This weekend, 80 or so authors and more than 60 local literary institutions (bookstores, publishers, the Seattle Scrabble club), will converge upon the Columbia City Event Center for the Seattle Bookfest, an attempt to bring back the old Northwest Bookfest—except with a smaller, indie feel. (Seattle's former book and author extravaganza that fell apart in 2004.)


This Bookfest is super indie (look at the flyer... Scotch tape, cute!). The NW Bookfest on the Pier was never this DIY, at least not that I can remember.

So far, the event has received hopeful, glowing press or faced skepticism about whether it's even worth a visit. On October 12, for example, Paul Constant said on the Slog, "...there isn't a single participant who doesn't read in Seattle all the freakin' time."

That's partially true, although that's probably because those people live here, and now—unlike during the heyday of the Northwest Bookfest in the late '90s—publishers are unlikely to fly their authors out for free, particularly with no guarantee of attendance.

Elliott Bay won't be there (although this flyer was in their window). But Pilot Books will be. So will Third Place, Secret Garden, Fremont Place Books, and Seattle Mystery Bookshop. And Fantagraphics, Sasquatch, and Copper Canyon. Also, the kids from 826 Seattle: Who doesn't want to hear funny essays about monsters or homework read by 12-year-olds?

The panels seem the most promising. (Although it's hard to tell from some of the dreadful (sorry...) descriptions, like this one: "Are you destined to be a writer? Is your child?" Good lord. Haven't you heard? All of our children will be writers.)

Back to the more promising panels: Gary Groth, founder of Fantagraphics Books, will be there with two of his authors, Ellen Forney and Megan Kelso, talking about graphic novels. On Saturday, there's John Marshall (co-owner of Open Books) with Sam Hamill (the man who made me fantasize about moving to a shed in Port Townsend to run a press), and Sarah Mangold (editor of Bird Dog, a great litmag published here in Seattle) in "Is Seattle Hostile to Literary Innovation?" On Sunday, you have Matt Briggs and Tim Elhajj talking about flash nonfiction, and "Meet the Critics," a panel featuring, among others, Paul Constant, someone we also hear from "all the freakin' time," and yet, we still want to go see him. I do!

It's not Brooklyn, but it is a chance for Seattle's often fragmented literary community to be together in one place for a weekend. That's worthwhile, right?

It's also "free" (suggested donation is $5). Full schedule here.

Today's BookNerd brought to you by Kim Ricketts Book Events: