Proud caridura Edna Solís is bringing her interactive book, “The Secret Earth Society,” to Elaine’s

Meet the Author: D. A. Spruzen grew up near London, U.K., graduated from the London College of Dance and Drama Education, and earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Queen's University of Charlotte; she teaches creative writing in Northern Virginia when not seeking her own muse. She resides in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland.

About D.A.'s books: Odin’s Word is the fourth book in D. A. Spruzen’s new urban fantasy series, Sleuthing With Mortals. The books are available in print and ebook formats. Find the other books in the series below. Additional titles include the historical novel The Blitz Business and the poetry collection Long in the Tooth. Learn more: daspruzen.com read more...

Meet the Author: For more than 34 years, Towanda Brown has called Howard County, Maryland, home. Here, she raised two successful African-American sons and emerged as a beacon of advocacy, working tirelessly to ensure fair opportunities in education and beyond for her children and her community. Her story is one of resilience, determination, and an unwavering pursuit of justice—not only for herself, but for all who strive to stand for their rights in the face of daunting legal challenges.

With over three decades of experience in business analysis and project management, Towanda now serves as the President of TRACKS, LLC. Her professional expertise seamlessly extends into her passion for community empowerment and legal advocacy. Drawing on both her career accomplishments and personal journey, she is dedicated to equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to confidently navigate the legal system. read more...

About Author Tanya Stokes: A bestselling author, publisher, spoken word artist, and creative entrepreneur whose work inspires healing, personal growth, and purposeful living, Tanya is the founder of Compassionate Designs Publishing. Tanya has helped aspiring authors transform their stories into professionally published books while empowering them to embrace their voices with confidence. Through her writing, speaking, and workshops, she creates spaces where authenticity, faith, and resilience intersect.

Her latest book, The Woman I'm Becoming, is a powerful guide to self-discovery, healing, and transformation, encouraging women to release limiting beliefs, embrace their worth, and boldly step into the women they were created to become. Tanya is also the creator of the Praise & Paint experience, blending creativity, biblical encouragement, and reflection into unforgettable events that promote healing and connection. Whether speaking from the stage, sharing poetry, or guiding readers through life's transitions, Tanya's message remains the same: your story matters, your healing is possible, and your becoming is worth embracing. Learn more: compassionate-designs.com read more...

Meet the Author: S.J. Rozan was born and raised in the Bronx and is proud of it. She spent over 20 years as an architect in New York City and is kind of proud of that, too. Now she writes and teaches. She's done 15 books in the Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series, two standalones, and two paranormals co-written with Carlos Dews under the name Sam Cabot. She's also published eight dozen short stories and edited or co-edited three anthologies.

In 2024, with THE MURDER OF MR. MA, SJ launched a new series co-written with John Shen Yen Nee. read more...

Today on Elaine's Literary Salon: Meet violinist Joan Singer, the founder and director of QuinTango. Managing the group combines Joan's flair for storytelling and weakness for glitz with her love of music and travel. Before founding QuinTango, she played at Inaugural Balls, backed up Aretha Franklin and was a tenured member of the Baltimore Opera Orchestra.

About QuinTango: For the last 28-years, performances have taken the group from a Command Performance at the White House to memorable concerts in 29 states and across 3 continents, at venues ranging from Stanford University and Lincoln Center Plaza to churches in Appalachia and Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston. read more...

Meet the Author: Wolf Bahren is the pen name used by the writer Kristi Bahrenburg Janzen for her fiction. The Secessionist’s Wife is her third thriller. A lover of spy stories since childhood, she published her first novel, Agents of Suzharia, in 2016, and then Source of Deceit in 2020. Her fiction is a blend of espionage, political, international, and journalistic thriller genres.

She has been a writer and editor for more than 30 years. Currently, she teaches in the University Writing Program at George Washington University in Washington, DC. She began her writing career as a financial news journalist, including for AP-Dow Jones in New York, Germany, and Washington, DC, and then transitioned to freelance writing and editing while her children were growing up. She has a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Cornell and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia. Closely tied to family in Kansas and New York State, she lives in Maryland with her husband and dogs. Learn more: wolfbahren.com read more...

Meet the Author: A policy expert and political operative for some of Washington’s most influential power brokers, Matthew Lavoie has spent his career evaluating the how and why of American political and cultural movements and observing some of the biggest shifts in American and geopolitical history. Main Street Fringe is his debut novel. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America. Learn more: MatthewPLavoie.com.

In our interview with Elaine's Literary Salon host Jeffrey James Higgins, you'll learn: read more...

Meet the Author: Dr. C. Victor Herbin III (aka: Dr. Vic) is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, leadership advisor, and the founder of Organizational Arrogance™ — a leadership development brand built on more than two decades of service at the highest levels of government and the military. Through books, assessments, and keynote programs, Dr. Herbin helps leaders see how a sense of superiority within leadership shapes behavior, decision-making, and culture. His programs equip leaders to recognize, diagnose, and interrupt these patterns before they become systemic. Learn more: bookdrvic.com read more...

Our agenda for tonight's event:

6pm: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine's award-winning menu 7pm: Our 45-minute interview begins, followed by a 15-minute Q&A with the audience to be produced on our popular podcast and video series 8pm: Guests talk with the author, buy her books, and get them signed! Click here to get your free tickets: katherineschweit.eventbrite.com

Meet the Author: Katherine Schweit worked as an FBI Special Agent executive, a prosecutor, and a journalist before settling down as a full-time writer, professor, and security consultant. read more...

The agenda for our brunch event:

Noon: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine's award-winning menu 1 pm: Our 45-minute interview begins, followed by a 15-minute Q&A with the audience, to be produced on our popular podcast and video series 2 pm: Guests talk with the author, buy her book, and get it signed! Reserve your free ticket: TonyaPoindexter.eventbrite.com

Meet the Author: Tonya Poindexter is an author, strategist, and executive leader with a career spanning strategic communications, organizational leadership, business development, public service, and community engagement. Her work has focused on helping organizations and people navigate change, identify opportunities, and move ideas forward. Her writing is informed by her professional, educational, and lived experience, bringing a practical and honest perspective to conversations that are often difficult to have. read more...

Meet the Author: Kirkus Star winner Beka Wueste is an author whose debut novel, “The Unsent Letters of Lucy Prior,” earned praise as a “deeply introspective and emotionally resonant novel” (Kirkus Reviews) and whose second novel, “Fireflies in a Jar,” was lauded as, “original, deftly crafted, emotionally engaging” (Midwest Book Review). Her short story collection, “My Side of the Word and Other Tales of Death," was described as " lyrical and thoughtful… a moving, imaginative, and unforgettable exploration” (Readers Favorite Book Reviews). read more...

Meet the Author: I am an attorney with over thirty years of experience. My legal experience has varied from a start in criminal law to intellectual property, specifically trademarks, and now healthcare. I also pursued a Master's in Public Health (MPH) from the George Washington University late in my career. It is an interesting field, and I have come to find that public health affects everyone.

I am a native of Washington, D.C., raised by a single mother who was both brilliant and resourceful. I attended boarding school at St. Timothy’s in Stevenson, Maryland, a Baltimore suburb, as my mother was concerned that the black students were not being well-educated in schools facing conflict from the new policy of busing. I want my mystery novels to express the beauty in diversity. Learn more about Paula here. read more...

Meet the Author: Richard H. Smith, MSc., is a futurist, technologist, and science policy expert whose career spans more than 30 years at the forefront of emerging technology and strategic forecasting. He has worked alongside scientists, engineers, Fortune 50 companies, and U.S. and international governments on issues ranging from nanotechnology and artificial intelligence to healthcare innovation and climate change.

Richard has served as a research director at a major university medical center, founded multiple technology companies, and advised organizations on how disruptive technologies reshape societies, markets, and governance. He was formally trained in climate change science by Al Gore and continues to teach courses on sea-level rise and climate futures. read more...

