Elaine's Literary Salon

Check out this special event at Elaine’s as Alexandria’s Friends to Lovers Bookstore presents, “Between Two Kings” Release Party with Lindsay Straube

Don’t miss it: Join Friends to Lovers Bookstore and author, Lindsay Straube, in celebrating the release of the titillating Kiss of the Basilisk sequel, Between Two Kings. This biting dark romance series continues with dangerous (re: sexy) basilisks and a love triangle hot enough to bring a kingdom to its knees.

The event will include a Q&A as well as a signing + cocktail hour. Tickets: $5-$18, available on Eventbrite.

About the Author: Lindsay Straube is a writer living in Portland, OR. She drinks tequila with lemon and watches TV with subtitles on. On any given Tuesday, you can find her at the movies. “Come say hi,” she says: @oxfordlemon

Author Lindsay Straube

About Lindsay Straube’s newest book: Between Two Kings (Deluxe Edition): A Split or Swallow Novel

From internet sensation and USA Today bestseller Lindsay Straube comes the second book in the sexy, biting Split or Swallow series, featuring dangerous basilisks, competitive seduction, and a love triangle that could destroy kingdoms.

Tem never thought she’d fall in love. 

But now she’s caught between the Serpent King and the newly crowned human king…

And the war that is brewing between the basilisks and the humans. 

Tem led a simple life on the family chicken farm, but now, her eyes had been opened―to love, to lust, to the pull of power, gold, obligation, and the violence of greed and war.

When Tem embraced her basilisk half and crested Leo, she thought she’d set him free. Though it nearly broke her, now he could find his first love again, and she could be happy with Caspen.

But love is complicated. As much as Tem embraces her serpent side, rules and loopholes keep her beholden to Leo…despite her marriage to Caspen.

And as it becomes clearer that her decision may not be so simple, their desire continues to smolder…and if one tinder flickers into flame, it could set the entire kingdom on fire. Click here to buy the Deluxe Edition!

About Friends to Lovers Bookstore: The first romantic bookstore in the DC area, this shop is decided to celebrating love, and embracing the stories taht bring us joy. Visit the store, 301 Cameron St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Learn more: friendstoloversbookstore.com

Welcome to ElainesLitearySalon.com!

Bibliophiles will love this new show — live from the popular bistro Elaine’s in Old Town, Alexandria VA. Our host is the restaurant’s owner, Jeffrey James Higgins, a prolific author who is on a mission to help his fellow writers share their stories. Check out the live Literary Salon events here. And check back for new episodes of Elaine’s Literary Salon on Inkandescent.tv and InkandescentRadio.com.

About our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host Jeffrey James Higgins: By day, Jeff manages Elaine’s, the award-winning Alexandria, VA restaurant he opened with his wife Cynthia in 2022. A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor.

He has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. He’s a #1 Amazon bestselling author with 21 literary awards, including the Claymore Award, PenCraft’s Best Fiction Book, and a Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal. He has been a panelist at ThrillerFest, Killer Nashville, Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity, and other conferences.

Black Rose Writing published his first three novels, FURIOUS, UNSEEN, and THE FOREVER GAME. Severn River Publishing has acquired Jeffrey’s forthcoming Nathan Burke espionage series. Jeffrey is an active member of the Authors Guild, the Virginia Writers Club, International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, and the Royal Writers Secret Society. He’s represented by Jackson Keeler at Inkworks. Learn more about Jeff’s books: JeffreyJamesHiggins.com.

Click here to check out Jeff’s affordable book writing services to help authors everywhere make their book publishing dreams come true. 

And meet the PR Director for Elaine’s Literary Salon, InkandescentPR.com’s founder, Hope Katz Gibbs. With her team of award-winning journalists, illustrators and video producers, they help writers up their PR and marketing game with professionally produced podcasts on InkandescentRadio.com, the video version on Inkandescent.tv, a strong social media push, and more! Learn more: InkandescentPR.com.

Upcoming Podcasts

September 15, 2026Elaine's Literary SalonMeet Wolf Bahren (aka Kristi Bahrenburg Janzen) for brunch on Sept. 6 when she brings her new book to Elaine’s Literary Salon: “The Secessionist’s Wife”September 27, 2026Elaine's Literary SalonTanya Stokes is bringing “The Woman I’m Becoming” to Elaine’s Literary Salon — Your transformation starts here!September 29, 2026Elaine's Literary SalonComing to the Elaine’s Literary Salon show: A.D. Metcalfe, VP of the Cape Cod Writers Center and producer for Books and the World, gives us Johnny Alvarez, a precocious young runaway, who knows decay and lawlessness offer camouflage and opportunityOctober 1, 2026Elaine's Literary SalonComing soon to Elaine’s Literary Salon: Retired police officer, journalist, and author Mark Bergin, is bringing his “Apprehension” book series to Elaine’s!October 3, 2026Elaine's Literary SalonComing to Elaine’s Literary Salon, Oct. 3: Tonya Poindexter gets real with her new book, “The Aftermath — What Nobody Tells Black Women About Life After Divorce”October 13, 2026Elaine's Literary SalonComing soon to Elaine’s Literary Salon: Learn to demystify the often-intimidating world of pro-se litigation with Towanda Brown’s “Empowering Pro-Se Litigants,” a groundbreaking guide that illuminates the path of self-representation in legal mattersOctober 15, 2026Elaine's Literary SalonComing to Elaine’s Literary Salon: Author and former FBI Special Agent executive Katherine Schweit helps us learn how to Stop the Killing, talk to the dead, understand the second amendment, and talk about guns with anyone

MEET THE INKANDESCENT® RADIO TEAM

Hope Katz Gibbs, Founder & Executive Producer, InkandescentRadio.com

Brandi Wilsker-Merritt, Director of Podcasting

Nelson Benavides, Director of Videography

Max Kukoy, Inkandescent Website Developer

Michael Gibbs, Inkandescent Art Director

 

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