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In this prequel to author Diane Wilson's first memoir, An Unreasonable Woman, the author tells the sometimes hilarious and sometimes astonishing story of her childhood in rural Texas among “holy rollers” – evangelical Christians with a penchant for tent revivals and handling poisonous snakes. With ... (more)such unforgettable characters as Brother Dynamite (an ex-con who dearly loves the word of God) and Wilson herself, Holy Roller is one of the funniest, freshest and most shocking memoirs in recent memory.

The Austin Public Library’s new Graphic Novels Book Club @ Halcyon Coffeehouse will be meeting at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, October 15. We will be discussing Black Hole by Charles Burns. In this bizarre tale rich in metaphor, Burns’ precise and unnerving artwork lends itself to discussion. ... (more)Join us for great coffee and conversation!

One of BookPeople's favorite authors, Jonathan Carroll, also happens to be one of the most critically acclaimed modern magical realists. Carroll's books are filled with such oddities as talking dogs and alternate realities, so it is easy to see why he has such a devoted worldwide cult following. This ... (more)event promises to be one of the month's most entertaining readings, so join us tonight at 7 PM to meet this charismatic author and pick up your signed copy of his newest book, The Ghost in Love.

Reading + Signing with Lily Hoang, author of Parabola “What streams through the consciousness of a first-generation American daughter of Vietnamese immigrants? Her perspective, woven in autobiography and fantasy, expresses the deep conflict between life's realities weighed against expectations ... (more)- both internal and external. The author superimposes her story over a mix of mathematics, music, and myth . She addresses our myths of collective memory and aspiration in a style reminiscent of a good Kurt Vonnegut read, with a decidedly feminist flavor.” Lily Hoang is a native of San Antonio. She currently live in South Bend, Indiana, where she is a Visiting Asst. Professor in English and Women's Studies at Saint Mary's College. 

Cullen reads fantasy books all the time, and loves losing himself in the stories. He wishes he could really live in a world full of elves and magic, and one day he discovers an ancient wand. The wand actually has a wizard entrapped in it, whom Cullen frees. The story progresses from there, and it ... (more)will leave you turning the pages non-stop. Austinites Christine and Ethan Rose have created a magical world that any Harry Potter or Eragon fan will love. Come dressed in costume (try out your Halloween costume, or dress as your favorite book character) and enter in our costume contest to win a prize, and stick around for our Monster Mash dance party after the event! A super fun event, today at 3PM.

Cullen reads fantasy books all the time, and loves losing himself in the stories. He wishes he could really live in a world full of elves and magic, and one day he discovers an ancient wand. The wand actually has a wizard entrapped in it, whom Cullen frees. The story progresses from there, and it ... (more)will leave you turning the pages non-stop. Austinites Christine and Ethan Rose have created a magical world that any Harry Potter or Eragon fan will love. Come dressed in costume (try out your Halloween costume, or dress as your favorite book character) and enter in our costume contest to win a prize, and stick around for our Monster Mash dance party after the event! A super fun event, today at 3PM.

Reading + Signing + Discussion with Judy Fox and Mia RoldanStatistics show that there is one suicide every 16.1 minutes, and thus, six new survivors of that suicide every 16.1 minutes. In this deeply moving but practical book, the authors share the results of their survey of children of a parental suicide. ... (more)Exploring the ways their lives have been affected and addressing the emotional, psychological, and physical effects, daughters and sons of all ages, reveal their reactions. The authors link these responses to the insights of therapists, clergy, a criminal investigator, and others -- friends, classmates, work colleagues, relatives -- as they discuss what is helpful to suicide survivors and what is not. "Voices of Strength" helps survivors make sense of life's least understandable act and shows them how to heal by focusing on comfort, memories, recovery, and hopes for a productive future. Judy Zionts Fox, RN, LSW is a registered nurse and social worker with experience in psychiatric nursing. Her mother committed suicide when Judy was seven weeks old. She is married with 4 daughters, has 11 grandchildren and resides in Austin. Mia Roldan is an elementary Special Education Teacher in Austin, Tx. She is currently studying for a master's degree in Social Work at UT Austin. Her mother committed suicide when she was twelve years old.  

"With this strange carnival of a book, Vigorito has scored himself a permanent plot in the neighborhood of the American surrealist novel. The breadth of his imagination and the sheer exuberance of his writing cannot be ignored." --Neal Pollack. Here at BookPeople, if Neal Pollack says he likes something, ... (more)we pretty much take it as gospel truth. And his review of Nine Kinds of Naked is no exception. Vigorito's newest novel is a fictional take on chaos theory – the theory that a tiny, almost imperceptible event can have large, even catastrophic, consequences. A perfect addition to your signed collection, Nine Kinds of Naked promises to be a truly remarkable event. Tonight at 7 PM.

