Blue Bicycle Books, Charleston, SC


Events

Wed., May 29 Charlamagne tha God, Get Honest or Die Lying

Sat., June 1Piccolo Fiction in the Courtyard

Thurs., Aug 29 Ryan Graudin, The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois

Mon., Sept. 9Caroline Chambers, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

Fri., Sept. 27 — Tamron Hall and Lish Steiling, A Confident Cook EVENT CANCELLED

Sun., Oct. 13David Sedaris at the Gaillard Center

Sun., Oct. 27 — Ashleigh Shanti, Our South: Black Food Through My Lens (King BBQ)

Wed., Oct. 30Susan J. Morris, Strange Beasts Release Party (Sightsee Coffee)

Fri. & Sat., Nov. 15 & 16YALLFest XV

Sat., Dec. 21 Anna Kloots, My Own Magic

 

 



YALLFest — Fri., Nov. 15 & Sat., Nov. 16, 2024 — MG Highlights

Don’t miss these middle grade panels at YALLFest!

All are free and unticketed. Questions? Call Blue Bicycle Books, 843-722-2666.

 

ICE CREAM WITH STUART GIBBS AND BRIAN SELZNICK

Friday, Nov. 15, 4 pm – Off Track Ice Cream, 6 Beaufain St. 

Join Stuart Gibbs (Spy School) and Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret) for a book signing.  (Select titles will be for sale – find more at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King St.)

MIDDLE GRADE MONOPOLY

Saturday, Nov. 16, 1 pm – Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St.

You won’t be board at this interactive book-themed game. Mod. by Sarah Mlynowski (Upside Down Magic) with Soman Chainani (School for Good and Evil), Leah Johnson (Ellie Engle Saves Herself), Karen Strong (The Secret Dead Club) and Stuart Gibbs.

WOULD YOU RATHER BATTLE A SUPERVILLAIN CHICKEN FOR A DAY 

OR WORK FOR A GRUMPY SQUID FOR A WEEK?

Saturday, Nov. 16, 3 pm – Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St.

And Other Important Middle Grade Questions. Mod. by Brendan Reichs (The Darkdeep) with Ryan Graudin (The Girl Who Kept the Castle), Emily Jenkins, aka E. Lockhart (We Were Liars), Kwame Mbalia (Tristan Strong), Katie Zhao (Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend).

 



Ryan Graudin, The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois, Thurs., Aug. 29, 6 pm

Join us Thurs., Aug. 29, 6 pm for an evening with local author Ryan Graudin to celebrate the release of The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois (Redhook, 544 pp, $30). Graudin will be joined in conversation by Kathryn Budig of the Inky Phoenix Book Club and the Inky Phoenix Press. 

About the book:

In this lush and lyrical fantasy debut, Ryan Graudin transports readers to the hidden magical pockets of early 1900s Paris, a place of enchanted salons, fortune tellers who can change your stars, and doorways that can take you to the most unexpected places—and introduces readers to the delightful Céleste Artois, a con artist who will make a deal with the devil in exchange for her life…and change the fate of the world. 

Once, Céleste Artois had dreams of being an artist. But when the creative elite of Paris dashed those plans, she turned her talents to forgery and cons. She and the Enchantresses—her two fellow thieves and best friends—see Paris as a rich hunting ground for marks. Yet even though their hideout in Père Lachaise cemetery is bursting with francs, Céleste cannot rest. There is always more to take. And the blood she has begun to cough into her handkerchief means her time is running out.

But everything changes when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon—a place where artists can bring wondrous imaginations to life. Céleste is captivated by this establishment, and learns of the existence of magical Paris, hidden in the pockets and alleys of the ordinary world, if one only knows where to look.

Rafe offers Céleste an irresistible deal: the gift of time in exchange for lending him and his benefactor her forging talents. But one must be careful making deals with devils, and there’s more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined.