This week on Elaine's Literary Salon: Meet popular motivational speaker and New York Times Bestselling author Don Mann. A retired Navy SEAL Team SIX who, for the last two decades, has delivered compelling presentations that have inspired business leaders, military and government personnel, and professional athletes. The lessons he shares during his presentations are born from his colorful and action-packed life as a SEAL, his experiences competing in some of the world’s most grueling competitions, and his experience in the business world: usfrogmann.com. read more...

Meet the Author: Lynda Allen is a storyteller, author, poet, artist, and listener. She began her career in video post-production and documentary filmmaking before focusing her knack for storytelling on writing. She has written four poetry collections and the Liv Wilde Mysteries, featuring Flashes of Insight (book 1) and Flashes of a Dying Hour (book 2). Flashes of Fire and Fury (book 3) is now available.

Lynda is also the author of the Liv Wilde Mysteries, in which menopause is a superpower. "I had to put up with hot flashes every day, I figured I might as well make them useful!" read more...

Meet the Author: Kerri Hagerty is a dedicated law enforcement officer who has proudly served her community for over 20 years. Through roles ranging from patrol officer to detective, she has received several awards, including Officer of the Year, Officer of the Month, two Life Saving Awards, and numerous public commendations.

Beyond the badge, Kerri is also an accomplished children’s book author. Inspired by her real-life adventure dog, Olive, her stories chronicle their surfing and camping escapades. Through Olive’s journeys, Kerri teaches young readers valuable lessons about overcoming their fears and the power of friendship. read more...

Meet the Author: Justin Laborde, PhD, is a strategic consultant and frequent speaker on consumer trends, marketplace insights, and business-growth strategies at Fortune 500 companies. Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Justin now lives with his wife, Amanda, and their three children in Cary, North Carolina.

About Scattered Far and Wide: This book follows the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1938 as they rise from junior officers to combat leaders in World War II’s most pivotal battles. Through firsthand accounts and deep research, Justin Laborde brings their stories of courage, sacrifice, and survival vividly to life. read more...

Meet the Author: Dr. Stephen L. Cook serves as the Catherine N. McBurney Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at Virginia Theological Seminary, the largest of the accredited seminaries of the Episcopal Church (founded in 1823). He and his wife, Catherine, a psychotherapist, live on the seminary campus in Alexandria, Virginia, with their daughter from China, Rebecca.

Prior to joining the VTS faculty in 1996, Stephen served on the faculty of Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University in New York City for four years. He did his doctoral training in Old Testament at Yale University after having completed the M.Div. degree at Yale's Divinity School, where he also served as an instructor and fellow. His undergraduate work was at Trinity College, Connecticut, where he graduated with honors as a religion major in 1984. read more...

Meet the Author: Elizabeth Hodges was 38 when she got the news, “You have leukemia.” Six weeks later, she was told she also had adult cystic fibrosis. With three young children, intense fear set in that she might not live to see them grow up. Instead of giving in, she became determined to prioritize her role as a mother and lead a life driven by purpose and clarity, even with cancer. Over her eighteen-year journey, she discovered that motherhood can be the strongest motivation to survive and thrive. read more...

Experience QuinTango: Alexandria-based music group QuinTango made its splashy debut on the world stage in 1999 at the Clinton White House State Dinner for the president of Argentina. Robert Duvall danced, and global news networks covered the event. The following morning, QuinTango received an invitation to perform at an international music festival in Costa Rica, and they were off and running. Twenty-eight years later, QuinTango is in its seventh iteration, still evolving and still excited to create and connect. Learn more: quintango.com read more...

Meet the Author: Irene Vinyard Bennett has wide experience as a writer and educational minister. Her debut novel, BATTLE OF THE ARTISANS: Making the Bells of Marquis Yi, won the International Proverse Prize of 2022. It is the first story about the Bronze-Age Bells of Marquis Yi, a National Treasure of China. An international motivational speaker, workshop leader, and minister, Irene writes and edits academic articles for theological journals in Ukraine and Myanmar, lectures online for Myanmar seminaries, and works with young families of Western Presbyterian Church in DC. She has written professionally throughout life in eight states, several countries, and now in Alexandria VA! She loves diverse cultures, speaks some Cantonese and Spanish, and has taught English to immigrants in Georgia, Florida, and multi-ethnic groups of women and university students in Hong Kong. Her favorite experiences involved sharing educational methods with church leaders in Bosnia-Herzegovina, across Asia, and with many local English teachers in China, including the faculty of a school for the blind. Fun publications include feature interviews with an Olympic Gold Medalist and an international golfer at the Masters Tournament. read more...

Meet the Author: Rebecca Morrison is the author of The Blue Dress, a novel based on her childhood as an Iranian immigrant trying to fit into her new American homeland and her family’s expectations of beauty.

Published by Macmillan’s imprint Farrar, Straus and Giroux, the book has received positive reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, and School Library Journal. and Rebecca has been featured on Good Morning Washington ABC7.

She has written about belonging, immigration, and body image for numerous national publications, including the Washington Post and TODAY.com (both of which went viral). Most recently, she wrote an article for HuffPost about the dangers of the ultra-thin cultural shift, especially for young people, which became the number one trending story on BuzzFeed: rebeccakmorrison.com read more...

Today at Elaine's Literary Salon in Alexandria, VA, we are thrilled to bring back to town author Bill Rapp, who began his professional life as an academic, teaching European History at Iowa State University. A graduate of Notre Dame (B.A.), the University of Toronto (M.A.), and Vanderbilt (Ph. D.), Bill has always been particularly intrigued by German history. He says the last 35 years working for the U. S. Government has broadened his perspective to all of Europe and much of the Middle East. His career has taken him around the world, including to Berlin as the Wall fell and Germany was reunified. read more...

Meet the Author: Jennifer began her writing journey at the age of 10 when she started her own neighborhood newspaper, “The Santa Clara Times,” printed it herself, and walked up and down her street, passing it out to all the neighbors. She graduated from the School of Journalism, Mass Communications, and Public Relations at San Jose State University in Northern California, and went on to have a ten-year career as a journalist.

Her works have appeared in countless print and digital publications including the the Huffington Post, the San Jose Mercury News, Silicon Valley Community Newspapers, AOL, Patch, Silicon Valley Accent Magazine, and Alexandria Living Magazine, among others, and has had several articles picked up or quoted by the Washington Post. read more...

Meet the Author: Wanda Rawlings is a Christian fiction author, Bible study teacher, and speaker with over three decades of experience as a civilian Federal employee and a lifelong passion for encouraging spiritual growth through storytelling and the Word of God. She is the creator and facilitator of the Root of the Matter Virtual Women’s Bible Study, a thriving ministry she has led for more than five years, guiding women deeper into their relationship with Christ.

Wanda is the author of the A Christian Journey series, including Chloe’s Missing Piece, Chloe’s Season of Storms, and Chloe’s Journey to Joy. Through relatable characters and faith-filled narratives, the series explores themes of identity, perseverance, healing, and learning to hear God’s voice in every season of life. In addition to her novels, Wanda has written devotionals for women in family shelters and is available to teach, speak, and minister at conferences and faith-based events. read more...

About Original Sound: A story about the rhythm of ambition, collaboration, and the price of authenticity.

Driven by the pulse and rhythm of Brooklyn and Queens, beat maker Danny Solis may have found his big break when his track is pilfered by pop star Ryan Reed. To keep Danny quiet, Ryan's manager brokers a deal in which Ryan and Danny will collaborate on a few songs. Their work together introduces Danny to Manhattan's music scene and leads Ryan to pivot her career. Despite disappointment and betrayal, Danny perseveres, finding solace and strength within his original sound. read more...

