Queen Anne Books is hosting a cookout with 15 local authors, including Garth Stein, Stephanie Kallos, Erik Larson, Jennie Shortridge, Boyd Morrison, and Deb Caletti, on the patio outside their storefront (1811 Queen Anne Ave N) from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today, Thursday, August 11.

There will be hot dogs, lemonade, a book drive and a whole lot of literary mingling. The guest authors will be collecting books and donations to support the creation of community pocket libraries by local literacy non-profit seattle7writers. Read more about seattle7writers and the creation of pocket libraries here.

This event will be happening concurrently with the Queen Anne Farmers Market just down the street. Check out the market schedule this week here.

Happy Valentine’s Day Queen Anne! If, like me, you didn’t have a chance to plan ahead for the holiday, there are still a few places on the hill where you can stock up on Valentine’s Day treats and eats. Take a look at our last-minute guide to Valentine’s Day in Queen Anne:

• Looking for a romantic holiday feast? Swing by Eat Local at 2400 Queen Anne Ave N for a ready made Valentine’s Day dinner for two and a bottle of wine. Eat Local will be open until 8 p.m. tonight.
• Nothing says Valentine’s Day like chocolate, and Chocolopolis has all the cocoa you’ll need. Fill a heart-shaped box with chocolatey goodies–everything from truffles to drinking chocolate and single-origin chocolate bars from around the world. Chocolopolis is open for extended hours, until 9 p.m., and they’ll even deliver. Call (206) 282-0776 for more information.
• Want to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a good book? Swing by Queen Anne Books at 1811 Queen Anne Ave N until 7 p.m. tonight and have your V-Day tale wrapped in celebratory pink, red and white.
• Looking for some tasty treats with a spicy edge? Swing by El Diablo Coffee at 1811 Queen Anne Ave N for some yummy Valentine’s Day treats from the pastry case, including tiramisu, sweetheart cookies, chocolate raspberry cheesecake, and strawberry swirl. El Diablo will be open until 10 p.m. tonight.
• Pick up some cute and crafty gifts at Queen Anne Dispatch, at 2212 Queen Anne Ave N. They’ve even got a love gun (check it out here) just in time for the holiday. They’ll be open until 7 p.m. tonight.
• Get some sprinkled and frosting topped Valentine’s Day treats at Wink Cupcakes, located at 1817 Queen Anne Ave N until 6 p.m. today. The shop has some special V-Day flavors, including Love Potion #9 cupcakes (and gluten free options). They also have some long-stemmed red roses.

Know a great place for Valentine’s Day treats and goodies on the hill we missed? Comment below and we’ll add it to the list.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

There have been rumors spreading over what would take that place of The Play Space, which vacated the house at 1805 Queen Anne Ave N back in May (and moved into a home a few block away), after transitioning from a the Urban Kids Play store to drop-in childcare center/playspace for kids back in January.

We’re happy to announce, clues have finally surfaced revealing the new Queen Anne Ave tenant’s business. Welcome Le Reve Bakery!

Although there’s no word yet on when Le Reve—which advertises itself as an “upscale Parisian style bakery”—will be opening, they must be getting close, because they’ve already posted a Craigslist ad looking for staff to “join the Parisian Dream Team.”

The bakery, which will be located next door to El Diablo Coffee and Queen Anne Books, has also applied for a liquor license with the city. Would you like a little wine with that croissant? We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.

(Thanks to reader Aaron Averbuch for the tip!)

Author Elinor Lipman will be doing a reading from her latest novel, The Family Man, a “humorous and heartfelt social satire,” at Queen Anne Books at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 8. Here’s how QA Books describes the read:

A hysterical phone call from Henry Archer’s ex-wife and a familiar face in a photograph upend his well-ordered life and bring him back into contact with the child he adored, a short-term stepdaughter from a misbegotten marriage long ago. Henry is a lawyer, an old-fashioned man, gay, successful, lonely. Thalia is now twenty-nine, an actress-hopeful, estranged from her newly widowed eccentric mother—Denise, Henry’s ex. Hoping it will lead to better things for her career, Thalia agrees to pose as the girlfriend of a horror-movie luminary who is down on his romantic luck. When Thalia and her complicated social life move into the basement of Henry’s Upper West Side townhouse, she finds a champion in her long-lost father, and he finds new life—and maybe even new love—in the commotion.