About the author:

Ryan Graudin is the award-winning author of ten novels, including the Carnegie nominated Wolf By Wolf duology, Invictus, The Walled City and the The World Between Blinks series. She resides near Charleston, South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. You can find her online at http://www.ryangraudin.com.



Clay Rice Silhouettes — Fri., Aug 9

Renowned silhouette artist Clay Rice returns to Blue Bicycle Books, Fri., Aug. 9, 3 – 6 pm to cut children’s silhouettes.

Taught by his grandfather, Carew Rice, Clay is a 21st-century folk artist and a Lowcountry treasure. Cutting a child’s silhouette in under five minutes is a performance in itself. You’ll be amazed when he captures a recognizable profile of your squirming two-year-old in less time than it takes to get her shoes on. His national touring schedule keeps him on the road often, cutting more than 10,000 children’s silhouettes a year, so events back home in Charleston are rare!

Personal silhouettes start at $48 for two copies.

We expect slots to fill up quickly; to book an appointment, just register here!



Piccolo Fiction in the Courtyard — Sat., June 1 at 5 pm

Sat., June 1, 5 pm — the festival’s longest-running event exclusively devoted to fiction, Piccolo Fiction returns to the Blue Bicycle courtyard for the 25th year! Four S.C. authors will read brief short stories: Mindy Friddle, Emilie Ross, Sara Cappell Thomason, and Susan Beckham Zurenda.

The reading is in the courtyard beside the bookstore, and, following tradition, each story begins with “I ducked into the alley…” Since 2000, Piccolo Fiction has featured dozens of S.C. writers, with stories broadcast by S.C. Public Radio and published in the Charleston City Paper. This is often a popular event, come early to snag a seat!

Free and open to the public, for more information please call 843-722.2666.

Featured authors:

Mindy Friddle is the author of The Garden Angel and Secret Keepers, both with St. Martin’s Press. Her short stories have appeared in Orca, storySouth, LitMag and other publications. Her third novel, Her Best Self, was published by Regal House in May. She has an MFA in fiction from Warren Wilson and lives on Edisto Island.

Emilie Ross is a writer and painter. She’s worked as a senior editor on Copper Nickel and currently works as an editorial assistant for swamp pink. Currently pursuing her MFA in fiction at the College of Charleston, she received her undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado Denver.

Sara Cappell Thomason was the winner of the 2022 New Flash Fiction Review Prize. Her work has previously appeared in Electric Literature, Tin House, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, Witness, SmokeLong Quarterly, and The Citron Review, among others. She has an MFA in fiction from Sarah Lawrence College and lives on Isle of Palms.

Susan Beckham Zurenda taught literature and creative writing to high school and college students for 33 years. Her debut novel, Bells for Eli, was nominated for a 2021 Pushcart Prize, and her latest, The Girl From the Red Rose Motel, was released last fall. She lives in Spartanburg with her husband Wayne and two Boston Terriers.



Laurie Devore, The Villain Edit, Thurs., Jul. 11, 5:30 pm

Join us Thurs., July 11, 5:30 pm for an evening with local author Laurie Devore to celebrate the release of The Villain Edit (HarperCollins, 336 pp., $28). Devore will be joined in conversation by fellow author Victoria Benton Frank (My Magnolia Summer).

About the book:

Emily Henry meets Fleabag…and The Bachelor! An irresistibly sharp and sexy dramedy about a cynical romance novelist who goes on a Bachelor-like reality show to revive her flagging career, only to discover that while she may have just met the love of her life, the producers have turned her into the show’s villain.

Good villains make good TV.

Romance novelist Jacqueline Matthis’s big career has gone bust and she’s ditched the bright lights of New York City for her more affordable South Carolina hometown. Desperate, Jac dreams up a comeback plan—she is going to be a contestant on the 1, the most obsessively watched reality dating show in the world. After all Jac is a romance writer—she knows how to pull off a meet-cute and create a spicy plotline.

