Welcome to our new podcast/video show, Elaine’s Literary Salon, hosted by bestselling author Jeffrey James Higgins

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.”

Jeff’s 2024 novel, The Forever Game, gives us characters that are so likable, and so on the ropes, that their day-to-day fight for survival is what makes this a page-turner. There’s no indication yet that Higgins is planning a series, but we would love to see one centered around this book’s main character, DEA Special Agent Adam Locke. As it stands, what separates Locke from the Jack Reachers of the literary landscape is his hearty, seemingly natural exploration of deeper themes. In this case, it’s nothing less than the future of immortality.

Jeff is a former reporter and retired supervisory special agent who has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received both the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor.

Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, New York Times, Fox News, Investigation Discovery, Declassified, and USA Today, and has won numerous literary awards, including the PenCraft Book Awards Fiction Book of the Year and a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal.

Today, Inkandescent Radio + TV producer and founder Hope Katz Gibbs, turns the mike to Jeff. We learn about his background, inspiration, and why he and his wife Cynthia (pictured above) opened a restaurant in the heart of Old Town. Don’t miss it!

Check out the live Literary Salon events here. And check back for new episodes of Elaine’s Literary Salon on Inkandescent.tv and listen to all the podcasts on InkandescentRadio.com.

Elaine’s Literary Salon

About Elaine’s: Elaine’s modern Mediterranean cuisine is based on exquisite food found in Alexandria, Egypt. The unique style is best described as Middle Eastern with French, Greek, and Italian influences. Elaine’s is located at 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. The 1880 building, the previous home of Bilbo Baggins for 38 years, has been completely renovated with a new look and feel. The restaurant is located in the heart of Old Town’s Historic District within sight of the Potomac River. Founders Park, The Torpedo Factory Art Center, and Old Town Alexandria Waterfront are only blocks away. Elaine’s is named after the owner’s grandmother. When the owner was twelve years old in Cairo, Egypt, she promised her grandmother that one day she would own a restaurant and name it after her. The owner is proud to share her family’s recipes with the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Make a reservation today: elaines-restaurant.com.