Meet the Author: Chandrani Ghosh is a former journalist (Time, Forbes, and Business Standard) who, many years ago, traded her press pass for a carpool one. Now that the carpoolers are drivers, she returns to the page. Drawing on her experiences of growing up in the chaotic worlds of Kolkata and Delhi, spending her twenties in London, Geneva, and Kathmandu, and eventually settling in Washington, Ghosh makes her literary debut with Heartlines. Learn more: cghosh.com

About Heartlines: Sharmila Basu has curated the perfect life. He is the one variable she never planned for. As an Indian American political journalist, Sharmila appears to be living the ultimate American Dream: a high-powered career, vintage wardrobe, and a swanky home in the power corridors of Washington, DC. She lives with her boyfriend, America's reigning heartthrob and favourite TV news anchor, Lionel Stern. Even Lionel's notoriously icy mother has welcomed her into the fold. read more...

Meet the Author: Daniel Grace is a London-born, California-bred, former owner of an international advertising agency who produces critically acclaimed Tuscan wines at his family winery, Il Molino di Grace, in Panzano-in-Chianti, Italy. He is a storyteller by trade and a mythologist at heart. Daniel splits his time between San Francisco and Tuscany with his wife, three daughters and English Setter. In the Wake of Golgotha is his debut novel. For more, visit danielmarkgrace.com

About In the Wake of Golgotha: There is no crime to fit this sentence; there is no sentence to fit this crime. Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate's words are echoed by the zealot Judas Iscariot only hours before history takes a bloody turn on a cross atop Golgotha on Calvary Hill. Two thousand years later, these words are found scrawled in blood in New York next to three crucified men hanging on a basement wall. read more...

Hello friends! If you missed the book launch party at Elaine's Literary Salon on April 2, listen and watch the impressive interview between Jeff and award-winning noir author Christopher Chambers, ChrisChamberNoir.com.

Help us celebrate the release of book 4 in the 4-part Nathan Burke series. "I wanted to write a story about what happens when devotion and duty collide, giving my protagonist — FBI Agent Nathan Burke — a heart-pounding challenge to uncover a global conspiracy to save his wife, and the nation," explains Jeff, whose critically-acclaimed books are referred to as "pulse-pounding and a must-read." read more...

Meet the Author: Dr. Joan Naidorf is a board-certified emergency physician trained at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia. After growing up in Highland Park, NJ, she obtained her undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia. She practiced for nearly thirty years in the busy emergency departments of Inova Alexandria Hospital and Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Virginia. As an author and speaker, she has been sharing important ideas with students, residents and practicing physicians through various online and direct engagements. She was recently appointed to the editorial advisory board of The DO magazine. Her proudest accomplishment has been raising three compassionate and intelligent children along with Toby, her devoted husband. Toby supplies many stories of the patients who challenge him from his busy gastroenterology practice. In her spare time, Dr. Naidorf enjoys reading, traveling, playing tennis, tasting wine, and walking with Dolly, the miniature poodle. Learn more: drjoannaidorf.com read more...

About Bonnie Naradzay: As a mother, professional, teacher, and longtime volunteer, leading poetry sessions in prisons, a retirement community, and among the homeless, Bonnie has gathered much of both the lost and found, culminating in the publication of Invited to the Feast, a collection of poems and literary debut coming in her eightieth year.

Her poems appear in AGNI, New Letters (Pushcart Nomination), RHINO, Kenyon Review online, Tampa Review, Florida Review online, EPOCH, Pinch (Pushcart Nomination), American Journal of Poetry, One Art (Pushcart Nomination), Potomac Review, Poetry Miscellany, Dappled Things, The Birmingham Poetry Review, Crab Creek Review, Cumberland River Review, and others. Her poetry manuscript, Invited to the Feast, was published October 28, 2025 by Slant Books. Her essay on friendship was published in the anthology, Deep Beauty, in 2020. At Harvard University in the late 1960's, she was a student in Robert Lowell's class, "The King James Bible as English Literature." read more...

Meet the Author: Elizabeth Bruce’s collection, Universally Adored and Other One Dollar Stories (Vine Leaves Press, 2024), won the 2025 IBA Short Story Award and Literary Titan Gold Award in Fiction, as well as an IAN Book of the Year Finalist distinction. Her debut novel, And Silent Left the Place, won Washington Writers’ Publishing House’s Fiction Prize, as well as a ForeWord Magazine Bronze Prize and the Texas Institute of Letters’ Finalist Award.

She’s published in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Korea, Israel, Sweden, Romania, Malawi, Yemen, and the Philippines, in such journals as The Ilanot Review, FireWords, The Bangalore Review, and Two Thirds North. Her book, CentroNía’s Theatrical Journey Playbook: Introducing Science to Early Learners through Guided Pretend Play, won or placed in four contests. A DC-based Texas author, she’s received fellowships from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA), DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, HumanitiesDC, and McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation fellowships, and studied with Richard Bausch, the late Lee K. Abbott, Janet Peery, John McNally, and Liam Callanan. A character actor and co-founder of DC’s Sanctuary Theatre, Elizabeth co-hosts Creativists in Dialogue: A Podcast Embracing the Creative Life and its Theatre in Community series. read more...

Click here to sign up today for the March 21 workshop with John DeDakis!

Course Description: A series of topic-specific workshops designed to drill deeper into the finer points of storytelling. Writing exercises will help you hone your skills and give you the confidence to take your writing to the next level.

Deep Listening for Writers: A writer is an observer first, last, and always. This session is an invitation to consider every interaction as an opportunity to follow one's curiosity about people of other genders, races, ages, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds with an eye on creating interesting and varied characters. This session will be interactive, with opportunities to practice listening techniques. read more...

Meet the Author: Emil Buchman was born in the Galaxy Far, Far Away (aka, Baku, Azerbaijan) and came to the United States in the early 1990s. Currently, he lives in Brooklyn, New York with his beautiful wife and adorable wheaten terrier Chloe.

Emil is a practicing transactional lawyer, structuring and documenting complex debt instruments but, by his own admission, this is a boring part of his life. When he is not practicing, Emil enjoys reading and watching classics, history, fantasy, and sci-fi books, and movies and, when he has nothing worthy to read or watch, he writes on his own. read more...

This week at Elaine's Literary Salon, we are excited to share our newest interview with critically acclaimed, bestselling author John Gilstrap.

Today, he talks with Elaine's Literary Salon host Jeffrey James Higgins about his new novels, writing process, and what makes his books so popular with readers.

About the author and his books: When John Gilstrap's first novel, Nathan's Run, hit the market in 1996, it set the literary world on fire. Publication rights sold in 23 countries, the movie rights were scooped up at auction by Warner Brothers, and John changed professions. A safety engineer by training and education, he specialized in explosives and hazardous materials, and also served 15 years in the fire and rescue service, rising to the rank of lieutenant. Outside of his writing life, John is a renowned safety expert with extensive knowledge of explosives, hazardous materials, and fire behavior. John lives in Fairfax, VA. Learn more: johngilstrap.com read more...

When: Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 11-4pm

Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Buy your ticket: beginningsandendings.eventbrite.com

60-minute in-person and virtual seminar, noon-1pm ET $30 for in-person (includes light meal and drink) Free for virtual attendees Password for your free ticket: Zoom Click here to join us in the Zoom room This seminar looks at how the opening and closing of a novel work in conversation with one another to shape the story as a whole. Rather than treating beginnings and endings as isolated moments, the session explores how they are designed in relationship and how that relationship creates meaning on the page. read more...

When: Saturday, February 21, 2026 from Noon to 1:30pm

Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Buy your ticket: shapeofyourstory.eventbrite.com

90-minute in-person seminar: $125 $99 for writing group members: Click here to send us an email and we'll give the code Capped at 20 writers This 90-minute seminar introduces writers to a structured but flexible way of thinking about planning or revising a novel. Drawing on Jennie Nash’s Blueprint for a Book method, the session offers a crash-course overview of the 14 key questions that help writers move from a big, often unwieldy idea to being ready to write page one. read more...