There will time for a reading, discussion, signing, and or course, a few snacks. Read up on Elinor’s other books here.

Today, Wednesday, May 5 is Cinco de Mayo, and a few businesses around Queen Anne will be celebrating with in house parties and special deals. Interested in getting in on the fun? Here’s where to go:

Blue Water Taco Grill – 515 Queen Anne Ave N.

• $5 food and drink specials all day at all locations: Choose any burrito and chips and salsa or a fountain drink for $5, or any two tacos and chips and salsa or a fountain drink for $5 (seafood not included)
• All day “happy hour” special on beer and margaritas at Queen Anne and Union St. locations for all of their Facebook fans and Twitter followers

El Diablo Coffee – 1811 Queen Anne Ave N. #101

• Daily drawings for $5 gift cards all month long
• Dessert giveaways (we heard they’ll be key lime and coconut cream mini tarts!)
• Door prizes (El Diablo logo items we hear)
• Live music from 2 to 10 p.m.
• 2000 prices on the famous “Cubano” drink–$1.65
• Fun Fact: Cinco de Mayo also happens to be El Diablo’s 10th Anniversary, so there are double the reasons to party!
• It’s also barista Maggie’s last day (she’s moving back to Greece), so don’t forget to wish her well!

Queen Anne Books – 1811 Queen Anne Ave N.

• They’ll be celebrating El Diablo’s 10th Anniversary too with a big sale through Sunday, May 9!
• 15% off of everything in the store
• 50% off special items
• “Galley Giveaway” with every purchase

The Spectator Sports Bar & Grill – 529 Queen Anne Ave N

• They’ll be celebrating with giveaways and “swag” all night long (the bar’s open until 1:30 a.m.)
• $2 Tacos
• $2 Tecate Beer
• $3 Amigo Tequila

Know another Cinco de Mayo celebration on the hill today? Share the details in the comments below or email us at tips@queenanneview.com.

Queen Anne-based author Heather Davis celebrated the release of her first novel, Never Cry Werewolf, written for young adults 12 and up, with a launch party at Queen Anne Books back in September.

Tonight Davis will return to QA Books to celebrate the release of her second novel, The Clearing, which went on sale on Wednesday, April 12. Here’s the book synopsis from Heather’s website:

Amy, a sixteen-year-old recovering from an abusive relationship, moves to the country to start a new life with her aunt–all she wants is for everything to be different. In the clearing at the back of Aunt Mae’s property, she makes an amazing discovery—Henry, a boy stuck in the endless summer of 1944. Henry and his world become Amy’s refuge and she begins to learn that some moments are worth savoring. But when the past and present come crashing together, both of them must find the courage to face what is meant to be, even if it means losing each other forever.

Though this will be Davis’ second published novel, she’s written another five unpublished manuscripts over the years, geared towards adults rather than YA readers. Back in September Davis told us that The Clearing is a bit more serious than her first YA book, Never Cry Werewolf, and is written for a slightly older age group (the 14s and up).

Congrats to Heather! Read more about her here and here, and check out her blog here. The event tonight starts at 6:30 p.m. and includes a reading, signing and Q&A. Queen Anne Books is located at 1811 Queen Anne Ave North, at the top of the hill right next to El Diablo Coffee.

El Diablo Coffee will be celebrating ten years on the hill next month, and to commemorate, they’ve decided to party all through May!

Beginning May 1, El Diablo will be introducing daily, weekly and monthly specials, including the “Diablito,” a new, limited edition concoction made from espresso and sweetened condensed milk.

For the actual anniversary, fittingly May 5th, i.e. Cinco de Mayo, El Diablo will be hosting an all day party!

Queen Anne Books will also be joining in the May celebrations for a few days, having a sale from May 5th to 9th, and the 1st annual “Galley Giveaway” with purchase. (Galley’s are free copies of books put together before final publication and handed out to reviewers–for some famous authors, these can be considered rare).

All the more reason to follow their devilish advice and consume lots and lots of coffee and cake in May! Happy ten years El Diablo!

(Thanks to Bruce for the tip!)

Vermont-based author Howard Frank Mosher will be at Queen Anne Books at 3 p.m. this Sunday, April 11 to talk about his latest novel Walking to Gatlinburg. Mosher, who has written ten novels and a travel memoir, will be presenting an informative slide show called “Transforming History into Fiction: the Story of a Born Liar.”

