It'ês a time of extremes for Seattle'ês famous literary scene. From the 'êIt was a dark and stormy night'ê shelf, literary sleuths have been looking for clues all week as to whether Elliott Bay Book Company is really pulling up stakes from its longtime Pioneer Square location or just trying to negotiate a better lease. On the 'êdo-it-yourself'ê shelf, the scrappy Seattle Bookfest launches this weekend in Columbia City, celebrating local authors and books. And now, from the 'êplot thickens'ê shelf, comes word that a second and much larger book festival (not related to the Columbia City event) is in the works for September 2010 on the UW campus.
Makes me long for the simpler days of 1995, when Bibliomania (as the late, great Northwest Bookfest was originally known) first magically transformed Pier 48 from a cold, drafty, hazard-ridden, creosote-scented warehouse to a cold, drafty, hazard-ridden, creosote-scented warehouse full of books, authors, booksellers and book lovers.