A Note from Jeffrey James Higgins and Hope Katz Gibbs, ElainesLiterarySalon.com — Hello friends! We were thrilled to host a seminar on Jan. 29 featuring award-winning author and writing coach C.R. Rowenson. The video and podcast of the event is now live on our Salon site, InkandescentRadio.com, Spotify, Apple, and iHeart Radio. Pick your favorite channel to watch and listen. We know you'll learn a lot!

Big news: On March 7, C.R. Rowenson will be in-person at ElainesLiterarySalon.com for another amazing workshop — “The Thriller Writer’s Supernatural System — Designing Extraordinary Elements for Your Manuscript.” Get your ticket today! read more...

Meet the Author: Tom Straw is an Emmy and Writers’ Guild of America-nominated writer-producer, New York Timesand USA Today best-selling author, and former Mystery Writers of America board member.

Writing as Richard Castle, Tom originated the Nikki Heat series, all New York Times Bestsellers. Under his own name he published The Trigger Episode, Buzz Killer, and the USA Today best-selling spy thriller, The Accidental Joe.

In TV, Tom wrote for and produced the original Night Court, Dave’s World, Grace Under Fire, and Nurse Jackie. He also wrote for CBS’s Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Learn more: tomstraw.com read more...

Meet the Author: Adam S. Lovinger serves as Vice President for Strategic Affairs at the Gold Institute for International Strategy, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. In 2017, Adam was Senior Director for Strategic Assessments at the U.S. National Security Council (NSC). From 2006-2017 he provided direct support on long-term U.S. national security strategy to the Secretary of Defense from the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment (ONA). He has served as adjunct professor in three Georgetown University graduate schools and guest lecturer on U.S. grand strategy formation, net assessment, and the emerging U.S.-China long-term strategic competition at the Yale University superpowers of influence series, German Council on Foreign Relations, Oxford University Changing Character of War Series, Permanent Joint Headquarters Command of the British Armed Forces, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, European Commission, and United Services Institute of India. Adam holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, and Georgetown Law. read more...

About bestselling author Puja Guha: International Development Consultant. Global Citizen. Author of seven novels and four published short stories. Born into a family of acclaimed Indian architects, Puja traveled with her parents as they worked on projects around the world. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Puja completed her Master's degree in public policy at Sciences Po and the London School of Economics. Today, she works as an independent consultant on international development programs - primarily in Africa and South Asia - traveling to some of the most economically-challenged countries in the world. Leveraging her scholarship, her ability to speak five languages, and her earnest goal of engendering global economic progress, she continues to learn about, support, and embrace new countries. read more...

Meet the Author: Andrew Rubin is a filmmaker, writer, and cofounder of the mental health education company Symptom Media. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied Film Production and History, he has spent over a decade in the trenches of Hollywood development as a screenwriter.

Andrew co-directed the inspirational documentary Ride with Larry, about Parkinson's, inspired by his father's battle against the disease. The film’s segment exploring Parkinson's and medical marijuana received global attention, and helped spark a broader conversation about dignity, treatment, and the role of alternative medicine. read more...

About the interview:Today's video podcast led by Elaine's Literary Salon Host Jeffrey James Higgins icludes Puja Guha, Zakariah Johnson, Curtis Ippolito, and Michael Downing.

Meet Puja Guha on Sunday, Jan. 18 at Elaine's Literary Salon where she will talk about the anthology and her other novels. Get your free ticket on Eventbrite! More details can be found about Puja and this amazing event at elainesliterarysalon.com.

About the anthology: Our world is changing dramatically before our eyes. Increased average global temperatures have wreaked havoc on ecosystems, economies, and people’s lives. Fires rage. Flood waters rise. Storms and heat waves are occurring out-of-season and are becoming increasingly more dangerous and more frequent. read more...

Meet the Author: Sean Hagerty is a retired Special Operations Soldier with over 25 years of experience. He spent his younger years training and conducting combat operations with the 1st of the 75th Ranger Regiment. After nine years, in 2005, he was selected for and assigned to a Special Operations unit at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. There he spent sixteen years and finished his military career, retiring as a Sergeant Major. He received several awards and decorations throughout his career including three Bronze Stars. Sean retired from the Department of Defense Science Board as the Senior Advisor to write full-time. read more...

Today on the Elaine's Literary Salon show: Meet author David W. DuBois, a retired U.S. Army soldier who served honorably for 21 years. He is a devoted husband and father of four. In 2022, David was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a life-altering moment that led him to write his debut book.

David is a passionate advocate for ALS awareness and research. Through his weekly blog, mentoring, and active participation on various ALS organization committees, he offers support and inspiration to others living with the disease. With his background as a Military Policeman and his personal battle against a terminal illness, David brings a raw, firsthand perspective to themes of life, death, and justice. read more...

Meet the Author: Brian Paone, a Massachusetts native displaced to Virginia, has been a published novelist since 2007 and has performed in bands since 1995. Cumulatively, Brian's novels are primarily speculative fiction, ranging from thrillers to drama to horror to science fiction to fantasy and romance. His bands cover a wide range of different metal and industrial genres and styles. He is also a police detective in Maryland and has been working in law enforcement since 2002. He is a self-proclaimed roller coaster junkie, a New England Patriots fanatic, his favorite color is burnt orange, and he is the proud owner of his dream car—a 1981 DeLorean. read more...

Meet Matt Joseph Misetich: A Senior Executive and Partner at Pipeline Media Group, Matt oversees all divisions, including Script, Book, and Film, as well as the management of Pipeline Artists and the implementation of future Pipeline entities.

His industry career started in 2002 as an intern for a talent manager, then as an intern in film development in 2003. And as an intern script reader through all of 2004. . . which ended in 2005—where had landed another prestigious unpaid internship. After several freelance script reading jobs, plus a brief but legitimately educational time in international distribution and media consulting, he began his tenure with Pipeline in 2006, working as a reader until early 2008 when he took over as manager. read more...

Meet the Author: Fascinated by magic since he could imagine pine cones as fireballs, C. R. Rowenson is an award-winning author, blogger, and writing coach that studies magic-building like others study oil-painting. His prime directive is to help all kinds of storytellers craft and repair the magic systems in their stories. You can visit him at crrowenson.com to witness, fuel, or join in his obsession.

About Clark's nonfiction and fiction books:

The Magic System Blueprint: A Fiction Writer's Guide to Building Magic Systems read more...

Meet the Author: Thomas Dann was born and bred in Memphis, Tennessee, five generations deep in a family fighting the entrenched political machine there. He has spent time variously on the East and Left Coasts, studying creative writing at Stanford, working for years as a felony defense investigator for the Washington, D.C. Public Defender, then lawyer, company builder, and writer, all the while wondering what he wants to do when he grows up. He now lives in Maryland with his wife Melissa and their goofy golden retriever Benji. And he loves the Blues. read more...

Meet the Author: Brian Thiem is the author of "The Mudflats Murder Club," the first book in the Mudflats Murder Club series, as well as "Red Line," "Thrill Kill," and "Shallow Grave." In his previous life, he spent 25 years with the Oakland Police Department, much of it working Homicide, and retired as a lieutenant. He’s also an Iraq War veteran, retiring from the Army as a lieutenant colonel after 28 years of active and reserve service. He holds an MFA in creative writing and is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Island Writers Network. He lives with his wife, yellow Lab, and Tonkinese cat in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where he’s also a member of the sheriff department’s Cold Case Team, consisting of retired law enforcement professionals from around the nation who examine unsolved murders. Learn more: brianthiem.com read more...