Where do the boundaries lie between history and fiction?  How far can a novelist go in appropriating and “transforming” history into fiction?  Using his personal slides, and stories from his travels to the old Erie Canal, Pennsylvanian Amish country, the battlefield at Gettysburg, historical sectors of Richmond, and the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains, Mosher will discuss his use of historical events and characters in his just-released Civil War novel, Walking to Gatlinburg.  As part of his research for the novel, Mosher read more than 100 Civil War histories and novels – his favorites are Cold Mountain and The Killer Angels – and retraced the entire trek of the novel’s hero, Morgan Kinneson, from northern Vermont to the Smokies.

For more information, check out the Queen Anne Books website (where they’ve also reviewed Mosher’s latest book).

Join “Underneath It All” co-author and owner of Fremont’s Bellefleur Lingerie, Jennifer Carroll, for a saucy talk on all things undergarments at 6:30 p.m. this Thursday, Febraury 25 at Queen Anne Books.

Let’s be honest– have you tugged at your bra today?  Yanked your panties?  Do you love looking in your underwear drawer, or does it leave you less-than-inspired?  If you could use some new ideas or a few pointers on getting great fit and function from your lingerie, block off Thursday evening! Jennifer Carroll has just what you need.

Jennifer will be signing books, and sharing “insider knowledge on how to find the underthings that love you back,” and how to feel your best underneath everything! There will also be a Q&A session, chocolate snacks and a giveaway prize (we don’t know what, but we hear it will be “something fabulous”)!

This is definitely not going to be a run-of-the-mill book-signing! It’s your chance to get a professional opinion about the one-size-fits-all thong, what to look for in a strapless bra, and more.

More information here.

A little late at arranging your Valentine’s Day plans this year? Here are a couple things going on in and around the neighborhood for the annual day of roses, chocolate and romance.

With the Kids: If you’re spending this Valentine’s Day with the whole family, swing by Queen Anne Books at 2 p.m for story time with local author Nancy White Carlstrom and the second annual “Kids [Heart] Books” event. Carlstrom will be reading from some of her books, including the popular “Jesse Bear” series, “It’s Your First Day of School, Annie Claire” and “Mama, Will it Snow Tonight?”  They’ll be treats and homemade Valentine’s crafting for the kids.

Romantic Evening In: Swing by Eat Local for their VDay special – prepared dinner for two and a bottle of Malbec for $19.98.

Romantic Evening Out: If you’re looking for a post-dinner activity, go check out guitarist, composer and Queen Anne resident Andre Feriante’s performance at Benaroya Hall tonight. For the past 12 years Feriante and the Troupe de Ville have been performing their famed neo-flamenco sound for Valentine’s Day concerts at Benaroya Hall.

This year Troupe de Ville joins Feriante for an extraordinary evening of soulful and seductive harmonies certain to ring in the romance of Valentine’s Day. Feriante will perform a musical mix of fiery flamenco, classical guitar standards and spoken poetry set to his original compositions in the style of Neruda and Rumi; followed by a series of romantic favorites performed in the classical and jazz styles and a special tribute to his legendary mentor, Andres Segovia. Troupe de Ville also joins Feriante on stage for an improvisational set sure to dazzle with the exquisite musicianship of all six members.

Tickets are still available, at $40 each. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. tonight. Details and ticket information here.

Know of any other special Valentine’s Day events going on in the neighborhood? Comment below!

The launch party for Heather Davis’s first published young adult book Never Cry Werewolf, at Queen Anne Books on Friday was a huge hit!

The first-time author and three-year Queen Anne resident did a reading from her novel, released September 1, signed copies to fans, held a Q&A and entertained attendees with themed snacks. There were full moon brownies made by Heather herself, peanut butter wolf paws made by Queen Anne Books’ very own Tegan Tigani, and gummi worms brought by Heather’s mom (apparently gummy candies play a significant role in the story!)

According to Tegan, over 60 people came to the local bookshop for the launch party, including two people from Concrete, WA (over two hours away!) where Heather used to work and live when she first began writing young adult fiction. Tegan writes,

Friends and family showed huge support. I met aunts, uncles, her mom, her niece, her grandfather, and even a man who went to high school with her. She also had a strong group of teen fans. Two fans who couldn’t make it that night had pre-ordered signed copies. Heather sold over 50 books!!!!!

Heather next book, The Clearing, a more serious novel for the 14s and up, will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in April 2010.