Marcia! Marcia! Marcia! We all invited Marcia and the rest of The Brady Bunch into our homes and watched this wholesome American family solve minor problem after problem. But for Maureen McCormick, real life was never as ideal as it was for Marcia. In Here’s the Story, McCormick examines her life—the ... (more)good and the bad. From her early years in Kool-Aid commercials to her post-Brady drug addiction, McCormick holds nothing back. An honest and open memoir, you’ll never confuse Marcia and Maureen again. For more event information, please visit bookpeople.com. Tonight at 7PM.

Bob Lilly was the first draft choice of the brand new Dallas Cowboys in 1961. Over his 14 years with the franchise, he was an All-Pro 7 times and played in the All-Star game 11 times. Affectionately known as “Mr. Cowboy,” Lilly was the first Cowboy inducted into the Pro-Football Hall of Fame. ... (more)All Cowboys fans should head to BookPeople tonight at 7PM to hear from this football legend as he discusses his life in that blue and silver helmet.

The Accidental Santera is a fascinating novel that explores the secrets of Afro-Cuban Santeria - the religion created when Yoruba slaves combined their ancient rituals with Catholicism. The story follows Dr. Gabrielle Segovia, a Latina scientist who is struggling to cope with problems in her marriage ... (more)and her third miscarriage. During this troubling time, Gabrielle reaches out to her estranged Puerto Rican relatives and finds herself caught up in their strange world of séances, sacred drums and ritual animal sacrifices. An interesting look at the dichotomy between science and religion, The Accidental Santera will be an insightful and informative event. Tonight at 7 PM.

oin us for a creepy evening offsite with Darren Shan. We’ll be hosting an author presentation for the horrifyingly awesome Mr. Shan at the grand opening of The World of Horrorcraft haunted hause put on by Scare For A Cure (www.scareforacure.org). Come by the today to pick up the new book as well ... (more)as a discounted ticket for the haunted house. You can buy both for a combined, discounted, price of $35.00!!! Books will also be available the night of the event at the haunted house. Come to see the presentation, get books signed, then go through the haunted house and lose your minds! Tonight at 7:00PM! WARNING: the haunted house is only for the bravest of Halloweeners.

Join us this lovely Sunday afternoon for an event with acclaimed children’s book author, Brian Jacques (pronounced ‘Jakes’). He’ll be talking about Doomwyte¸ the newest edition to Brian Jacques’ phenomenal Redwall series. In this book, the young mouse Bisky persuades the creatures of Redwall ... (more)Abbey to go in search of a fabled treasure, hidden long ago by one of the abbey’s most notorious thieves, they do not suspect Skurr and his ravens will be vying for that very treasure. Bisky and his fellow Redwallers must summon all their courage to face the evil horde of slithering snakes and vicious ravens. From underground tunnels to the tops of trees, the fearless Redwallers, with the help of their woodland friends, battle some of their most vicious enemies yet in an exhilarating, terrifying treasure hunt. Come and meet the amazing Brian Jacques and get your books signed! This afternoon at 3:00PM. Event Guidelines: - there is a limit of 2 books per person in the signing line (so he can meet as many of you as he can!) - he will do one 15-20 minute presentation, have a short Q&A, then the signing will begin

If you have yet to discover the delights of Sarah Vowell, BookPeople recommends you hightail it to the store tonight and remedy that situation. Vowell is the bestselling author of such gems as Assassination Vacation and The Partly Cloudy Patriot, as well as a contributing editor of NPR's This American ... (more)Life. Her newest book, The Wordy Shipmates, does the practically impossible – it makes seventeenth century New England and its Puritan founders accessible and interesting to everyone. Please join us tonight at 7 PM to meet one of the funniest “social observers” on the literary scene today.

To Catch the Lightning: A Novel of American Dreaming tells the story of Edward Sheriff Curtis, a man who would one day become a legend. Beginning in the late 1890s, Curtis undertook a task of epic proportions: attempting to document and photograph the swiftly fading culture of the American Indian. To ... (more)Catch the Lightning is beautifully written and thoroughly researched by Alan Cheuse, NPR’s main book critic. This event is perfect for anyone interested in the story and history of the forgotten American Indian.

About Bill Konigsberg: Bill is an award-winning sports journalist who has written for television, newspapers, wire services, and the internet. He currently is a sports writer and editor for The Associated Press. He has covered the New York Mets and Yankees, and his weekly fantasy baseball column has ... (more)appeared across the country, from the New York Daily News to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. In May of 2001, while working as an assistant editor at ESPN.com, he came out on the front page of the website in an article entitled "Sports World Still a Struggle for Gays." That article won him a GLAAD Media Award the following year. Since then, he has spoken at venues across the country about what it is like to be one of the few openly gay people in sports media. He has written for ESPN.com, The New York Daily News, San Francisco Chronicle, Miami Herald, Denver Post, and North Jersey Herald and News.