Meet the Author: Carter Wilson is the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers, known for their emotional intensity, tight pacing, and sinister twists. His work has received starred reviews from every major trade publication, has won multiple awards, and has been optioned for television and film. His 2025 release, Tell Me What You Did, was selected by Barnes & Noble as a national monthly pick.

Carter is also the creator and host of Making It Up, a podcast featuring unscripted conversations with other writers about the unpredictable journey of the creative process. In 2021, he launched Unbound Writer, a company offering coaching, immersive retreats, and online programs for writers at all stages of their careers. A seasoned public speaker and dynamic event moderator, he travels frequently to conferences, festivals, and workshops. He lives in Erie, Colorado. read more...

Meet the Author: Stacy Woodson is a US Army combat veteran. Memories of her time in the military are often a source of inspiration for her stories. She made her crime fiction debut in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine’s Department of First Stories and won the 2018 Readers Award, the second time in the award’s history a debut took first place.

Awards: Since then, she has placed over 40 short stories in various publications, three winning the Derringer award for excellence in short mystery fiction. (She is a five-time nominee.) Her short fiction has also been nominated for a Macavity Award, Thriller Award, Anthony Award (anthology, co-editor), selected for The Best Mystery Stories of the Year, named a finalist for ScreenCraft’s Best Cinematic Short Story, and adapted for animation. Stacy also writes screenplays and was recently accepted to the Writers Guild Foundation’s Veterans Writing Project. Her pilot script, “Poppins,” was named a Second Rounder in the Drama Teleplay Pilot category in the 2025 Austin Film Festival Script Competition. read more...

Meet the Author: Eric Grandy was born and raised in Baltimore City and graduated from City College. After graduating from Essex Community College, he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and played for six years with the team. He went on to a variety of jobs: photographer, lab manager, driver for DHL, and was a warehouse manager. After retirement, he decided to devote himself to writing, producing several short stories and Accidental Paradise, his debut novel. Eric lives in Baltimore with his wife, Rhonda, and daughter, Marti. read more...

Meet the Author: Karen Marginot is an author and leadership coach who specializes in helping leaders integrate ancient wisdom with their professional authority.

Drawing on her decades-long journey through corporate leadership at companies like Salesforce and Dell, Karen brings rare insight to the challenges women face as they approach the pinnacle of their careers and contemplate their enduring legacy, both professionally and personally. Her story and authentic worldview connect with women in senior positions who worry that they’ve lost their way or are tired of leading like “one of the guys.” Karen’s sought-after workshops and talks offer deep conversations about leadership, purpose, and transformation in the tech and business worlds that honor the purpose of the women doing the work. read more...

Meet the Author — Dale says: I grew up outside Tampa, Florida and attended the University of Florida, where I graduated from the College of Journalism and Communications (Go Gators!). After graduation, I commissioned in the U.S. Air Force, serving as a logistics officer and war planner. After my military service, I worked in defense and tech before writing full time. I’ve had the opportunity to live abroad and see a large part of the world, thanks to my time in the military, and that’s certainly informed my writing. I currently live in Washington, DC, with my wife and daughters. read more...

Monisha Longacre is coming to Elaine's Literary Salon in Alexandria, VA on Jan. 11.

Join us for her interview with our podcast/video host Jeffrey James Higgins and enjoy a delicous brunch. Order Monisha's Author's Choice: French toast with a mimosa OR the Egyptian Omelet with a Bloody Mary, and receive a $5 coupon redeemable on your next visit to Elaine's.

Click here to get your free ticket!

Meet Monisha Longacre: A seasoned operations executive, entrepreneur, in author of "Practical Productivity: A Guide to Surviving Life's Juggling Act." With over three decades of experience scaling and optimizing technology businesses, she brings a uniquely practical approach to both organizational and personal effectiveness. As COO of multiple technology companies, she has consistently driven innovation and growth while maintaining operational excellence. read more...

Meet the Author: Austin S. Camacho is the author of seven novels in the Hannibal Jones Mystery Series (including The Troubleshooter, Blood and Bone, Collateral Damage, Damaged Goods, Russian Roulette, Pyramid Deception and The Wrong Kind) five in the Stark and O’Brien adventure series (The Payback Assignment, The Orion Assignment, The Piranha Assignment, The Ice Woman Assignment and The Lost Art Assignment) and the detective novel Beyond Blue.

His short stories have been featured in four anthologies from Wolfmont Press, including Dying in a Winter Wonderland – an Independent Mystery Booksellers Association Top Ten Bestseller for 2008 – and he is featured in the Edgar-nominated African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study by Frankie Y. Bailey. read more...

Check out our commercial (above) with author Jonathan Payne: A British-American writer based in New York City, Jonathan's first novel, CITIZEN ORLOV, was named a Book of the Month by Apple Books. It won the 2024 IBPA Silver Medal for Mystery/Thriller and the 2024 IPPY Bronze Medal for Suspense/Thriller. Payne previously worked in national security for the British government. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Novel Writing from Middlesex University, London. His short fiction has been featured at the North London Story Festival and in magazines including Turnpike, Twist In Time, and Fiction Kitchen Berlin. Learn more: jonathanpayne.org read more...

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 read more...

About My Clavicle: And Other Massive Misalignments — On an international flight to a conference, the author Marta Sanz notices a tiny bump beneath her skin, just below her clavicle, near her breastbone. So begins an inquiry that is at turns a satirical detective story, a philosophical inquiry, a memoir, and pure poetry. In Spanish, the title is Clavícula, which refers to the collarbone, but also makes a direct pun on the word clavé or key. In the aftermath of Marta’s discovery, we realize that something fundamental has changed for her, and that whatever has happened, however elusive, it is something very real. At the same time, the mystery is reflected in everything the author encounters, but especially in the bodies of women, and particularly in those of a certain age. read more...

Meet our guest: Be the change you wish to see is the mantra for author and HR exec Andrea Walton, MBA, Founder & CEO, The Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, Alexandria, VA & Cape Town, South Africa

Who she is: Andrea Walton is a seasoned HR executive, published author, and purpose-driven philanthropist committed to building pathways to education for Black and Brown girls around the world. As Founder and CEO of The Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, Andrea leads with a deeply personal mission-having once been a teen mom who earned her GED before climbing the ranks to become a Chief People Officer in the biotech and education sectors. read more...

Meet the Author: Judy Murray is a real estate broker with a not-so-secret passion for deals, divas, and danger. Her passion for mysteries began with smart girls like Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, grew deeper with not-to-be-ignored women like Miss Marple and Nora Charles, and finally evolved into her own gutsy heroine - Helen Morrisey.

Judy incorporates her extensive knowledge of all things real estate with a passion for the Chesapeake Bay where she now lives at Buoy Two with her husband, fellow real estate agent, and landscape architect John. Their daughter Meghan is a beauty and home design expert and her twin brother John is an attorney working in law enforcement. Learn more: judylmurraymysteries.com read more...

Meet the Author: Called a hard-boiled poet by NPR’s Maureen Corrigan and the noir poet laureate in the Huffington Post, Reed Farrel Coleman is the New York Times-bestselling author of thirty-one novels—including the Nick Ryan seriesand six in Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone series—short stories, poetry, and essays. In addition to his acclaimed series characters, Moe Prager and Gus Murphy, he has written the stand-alone novel Gun Church and collaborated with decorated Irish crime writer Ken Bruen on the novel Tower. read more...

Meet the Author: Mark Thielman writes primarily crime fiction and serves as a magistrate judge in Ft Worth, Texas. His debut novel, The Devil’s Kitchen, was released in April 2025. His second novel, The Hidden River, is scheduled for October 2025. Both books are part of the Johnson and Nance series, published by Severn River Publishing.

