Monday, August 13: Thrilling Tales After Dark

The Seattle Public Library's story time event for grownups continues with a special reading of the short story "End of the Day," by Jane Speed. The quote supplied by the library from this story is as follows:

I swear, I’d lose my head if it wasn’t connected to my shoulders! Now where on earth did I put my husband?

Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave., 386-4636, http://spl.org, 7 pm, free.

Tuesday, August 14: DIY Resistance Reading

Portland author Anthony Alvarado's DIY Resistance: 36 Ways to Fight Back explains ways to defend values, protect communities, and find like-minded people in these Trumpy times. Alvarado is also the author of a book about creativity, so don't expect your standard litany of policy points, here. This should be a vibrant book and event. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, 624-6600, http://elliottbaybook.com, 7 pm, free.

Wednesday, August 15: Welcome to the Writer’s Life Reading

If Welcome to the Writer's Life is as funny and disarming as author Paulette Perlach's website, you're in for a treat. Underneath a positively glowing "about the author" section on her site is a section explaining all the high-profile magazines that have rejected her writing over the years and the great sentences "She is a four-time submitter to the Jack Straw Fellowship. She thought the Pulitzer Prize was the Pullit Surprise until she was like 17. At age 28, she attended an 8-month writing residency in her mom’s downstairs bedroom." Tonight's book launch party features a "Bad Author's Photo Booth" with lots of pretentious props like berets and quills and such. Sorrento Hotel, 900 Madison St., 622-6400, http://hotelsorrento.com, 6 pm, free, 21+.

Thursday, August 16: The Great Alone Reading

Incredibly popular author Kristin Hannah returns with a new novel about a former POW who moves his family to Alaska to get off the grid. Hannah will be joined in conversation with Washington author Megan Chance. Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, 17171 Bothell Way NE, 366-3333, http://thirdplacebooks.com, 7 pm, free; signing with purchase of book.

Friday, August 17: Rising Reading

Elizabeth Rush's new book is titled Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore. It's about the coastline that will develop after global warming has its way with our polar ice caps. It's not cheery subject matter, but for God's sake we've got to get serious about this stuff, right? Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, 624-6600, http://elliottbaybook.com, 7 pm, free.

Saturday, August 18: Economic Utopias and Dystopias

See our Event of the Week column for more details. Tashiro Kaplan Artist Lofts, 115 Prefontaine Place S, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/economic-utopias-and-dystopias-tickets-48071143083, 1 pm, free.

Sunday, August 19: #Murdertrending and Pyromantic Reading

Gretchen McNeil is the author of comedic young adult novels including I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Her newest is a funny horror book titled #Murdertrending. Seattle writer Lish McBride has written a bunch of series for young readers. Pyromantic is the second in a new series that started with the book Firebug. University Book Store, 4326 University Way N.E., 634-3400, http://www2.bookstore.washington.edu/, 3 pm, free.