Local literary luminaries light up Fantagraphics Bookstore on Sunday, April 2 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Danny Bland, Tom Hansen, and Jonathan Evison have deep roots in Seattle’s punk rock music scene. They’ll be joined by Phoenix author Brian Jabas Smith reading from his new book Spent Saints & Other Stories.
Tom Hansen has a long association with Seattle’s music scene, having performed in some of the seminal punk bands of the early 80s. His sensational 2010 autobiography, American Junkie, launched an unlikely literary career that includes the novel This is What We Do. Jonathan Evison also has a background in Northwest punk. As a teenager he fronted March of Crimes, which included future Soundgarden member Ben Shepherd and Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard. His debut novel, All About Lulu, won the Washington State Book Award. He subsequently authored acclaimed books including West of Here and The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving (recently adapted to film as The Fundamentals of Caring starring Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez.) Danny Bland relocated from Phoenix to Seattle and landed a job as the first employee of the fledgling Sub Pop record label just as the grunge phenomenon was gaining momentum. He also performed in several bands including the Dwarves, Cat Butt and Best Kissers in the World. His first novel, In Case We Die is loosely based on those experiences. Bland’s Arizona colleague similarly performed with punk bands like Beat Angels and GAD. He’ll read from his new collection of punk noir.
The short readings will be followed by a panel discussion on the influence of punk ethos on the authors’ work and other topics. Meet these fascinating writers on Sunday, April 2, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Fantagraphics Bookstore is located at 1201 S. Vale Street in the heart of Seattle’s colorful Georgetown arts community. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206-658-0110