According to Tegan as of this morning there are still a few signed copies of Never Cry Werewolf available at Queen Anne Books, so you better hurry!

Heather Davis has been writing for years. Back at her Uptown home she has five finished manuscripts that have never been published. And three years ago, at the brink of huge change in her life, she was given every writers’ dream come true: one of her books was sold to a publisher. Now, three years later, Never Cry Werewolf, her first published novel for young adults 12 and up, is finally on bookstore shelves.

Tonight she will be having a launch party (equipped with a reading, signing and cookies shaped like paws) at Queen Anne Books starting 6:30 p.m. Never Cry Werewolf is the story about a young girl, rebellious girl who is sent away to “brat camp by her sort of evil step mom.” And at this camp full of troubled teens, she meets a boy who seems to be teenage royalty. He’s also happens to be a werewolf.

Never Cry Werewolf is coming out amidst a surge in paranormal genre fiction, but Heather says she’s been writing this beat much longer.

“I totally did not write this book because of Twilight. I was writing paranormal way before that, so it’s kind of interesting that it’s so popular,” she said. “When I was in high school, I was reading Anne Rice!”

After years of substitute teaching in Skagic Valley and writing on the side, she got the idea to write young adult fiction from the kids she taught.

“I thought, maybe I should write something for the kids that I worked with,” she said. And she did. She wrote a few chapters that have since not been published, and tested them out on one of her sixth grade students, Emily, who is going to be at the signing tonight. It was a huge hit.

“She was stopping me at the crosswalk asking me if I’d finished the next chapter of the book,” Heather laughed.

And then everything sort of fell into place. She got an agent, finished Never Cry Werewolf, the result of six years of work and weekly meetings with a genre writing critique group. And the night before Heather moved to Queen Anne three years ago, she got a sign – the call that her book had sold.

And now, three years later, she is officially a published author (her book was released September 1, and she’s been bombarded with emails and Facebook messages from friends who’ve snapped pics of her books in stores all around the county). But despite her new status, she still works at Midori, a ribbon and paper company based in the neighborhood, as a sales and marketing coordinator and doesn’t plan on leaving.

“I think Queen Anne is the best place to be,” she said, reminiscing on the fact that she works, lives and loves the neighborhood and can walk practically anywhere.

Up next for Heather, another young adult book, The Clearing, which she says is “a bit more serious” and for an older age group (14 and up) to be published in April 2010. And maybe, just maybe, a sequel to Werewolf.

Say goodbye to the final days of summer with the Queen Anne Artwalk, put on by the Upper Queen Anne Merchants Association, tomorrow night, Thursday, September 17. The event will host local artists exhibitions, refreshments, and special events and talks scheduled at participating Queen Anne businesses at the top of the hill, beginning at 3 p.m. until the stores close.

Click here for a working list of participating merchants here. (Clue: It includes Queen Anne Frame, Skookum, Julia’s, Hilltop Yarn, Eat Local, Blue Highway Games, Chocolopolis, Lily’s Pampering Salon, Urban Kids Play, Fountainhead Gallery, Queen Anne Dispatch and Queen Anne Books itself). Or check out the event Facebook page.

Thanks to the Upper Queen Anne Merchants Association, Scott Ward and Heidi Kappes Belinsky for the graphic! Heidi, a local artist and scarfing extraordinaire, will be doing a demonstration for the art walk at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at Hilltop Yarn. View some of her work here.

Other exhibits:

Queen Anne Frame will host Philip Amdal, Joan Webster, Sarah Brooking, Angela Salvadalena and Francesca Lohmann starting at 4 p.m. Patsy’s Pottery will be at Skookum at 4:30. Seattle portrait photographer Davis Freeman will be at Julia’s at 5. Artist Elara Tanguy will be at Queen Anne Books at 5:30. Paper-cut artist Nikki McClure will be at Eat Local at 7. Scott Heffernan will be at Blue Highway Games at 7:30. Scott Ward will be at Chocolopolis at 8 (Scott’s the one who created the QA Artwalk poster). Sean Watson will be at Lily’s Pampering Salon, Kate Endle will be at Urban Kids Play, Michael Ferguson will be at Fountainhead Gallery and Queen Anne Dispatch will host Russ Morgan Chandeliers and Penny Eversole from Pinkerton Design (times unconfirmed).