Mark’s short fiction pieces have been named to the honor roll of America’s best mysteries on multiple occasions. The Wolfe Pack, the Nero Wolfe Literary Society, has twice named him the recipient of the Black Orchid Novella Award. His story, “A Meter of Murder,” received the award in December 2015. It appeared in the July/August 2016 issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and became Mark’s first published work of fiction. His second Black Orchid Novella Award came in 2017 for “The Black Drop of Venus.” Since then, his many short stories have been published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, and several anthologies. read more...

Meet the Author: Mike Slavin loves to write exciting and fast stories. It’s a new passion since he sold his oil and gas exploration company in 2024. A West Pointer and self-made millionaire, Mike has written seven award-winning business books, including One Million in the Bank: How To Make $1,000,000 With Your Own Business, Even If You Have No Money Or Experience. His fiction titles include Life Changing Money, Spike, Wrong Kill, and Kill Crime. He lives in Houston, Texas, with his wife of almost 40 years; they have two children. Mike also loves to play poker and do anything exciting. Learn more at mikeslavinauthor.com. read more...

Meet the Author: James Stejskal is an author, military historian, and conflict archaeologist. To gain inspiration and research his writings, he spent 35 years serving with the US Army Special Forces and the Central Intelligence Agency in interesting places like Africa, Europe, the Balkans, the Near and Far East. He is the author of the "Snake Eater Chronicles," a Cold War military & espionage thriller series as well as the non-fiction books "Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956–1990" and "Masters of Mayhem: Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz." He lives in Virginia with his wife Wanda. Learn more here! read more...

About the Book: Sins of the Saviors Book 1: Escape from the Culling Box

No one escaped from hell. Until David, who returns to a twisted shadow of the country and family he left decades ago. The 2028 election was our last - democracy traded for an AI-directed utopia. The network saved humanity from existential threats and curbed our violent tendencies, but it came with a heavy price.

As a vestige soldier fleeing a forever war, David must rediscover who he is after the lies that shaped him are torn away. His faith in family, nation, and truth itself is shattered. Now, he must decide whether this new world is worth saving. The elites who saved us must also decide-kill David to preserve control or use him to resurrect free will? Their redemption could plunge us back to the brink of extinction. Again. read more...

When: Thursday, September 25, 2025 from 6-9pm

At Elaine's: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Meet our guest: Be the change you wish to see: Meet Andrea Walton, MBA, Founder & CEO, The Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, Alexandria, VA & Cape Town, South Africa

Who she is: Andrea Walton is a seasoned HR executive, published author, and purpose-driven philanthropist committed to building pathways to education for Black and Brown girls around the world. As Founder and CEO of The Concrete Rose Scholarship Foundation, Andrea leads with a deeply personal mission-having once been a teen mom who earned her GED before climbing the ranks to become a Chief People Officer in the biotech and education sectors. read more...

About The Mapmaker: Resistance operative Charlotte Denneau has critical targeting information for the Allies, and the Gestapo knows it. On the run across occupied France, she must prioritize her mission over the lives of the agents and civilians she needs to help her escape. Germans are taking down Resistance networks with disastrous results. Agents are being arrested, tortured, questioned, and turned. Charlotte never knows whom to trust. She communicates in coded radio calls to London, with the enemy always listening. More than anything, she needs a flight out—before the Nazis drag her to an interrogation chamber. read more...

When: Thursday, October 30, 2025 from 6-9pm

At Elaine's: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About Noir at the Bar: Elaine's fills with writers and readers who love a great noir story. Reading from their books on All Hallows' Eve, also known as Halloween, there's not better way to prepare for All Saints' Day (All Hallows' Day). Join in as the authors share tales from their books that are sure to make you fear things that go bump on the night. Don't miss it! read more...

When: Sunday, October 22, 2025 from 6-9pm

At Elaine's: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About Jonathan Payne: A British-American writer based in New York City, Jonathan's first novel, CITIZEN ORLOV, was named a Book of the Month by Apple Books. It won the 2024 IBPA Silver Medal for Mystery/Thriller and the 2024 IPPY Bronze Medal for Suspense/Thriller. Payne previously worked in national security for the British government. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Novel Writing from Middlesex University, London. His short fiction has been featured at the North London Story Festival and in magazines including Turnpike, Twist In Time and Fiction Kitchen Berlin. More: jonathanpayne.org read more...

When: Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 10am to 4pm

At Made in ALX: 415 King Street, Alexandria VA

About the Festival: Elaine’s Literary Salon is co-hosting the first Alexandria Book & Craft Festival, and I’d like to invite you to attend as a featured author. This is an invitation-only event for authors to meet readers and sell books.

Elaine's will set up tables and tents the square behind Made in ALX, 415 King Street, in the heart of Old Town Alexandria’s Historic District. We’re planning to celebrate 30 authors and 12 artists. The event is free for the public Interested? Join us: $49 Space only (if you own a tent and table) $55 Table and chair rental $20 Tent rental About our Elaine's Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: 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. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com read more...

When: Saturday, October 4, 2025 from noon to 3pm

At Elaine's: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About The Most Dangerous Game: A short mystery fiction anthology

Authors incude: Heather Graham, JD Allen, Shawn Reilly Simmons, LaToya Jovena, Alan Orloff, Daphne Silver, BV Lawson, P.M. Raymond, Maya Corrigan, Kerry Hammond, Shannon Taft, donalee Moulton, K.C. Selby, Stephen M. Pierce, Chris Chan, Sharyn Kolberg, Jane Limprecht, Bruce Kubec, Robert Lopresti, L.L. Kaplan, Rebecca Lugones, and Kirlagh James Click here to learn more about the book! read more...

When: Sunday, Sunday, October 5, 2025 from noon to 3pm

At Elaine's: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

The art of poetry writing is celebrated this afternoon when we'll be joined for readings and interview with some of our favorite poets: John Smith, Rev. Robert Flanagan, and more!

About our Elaine's Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: 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. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com read more...

When: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 6:30-9pm

Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About the Northern Virginia Writers Club: Established in November 2007, the Northern Virginia Writers Club is an affiliate of the Virginia Writers Club serving aspiring and published authors alike in the northern Virginia region. Currently, meetings are hybrid or entirely virtual, usually on the third or fourth Saturday of every month. The club offers workshops, panel discussions, and expert speakers designed to assist members in the art and craft of writing, as well as to support members with the business side of writing. Club meetings, a discord server, social media and a members-only Facebook Group offer members the opportunity to exchange ideas and establish contact with other writers having similar interests. We also have critique groups and beta readers. Learn more here. read more...

When: Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 6:30-9pm

Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About the Northern Virginia Writers Club: Established in November 2007, the Northern Virginia Writers Club is an affiliate of the Virginia Writers Club serving aspiring and published authors alike in the northern Virginia region. Currently, meetings are hybrid or entirely virtual, usually on the third or fourth Saturday of every month. The club offers workshops, panel discussions, and expert speakers designed to assist members in the art and craft of writing, as well as to support members with the business side of writing. Club meetings, a discord server, social media and a members-only Facebook Group offer members the opportunity to exchange ideas and establish contact with other writers having similar interests. We also have critique groups and beta readers. Learn more here. read more...

When: Jan. 11, 2026

At Elaine's: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About Practical Productivity: A Guide to Surviving Life’s Juggling Act

Feeling like you're one dropped ball away from everything crashing down? No matter how skilled we are at managing our time, we inevitably face more demands than we can handle, each obligation yet another piece of an ever-expanding puzzle. Practical Productivity is your battle-tested guide to mastering life's most challenging juggling act. From handling multiple executive roles and founding Productivity 101, to managing a household with two children and a traveling spouse, Monisha Longacre has mastered the moves that keep all the pieces in play while knowing which ones can wait their turn. Perfect for busy professionals, parents juggling multiple responsibilities, entrepreneurs building their dreams, or anyone seeking to accomplish more without sacrificing what matters most. This isn't another abstract productivity philosophy – it's an actionable playbook organized into six critical domains: Your Time, Your Lists, Your Stuff, Your Day, Your Life, and Your Effectiveness. Each section provides concrete, immediately applicable strategies that you can test or try for yourself. read more...

