Chapter 16
A Community of Tennessee Writers, Readers & Passersby

Sarah Norris

Nashville Bylines

East Side Story, Nashville’s newest bookstore, carries books by local authors exclusively

December 18, 2012 Nashville’s newest bookstore and the only one featuring exclusively local authors, East Side Story is the brainchild of founder and owner Chuck Beard. “It’s great that people come in and see their books on the shelves,” Beard told Chapter 16. “Unless you’re Stephen King or J.T. Ellison, there’s not a guarantee that your book’s going to make it to a shelf” in a more conventional bookstore. The tiny shop has become a gathering place for local authors and readers and recently launched a reading-and-music series, East Side Storytellin’. The next event in the series, featuring a reading by crime novelist J.T. Ellison and a musical performance by Crackerboots, will be held tonight, December 18, at 7 p.m. at Rumours East. The event is free but reservations are required; call 615-262-5346 for details.

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Mischief in Memphis

Steve Stern has written another stellar collection of stories inspired by Jewish folklore

November 28, 2012 Steve Stern is “quite famous for being unknown,” according to The Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper. Since 1983, the Memphis native has published twelve novels and short-story collections; many of them have fallen out of print, but his work invariably receives prestigious awards and overwhelmingly rave reviews. Stern’s latest, The Book of Mischief, is a collection of new and selected stories inspired by Yiddish folklore. The book offers an opportunity for new readers to familiarize themselves with Stern’s work and for loyal fans to revisit some A-list stories and at the same time discover new gems.

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The Bridge and its Tolls

In his absorbing new novel, Knoxville writer David Madden has created a multidimensional tale of murder, deception, and romance in Old England

November 8, 2012 David Madden’s prodigious research—and his boundless imagination and curiosity—are evident everywhere in London Bridge in Plague and Fire. For readers interested in historical fiction, this novel stands out for its multi-dimensional plot, dynamic wordplay, and richly nuanced characters. The book is a treasure trove of entertainment and suspense. David Madden will read from London Bridge in Plague and Fire on November 12 at 7 p.m. in the Hodges Library Auditorium on the Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee. This free public event, part of the “Writers in the Library” series, is co-sponsored by the UT Creative Writing Program.

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The Death Detective

Patricia Cornwell talks with Chapter 16 about The Bone Bed, her twentieth thriller featuring forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta

October 15, 2012 Creator of one of the world’s most popular crime solvers, Patricia Cornwell pioneered the genre of forensic thrillers, opening the door for countless similar books and television shows. Since 1990, her chronicles of Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner, have been published in more than 120 countries and have sold more than 100 million copies. Patricia Cornwell will discuss The Bone Bed on October 20 at 1 p.m. at University School of Nashville as part of the Salon@615 series. The event is free and open to the public.

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Miscarriage of Justice

Damien Echols chronicles his eighteen years on death row, serving time for murders he did not commit

September 18, 2012 In 1993, the bodies of three eight-year-old boys were found mutilated in the woods outside West Memphis, Arkansas, and Damien Echols was convicted, with two other teenage boys, of their murder. Eighteen years later, DNA evidence and the activism of many people who believed in his innocence finally set Echols free from Death Row. He will discuss Life After Death, a memoir about his ordeal, at Nashville’s Southern Festival of Books on October 14 at 1 p.m. in the War Memorial Auditorium. All festival events are free and open to the public.

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Till Death Do Us Part

Gillian Flynn, number-one bestselling author of Gone Girl, talks about the novel’s criminally toxic marriage and its bright future on the big screen

September 6, 2012 Published in June, Gillian Flynn’s new mystery, Gone Girl, was the number-one bestselling hardcover hit of the summer. Rave reviews have described the book as a “dazzling breakthrough” (The New York Times), a “relentless page-turner” The AV Club, an “awesome whodunit” (Kirkus Reviews), and a “thoroughbred thriller.” Reese Witherspoon’s production company has purchased the novel’s film rights, with Flynn slated to write the screenplay. The novelist spoke with Chapter 16 prior to her appearance at the twenty-fourth annual Southern Festival of Books, held October 12-14 at Legislative Plaza in Nashville. All events are free and open to the public.

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