Update 7:13 p.m. – According to Tegan, from Queen Anne Books, participating merchants should have orange and turquoise balloons to help art-walkers locate them. Although store times vary, all are open until at least 6 p.m. You can pick up an art walk “passport” at any of the participating businesses. There’s a prize drawing for art walk attendees (prizes provided by the Upper Queen Anne Merchants Association). All you have to do is get the passport stamped/initialed at all the locations and drop it off at Chocolopolis when you’re done. Be sure to write your name and contact information on the passport so you can be reached if you win (and don’t worry, your personal info won’t be shared or get you put on a mailing list).

I finally got my hands on a copy of the latest Sunset Magazine (the September issue) and sure enough, there is in fact a three-page spread dedicated to Queen Anne.

Our neighborhood hill has – count them – 121 hidden public stairways. And for the “Inside Seattle” city scape feature, writer Kathryn True highlights four can’t-miss routes for urban hiking up and down Queen Anne’s historic staircases.

For those of you who aren’t able to pick up a copy, here are True’s top picks:

The Galer Traverse: a nine stairway, 225-step (QA’s longest!) route beginning at the East Queen Anne Greenbelt and ending at the Galer Crown, the highest stairs on the hill.

From Kinnear Park to Kerry Park: soaks in the views from Kinnear to Parsons Gardens Park to Wilcox Wall and finally Kerry Park, where you can catch a view of the whole city.

The Garden Route: Start at Soundview Terrace Park and make you way over to the Interbay P-Patch Community Garden for a tour of colorful gardens with a view of the Olympic mountains in the background. (P.s. Keep you eye out for pick-able blackberries along the way).

The Romantic Walk: Begin at the Comstock Grande Dame and make your way down the “kissing” staircase just a hop and a skip away from Queen Anne Avenue.

Back in February True did a longer piece about Queen Anne’s hidden stairways for the Seattle Times. Read that story here.

For a hand-drawn (and waterproof!) map of Queen Anne’s historic stairways, check out the “Map of the (Oft) Pedestrian Public Stairs of Queen Anne Hill”, created by Thomas Horton, an architect and cartographer who lives on Queen Anne Hill. You can pick one up at Queen Anne Books for $5, or order it online from the Queen Anne Historical Society.

Queen Anne Books brings science to kids. To participate in our Summer Science reading program for kids, pick any books from the in-store Summer Science display. You’ll find some of our favorite science related books, both fiction and non-fiction, for a variety of ages, all at 20% off. The featured books are marked with a Summer Science discount sticker.

Then join us for Summer Science Day Sunday September 13 from 1:00- 4:00 pm at the store. We will lead experiments, play science-related games, enjoy snacks, and hold a prize drawing for attendees. Wear comfortable clothes that you can get wet or dirty– sometimes science can get a little messy.

Click Here for more details.

On Wednesday, April 15th, while others were madly filling out their 1040 tax forms, a group of people came to enjoy a reading and book signing by author Steve Galloway. “The Cellist of Sarajevo,” Galloway’s third published book was given the coveted Queenie Award by the staff of the Queen Anne Books in January, voted by the staff of QA Books as their most favored book.

The Cellist has been heralded by Powell’s Books for its “spare and haunting, wise and beautiful novel about the endurance of the human spirit and the subtle ways individuals reclaim their humanity in a city ravaged by war.”

Steve Galloway amused the group of about 40 with this sharp, self-deprecating humor while giving us a great insight into his inspiration and research for the book. As CBCNews says,

Galloway is warmly funny and self-effacing, kind of like your favourite English teacher. In a way, he is: he teaches creative writing part time at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia. ‘I really wanted to write a book about what high-pressure, wartime situations do to ordinary people — not professional soldiers, or generals or politicians,’ he says.

Updated: Holly jolly holidays– it’s STORYTIME WITH CHARLES this weekend at the Queen Anne Bookstore. Because of the school vacations, storytime is happening one week earlier than usual this month. Please join us Sunday December 14 at 2:00 for Charles’ fantastic read-aloud fun for the whole family. 

Please show your support for McClure Middle School through purchases at Queen Anne Books during the Book Fair on November 23rd from 3:00 – 5:30 pm.  McClure’s spectacular librarian will fill a table with the school’s “Wish List.” If you buy a book from that table for the school, we will give you a 20% discount off the purchase price.

Anything you buy for yourselves during the book fair will be full price, but Queen Anne Books will donate 20% of your purchase price to McClure so the school can buy more books for its library. Everyone wins!