When: Thursday, August 17, 2025 • Noon to 2pm

At Elaine's: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Meet the Author: Kenneth Dekleva is a practicing psychiatrist in Dallas, TX, who served as a physician-diplomat with the US government during 2002-2016, mostly overseas, including Moscow, Mexico City, New Delhi, Vienna, and London. He has traveled to over 70 countries worldwide, and speaks Spanish, Serbian, Slovene, Russian and German. Learn more here.

About: The Russian Diplomat’s Wife

The unlikely protagonists of this new novel, set in Vienna, Austria - the city of spies - are a deep-cover American intelligence officer and a Russian woman, who have a chance encounter in a museum in Vienna, while viewing a Klimt painting. This encounter - a perfect spy recruitment - leads to further encounters, mystery, romance, and finally, tragedy and redemption. Along the way, the American’s agents - he is nicknamed Copernicus and they are named after planets - begin dying in Russia, Europe, and North Korea. Copernicus’ engagements with the Russian woman thereby draw further attention, from the CIA, Mossad, and Russia’s GRU, who are hunting down his agents. Eventually, Copernicus and the Russian woman are also tracked by a deep-cover Mossad officer, who offers his own enticements. The action and scenes in this powerful, psychologically nuanced espionage novel by Kenneth Dekleva - himself a former diplomat and psychiatrist with vast overseas experiences and travels - play out in Austria, America, Russia, Israel, and other European countries, leading to a deeply-moving denouement. Click here to buy the book! read more...

When: Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 6:30-9pm

Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About the Northern Virginia Writers Club: Established in November 2007, the Northern Virginia Writers Club is an affiliate of the Virginia Writers Club serving aspiring and published authors alike in the northern Virginia region. Currently, meetings are hybrid or entirely virtual, usually on the third or fourth Saturday of every month. The club offers workshops, panel discussions, and expert speakers designed to assist members in the art and craft of writing, as well as to support members with the business side of writing. Club meetings, a discord server, social media and a members-only Facebook Group offer members the opportunity to exchange ideas and establish contact with other writers having similar interests. We also have critique groups and beta readers. Learn more here. read more...

When: Aug. 9, 2025 from noon to 3pm

At Elaine's: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About the Book-to-Film Seminar: Adapting Your Work for the Screen

Have you always wanted to adapt your novel for the movies or TV? What does it take to turn your story into a script that's ready to be filmed? And how do you reach the right people to make your Hollywood dreams a reality? Learn more about how to adapt your work for the big or small screen with screenwriter and fiction writer Adam Meyer. Adam has adapted screenplays based on novels by bestselling authors and also written more than two hundred hours of television for Lifetime, Discovery, National Geographic and more, including the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Made With Love. read more...

When: Sunday, August 3, 2025, 6-9pm

Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About the Book: Dog's Breakfast Click here to buy Dog's Breakfast! takes the reader behind the scenes as intrigue erupts in a backwater U.S. Embassy when Andy Pulano the second-in-command becomes fed up with being treated with less respect than the ambassador's prized Labrador. Craving career advancement Andy sets out to undermine his boss by instigating a series of crises in their host country of Vodania which hardly needs any outside help in falling apart. After someone attempts to poison the Labrador Andy secretly assigns Tara Zadani a newly arrived junior officer to investigate.Never having signed up to be a doggie detective Tara suspects she's been set up to fail. If so Andy just invited the wrong girl to the prom. His machinations create enough chaos to put the ambassador on the verge of being sent home in disgrace. Then Tara makes a discovery that puts Andy's entire scheme - and his fevered hopes for a promotion — at risk. read more...

When: August 1, 2025, noon to 3pm

Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About the Sisters in Crime: The Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime, a chapter of the international organization Sisters in Crime, includes authors, readers, agents, editors, booksellers, and librarians sharing a love for the mystery genre and our support of women who write mysteries. This chapter covers Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington DC but we welcome all mystery lovers. Please join in for a meeting! Learn more: chessiechapter.org read more...

When: Wednesday, July 30, 2025, 6:30-9pm

Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About the Northern Virginia Writers Club: Established in November 2007, the Northern Virginia Writers Club is an affiliate of the Virginia Writers Club serving aspiring and published authors alike in the northern Virginia region. Currently, meetings are hybrid or entirely virtual, usually on the third or fourth Saturday of every month. The club offers workshops, panel discussions, and expert speakers designed to assist members in the art and craft of writing, as well as to support members with the business side of writing. Club meetings, a discord server, social media and a members-only Facebook Group offer members the opportunity to exchange ideas and establish contact with other writers having similar interests. We also have critique groups and beta readers. Learn more here. read more...

When: July 31, 2025, 6-9pm

At Elaine's: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

About the Book: Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder

Charming yet wickedly imaginative mystery ghostwriter Maeve Gardner finds herself at the center of a murder investigation with more twists and turns than any story she's ever written, perfect for fans of Anthony Horowitz and Richard Osman.

Maeve Gardner kills people for a living. A dodgy occupation perhaps, but as ghostwriter for the long-running Simon Hills mysteries, Maeve has planned the perfect murder time and again, and she enjoys it. She dreams of writing something under her own name someday rather than babysitting her adopted character Simon, but at least she’s writing. And as one of the burnt-out souls who’ve run away from dry land to live on London’s waterways, she has the joy of working from the home she loves: a colorful houseboat. Life on the canals is grand, but when her cheating ex-boyfriend turns up floating facedown in the water outside her boat, murdered, and the police arrest her, the plot takes a wayward turn. read more...

June 26, 2025 — It was a special treat today at Elaine's Literary Salon, where host of the show Jeffrey James Higgins launched his new book, The Havana Syndrome. This is Volume 1 in a 4-part (maybe more) series by the bestselling thriller novelist. "I wanted to write a story about what happens when devotion and duty collide, giving my protagonist — FBI Agent Nathan Burke — a heart-pounding challenge to uncover a global conspiracy to save his wife, and the nation," explains Jeff, whose critically-acclaimed books are refered to as "pulse-pounding and a must-read." read more...

This week at Elaine's Literary Salon we meet Sarah DeBlock, author of the 2025 memoire, The Year of Sarah.

About the author: Sarah has an amazing back story. This yogi and entrepreneur who published her first novel in 2025 was introduced to yoga in 2011 when she was majoring in Chemical Engineering.

"During some difficult semesters, I was lucky to discover yoga’s incredible stress-relieving benefits and contribute these yoga classes to help me through the high-pressure environment I faced," she explains, noting that in 2015, she again experienced the healing force of yoga when she met yoga therapists at Rasa Yoga who helped her heal sciatica pain that had been ongoing for five years. Her passion for yoga was already immense, but this solidified her desire to train in-depth in yoga therapy for self-transformation and pass on this knowledge. read more...

This week at Elaine's Literary Salon, we meet critically acclaimed bestselling author John Gilstrap and learn about his newest novel, Burned Bridges.

About the author and his books: When John Gilstrap's first novel, Nathan's Run, hit the market in 1996, it set the literary world on fire. Publication rights sold in 23 countries, the movie rights were scooped up at auction by Warner Bros., and John changed professions. A safety engineer by training and education, he specialized in explosives and hazardous materials, and also served 15 years in the fire and rescue service, rising to the rank of lieutenant. read more...

This week at Elaine's Literary Salon we meet the author of Courage to Thrive: Finding Joy and Hope in the Midst of Mental Health Struggles, Rev. Dr. Robert D. Flanagan, also known as Father Bob.