On set, Jac quickly establishes herself as a front-runner for bachelor Marcus’s heart, but she’s shocked to discover who’s actually pulling the strings. How was she to know that Henry Foster, her last one-night stand before the show, was actually a longtime producer on the 1? Henry is just as horrified…but they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. As Jac plays the game and the show unfurls, she slowly discovers that she’s getting the villain edit. They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but as Jac’s secret plan begins crumbling around her, she’s not so sure. What happens if Marcus chooses her? Worse, what happens if her affair with Henry comes to light? What if, in trying to save her career, Jac has ruined her life?

Heartbreaking, smart, and sexy, this novel is for anyone who has ever secretly rooted for—or felt like—the villain.

About the authors:

Laurie Devore is a graduate of Clemson University and can be found, from time-to-time, yelling helpful advice at Clemson sporting events. In her spare time, she enjoys reading at the beach, watching too much TV, and spending time with her dog, Wrigley, in their home of Charleston, South Carolina. She is the author of the YA novels A Better Bad Idea, Winner Take All, and How to Break a BoyThe Villain Edit is her first novel for adults.

Victoria Benton Frank was born in New York City, raised in Montclair, New Jersey, but considers herself to have dual residency in the Lowcountry. She is a graduate of the College of Charleston and the French Culinary Institute. Victoria worked in restaurants in New York before returning to Charleston, South Carolina, which she considers home, with her husband, two kids, and a giant mutt. When she isn’t writing, she is reading, cooking, or chasing her children.



Shovels & Rope, C’mon Utah! — Fri., Apr. 19, 5:30 pm

Blue Bicycle Books is proud to welcome Shovels & Rope — Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent –  as they debut their new book C’mon Utah (hb., $30), based on the song from their By Blood album.

Cary Ann, Michael and illustrator Julio Cotto Rivera will be signing copies in the bookstore courtyard, Fri., Apr. 19, 5:30 pm. 

Can’t make it? Order a signed copy here.

“C’mon Utah!” tells the legend of a magical horse that appears to help reunite families that were separated by a border wall. The lyrics are illustrated by former Charleston artist Julio Cotto Rivera.

Cary Ann on the book: “The song was written before actual family separations at the border were in the news, and suddenly the magical realism of a horse with superpower GPS who never gets tired of running seemed like something the world actually needed.” 

This event is free and open to the public.



Marcia Zug, You’ll Do, Thurs., May 9, 5 pm

You'll Do by Marcia A. Zug

Join us Thurs., May 9, 5 pm for an evening with Professor Marcia Zug to celebrate the release of her newest book You’ll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other Than Love, (Steerforth, 336 pp., $29.99). Zug will be joined in conversation by local attorney Gregory Forman.

About the book:

Americans hold marriage in such high esteem that we push people toward it, reward them for taking part in it, and fetishize its benefits to the point that we routinely ignore or excuse bad behavior and societal ills in the name of protecting and promoting it.

The widely overlooked problem with this tradition is that individuals and society have relied on marriage to address or dismiss a range of injustices and inequities, from gender- and race-based discrimination, sexual violence, and predation to unequal financial treatment.

Through revealing storytelling, Zug builds a compelling case that when marriage is touted as “the solution” to such problems, it absolves the government, and society, of the responsibility for directly addressing them.

About the author:

Professor Zug teaches classes on Family Law, Reproductive Rights, Immigration Law, and Federal Indian Law. She has written numerous articles on these topics that have appeared in publications including The Yale Law Journal, The UC Davis Law Review, The BYU Law Review, The American Indian Law Review, and The Virginia Law and Policy Review. Professor Zug’s family law scholarship focuses on marriage law and policy. Her first book, Buying a Bride: An Engaging History of Mail-Order Matches, was published in 2016 and reviewed in The New Yorker, The Atlantic and The Times Literary Supplement. Her second book, You’ll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other Than Love, was published in January 2024.



