July Is Here, And You Know What That Means - MORE EVENTS

We have 5 events in July.  But before I give you the details, Village House of Books is hosting Where's Waldo throughout the month of July.  Go to the website for details - villagehouseofbooks.com.  Joni took our 2 older grandchildren to Willow Glen to participate a couple of years ago.  They loved it.  It is enormous fun.

Here are the bookstore events for July (start marking your calendar - don't make me come get you).

1.  Thursday, July 3, 4-6 - Laurie Barna, The Liberty Series:  For the Love of Liberty. Laurie has produced a book that has pictures of her paintings.  And what better way to usher in the 4th of July than with a book that honors our national holiday of independence?

2.  Thursday, July 10, 6-8 - Alina Sayre, The Illuminator's Gift (with Amalia Hillmann, the illustrator).  This is a launch.  But it's not a normal launch.  Alina has written a very good middle grade fantasy and she wants the kids who come on the 10th to have some kid fun. So she's going to have face painting, an art contest, and a chance to win a free book. C'mon, are you serious?  This beats the heck out of what we adults do during a launch. We eat (which the kids will do), and we drink wine (which the kids will definitely NOT do). It's going to be great fun.  I'm trying to talk my son into bringing his 9-year old daughter and 6-year old son to the event.

3.  Friday, July 11, 6:30-8 - Linda Gunther, Endangered Witness (also, Ten Steps from the Hotel Inglaterra).  This is also a launch, but of the adult variety.  That means food and wine from 6-7, followed by the reading/discussion/presentation, Q&A, and signing.  Okay, it's not face painting, but it's still going to be darn fun.  And, after all, we are adults (at least chronologically).

4.  Tuesday, July 15, 7-8:30 - 3 NATIONAL BEST-SELLING AUTHORS - Sophie Littlefield- House of Glass, Rachael Herron-Pack Up the Moon, Gigi Pandian-Pirate Vishnu.  We're going to do something that we haven't done in quite a while.  We're going to have a panel discussion, moderated by yours truly (that means me).  I think you all should be there if, for no other reason, than to laugh at me. But, besides that, don't you want to see and hear what 3 national best-selling authors have to say?  About writing best sellers? about their thought processes? about their current books? about their next books? et al?  This is a no brainer, people.  (P.S. I have read House of Glass and Pack Up the Moon and really liked them both - I'm trying to get to Gigi's 1st book, Artifact, before the event.)

Sophie Littlefield

Rachael Herron

Gigi Pandian

5.  Wednesday, July 30, 6:30-8:15 - Keith Raffel, A Fine and Dangerous Season - VHOB Book Club. This is a really cool book.  And it's based on the fact that JFK audited business school classes at Stanford in the fall of 1940.  JFK befriends a local Stanford business school student.  They have a falling out (think of JFK's womanizing reputation) and their relationship ends.  However, 22 years later,  JFK needs his ex-friend's help during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Not only is the book very creative, but Keith also has newspaper clippings and menus from 1940.  I was at his launch at Kepler's a few months ago and was really impressed with his research.  Plus I liked the book a lot.  Come see Keith do his thing.  He's a lot of fun to talk about books to.

Are you incredibly excited?  You should be.  This is going to be a GREAT month.