyed a remarkable writing career: though he began his career as one of the first openly gay mainstream writers in America, he’s now happily married to a man he claimed to meet on Daddyhunt.com. That’s a lot of history for one life. Tonight, Maupin will appear in conversation with some dickhead named Paul Constant. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., http://seattlesymphony.org. $39-75. All ages. 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 17: BAHFest Seattle

BAHFest “is a celebration of well-argued and thoroughly researched but completely incorrect scientific theory,” in which speakers present bad and wrong science to scientifically trained judges. Before the intentionally bad science begins, BAHFest founder Zach Weinersmith will read his new book, Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve and/or Ruin Everything.

Temple De Hirsch Sinai 1441 16th Ave., https://bahfest.com/. $1-$30. All ages. 5 p.m.