About the author: An esteemed Episcopal priest and author, Father Bob has dedicated his life to spiritual transformation and caring for others. With a profound connection to his faith and an unwavering commitment to helping those in need, he has touched countless lives through his ministry, writings, and teachings. Bob’s book, “Letters of an Unexpected Mystic," was a 2023 Selah Book Award finalist in the Bible study category. read more...

"In this dark, twisted tale of sex, drugs, and murder, in the book, Tom compellingly exposes the intrigue behind every locked door, our secret desires and fears, the what-ifs, and the meandering paths we take to find the truth," explains I.S. Berry, an Edgar Award-winning author of The Peacock and the Sparrow, of Tom Milani's new novel, "The Places that are Gone."

About the book: For Bennett Wilder, every day is the same-head to work, do his job, and come home to his increasingly distant wife. As a man who values routine, Bennett surprises even himself when he picks up Liz Messina, a pretty hitchhiker, on his morning commute. As he quickly learns, she's got a young child, a dark past, and a debt that needs to be repaid-or else. Even though he knows it's risky, he decides to take a chance and help Liz out. But when her trouble turns out to run even deeper than he realizes, Bennett and Liz find themselves facing off against dangerous drug dealers and fighting for their lives. Bound by bloodshed and facing a road full of wrong turns ahead, Bennett calls on an old friend with ties to a past he would rather leave hidden, as he and Liz try to decide how far they'll go to turn the tables on their pursuers-and, if they're lucky, save their own lives. Click here to buy the book. read more...

This week at Elaine's Literary Salon we meet Glenn Cook, an Alexandria, VA-based writer and photojournalist whose work has appeared in national magazines and in newspapers across the U.S. He talks today with our show host Jefferey James Higgins about his book, Keep Your Distance: Walking Through the First Year of COVID.

A photography book that examines events in four cities — Alexandria and Richmond, Va., Washington, D.C., and New York City — the photojournalist walked almost 4,000 miles from March 2020 to March 2021, shooting images of day-to-day life, protests and their aftermath during this historic and tumultuous period in U.S. history. read more...

Welcome to Elaine's Literary Salon: Today we meet the award winning author of historical young adult fiction, Christine Kessides, who wrote her debut novel set in the WWI era about German immigrants in Pittsburgh — MAGDA, STANDING (published by Bold Story Press in June 2023). And now, under the name Christine Kessides, she has released her first children’s book, A TAIL TALE (published by Atmosphere Press on January 7, 2025).

On today's episode of Elaine's: Host Jeffery James Higgins asks Christine about her journey to become an author, why historical fiction is a passion of hers, and what inspired her to write a children's book about tails. Don't miss it! read more...

May 2025: In "Street Whys," the newest novel by award-winning noir author Christopher Chambers, we again meet Washington, DC’s notorious detective, former street denizen Dickie Cornish, who faces off with bloodthirsty cops and the justice department. Underground detective Dickie Cornish faces a vindictive murder rap from his past if he doesn’t agree to help prove that the fentanyl ravaging the streets of DC is bankrolled by shadowy donors of a certain former president. Broke and desperate, Cornish soon finds himself on a collision course with shady public defenders and corrupt police officers, forcing him to use his street connections to flip their plan. Or die. read more...

Today at Elaine's Literary Salon, meet Dr. Mark Bailey, who writes about the intersection between artificial intelligence, complexity, and national security. He is an Associate Professor at the National Intelligence University, where he is the Department Chair for Cyber Intelligence and Data Science, as well as the Director of the Data Science Intelligence Center.

His new book is Unknowable Minds: Philosophical Insights on AI and Autonomous Weapons.

"Imagine that in the cold heart of a secret military facility, a new form of intelligence awakens," shares Mark. "It is a synthetic mind born from intricate algorithms and complex computations, operating in ways unfathomable to its human creators. Charged with safeguarding national security, this intelligence orchestrates strategies that defy human ethics and laws of war, leaving its creators both awed and unnerved." read more...

March 15, 2025 — Today at Elaine's Literary Salon in Alexandria, VA meet author Bill Rapp, who began his professional life as an academic, teaching European History at Iowa State University. A graduate of Notre Dame (B.A.), The University of Toronto (M.A.) and Vanderbilt (Ph. D.), Bill has always been particularly intrigued by German history, but the last 35 years working for the U. S. Government has broadened his perspective to all of Europe and much of the Middle East. His career has taken him around the world, including to Berlin as the Wall fell and Germany was reunified. Bill Rapp’s books include the mystery novels Angel in Black, A Pale Rain, Burning Altars, Berlin Breakdown, Tears of Innocence, and The Hapsburg Variation. read more...

When does the killing of political leaders become morally justifiable? Killing the Hitlers, Stalins and Pol Pots of the world is easy to justify. Murderous tyrants need to be killed. But what if our leaders are merely idiots, or perhaps corrupt, petty tyrants who aren’t in the same league as Hitler, Stalin or Pol Pot? How much damage can we allow them to do, how many of our rights can we allow them to take away, before killing them becomes justifiable homicide? read more...

February 15, 2025: Meet Mike Henrich is a career educator who taught a variety of subjects to a variety of learners in his Southeast Virginia hometown, in the South Pacific, and in the DC area. He has been in the classroom for over 40 years as a student and teacher and keeps pointing to the splendor and potential of education even while kids, society, and he changes.

His powerful 2023 book, Teacher Boy, is a collection of personal anecdotes from his 1980s childhood, '90s adolescence, and a teaching career that started at the turn of the millennium and continued through the pandemic. read more...

Feb. 1, 2025 — Children's book author Karen Leggett Abouraya is the star of on Elaine's Literary Salon show.

Author Karen: A native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Karen grew up surrounded by writing and books: her father was a journalist and her mother a school librarian. Karen then became an award-winning broadcast journalist for more than two decades. She began reviewing and discussing children’s books on ABC WMAL Radio in Washington, DC, and reviewed children’s books and interviewed authors for the Washington Post, New York Times, the Baltimore Sun, Children’s Literature, Washington Parent, and others. read more...

Jan. 15, 2025: Today at Elaine's Literary Salon — Writing books is a passion for attorney Timothy Trainer who for more than three decades focused on intellectual property issues in his day job. He has worked in government agencies and in the private sector and his assignments have taken him to 60 countries around the world.

"He found time to pen a few non-fiction tomes, including his first book, Customs Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights; the 15th edition was published in 2022," shares Jeffery James Higgins, host of the Elaine's Literary Salon show, in his introduction of Tim at today's event. "Thomson Reuters’ Aspatore Books published Tim’s next title in 2015, Potato Chips to Computer Chips: The War on Fake Stuff. But fiction was a genre Tim always wanted to try." read more...

Hello and welcome to today's episode of Elaine's Literary Salon, hosted by award-winning author and restauranteur Jeffery James Higgins, we meet Jeff Markowitz, author of "The Other."

Their interview tells the tale of this important book that offers parallel narratives that touch upon several fascinating ideas, including the reach of Nazism—even in rural America—during WWII, the lasting impacts of the January 6 insurrection on today’s world, and the similarities between two time periods each burdened with an oppressive sense of dread. Don't miss it! About Jeff: Elaine's Literary Salon is the author of five mysteries, including the award-winning dark comedy, "Death and White Diamonds." read more...

March 1, 2025: If you are a bibliophile, author, or have always dreamed of penning a book, you will love to meet Jeffrey James Higgins, host of Elaine's Literary Salon.

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 #1 Amazon bestselling author on a mission to help fellow writers share their stories.

The author of The Forever Game, Furious and Unseen, Jeff has a reputation for high-stakes, no-frills drama with this taut thrillers that reviewers say do not contain an ounce of fat. Fans know every line of dialogue is a gut punch, and yet he can make a landscape come alive with a single high-impact sentence. Consider this one: “The pier was a mishmash of pulleys and taught metal lines, and it smelled of diesel fumes and saltwater.” read more...