Tommy Tomlinson, Dogland, Fri., May 17 at 5 pm

Join us Fri., May 17 at 5 pm for an evening with Pulitzer Prize finalist Tommy Tomlinson to celebrate the release of his newest book Dogland: Passion, Glory, and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show (Simon & Schuster, 256 pp., $29). Tomlinson will be joined in conversation by Garden and Gun editor Amanda Heckert.

About the book:

From Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Elephant in the Room comes the first inside account of the Westminster Dog Show—America’s oldest and most beloved dog show—following one dog on his quest to become a champion.

Tommy Tomlinson was watching a dog show on television a few years ago when he had a sudden thought: Are those dogs happy? This question sparked a quest to venture inside the dog-show world, in search of a deeper understanding of the bond between dogs and humans that has endured for thousands of years. Dogland shares his surprising, entertaining, and unforgettable adventures as he spends three years on the road going behind the scenes at dozens of dog shows across the country. Like a real-life version of Best in Show, Dogland follows one champion show dog—a Samoyed named Striker—and his devoted entourage of breeders, handlers, and owners as he competes in the Westminster Dog Show, the oldest and most famous dog show in America. Tomlinson brings the dog-show circuit to life as he witnesses teams scrambling from town to town in search of championship points and colorful ribbons. Along the way, he also speaks to scientists who have discovered new insights into how dogs and people formed their bond—and how that bond has changed over the centuries.

Engaging, charming, and informative, Dogland is an irresistibly appealing read for pop culture followers and animal lovers alike.

About the author:

Tommy Tomlinson is the author of The Elephant in the Room, a memoir about being overweight in America. He’s the host of the podcast SouthBound in partnership with WFAE, Charlotte’s NPR station. He has written for publications including Esquire, ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Garden & Gun, and many others. He spent twenty-three years as a reporter and local columnist for the Charlotte Observer, where he was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in commentary. His stories have been chosen twice for the Best American Sports Writing series (2012 and 2015) and he also appears in the anthology America’s Best Newspaper Writing. He teaches magazine writing at Wake Forest University and has taught at colleges, workshops, and conferences across the country. He also has a Substack called The Writing Shed. Tommy and his wife, Alix Felsing, live in Charlotte with Alix’s mom and a cat.



Pop-up at Charleston Wine and Food Fest, Fri. – Sun., Mar. 8 – 10

Visit Blue Bicycle Books at our Book Nook in the Culinary Village during the upcoming Charleston Wine and Food Fest Fri. – Sun., Mar. 8 – 10. We have an exciting line-up of 16 chefs coming to sign, including Tiffani Thiessen, Fri., Mar. 8 at 2 pm at Riverfront Park

See below for the line-up!

Friday, Mar. 8

1:30 pm — Amanda Freitag, The Chef Next Door

2 pm — Tiffani Thiessen, Here We Go Again

3 pm –  Steven Satterfield, Vegetable Revelations & Root to Leaf

4 pm – Lee Anne Wong, Dumplings All Day Wong

Saturday, Mar. 9

1 pm – David Suro, Agave Spirits: The Past, Present, and Future of Mezcals

1:30 pm – Aaron Goldfarb, Dusty Booze & In Search of Vintage Spirits

2 pm – Carrie Morey, Over Easy & Joy Wilson, Hot Little Suppers

2:30 pm – Vivian HowardThis Will Make It Taste Good

3:30 pm – Chris ShepherdCook Like a Local

Sunday, Mar. 10

12:30 pm – Don Drake, Magnolia’s: Classic Southern Cuisine

1 pm – Lavern & Marvette Meggett, Gullah Geechee

1:30 pm – Ben Schaffer and Garrett Richard, Tropical Standard: Cocktail Technique & Reinvented Recipes

2:30 pm – Toni Tipton-Martin, Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs & Juice

3 pm – Von Diaz, Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking

3:30 pm – Todd Richards, Roots, Heart, Soul