A searing, exquisite new novel by the best-selling and award-winning author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists—the story of four women and their loves, longings, and desires.

All tickets include a copy of the new book, Dream Count, which will be distributed at the Neptune on the evening of the event.

Third Place Books is thrilled to welcome local author Neena Viel to our Seward Park store for a discussion of her debut horror novel, Listen To Your Sister, a hilarious and terrifying speculative tale of the nightmares that haunt us, and the deep, powerful love that can tie family together. This event is free and open to the public.

Twenty-five year old Calla Williams is struggling since becoming guardian to her brother, Jamie. Calla is overwhelmed and tired of being the one who makes sacrifices to keep the family together. Jamie, full of good-natured sixteen-year-old recklessness, is usually off fighting for what matters to him or getting into mischief, often at the same time. Dre, their brother, promised he would help raise Jamie–but now the ink is dry on the paperwork and in classic middle-child fashion, he’s off doing his own thing. And through it all, The Nightmare never stops haunting Calla: recurring images of her brothers dying that she is powerless to stop.

When Jamie’s actions at a protest spiral out of control, the siblings must go on the run. Taking refuge in a remote cabin that looks like it belongs on a slasher movie poster rather than an AirBNB, the siblings now face a new threat where their lives–and reality–hang in the balance. Their sister always warned them about her nightmares. They should have listened.

Razor-sharp, wildly imaginative, breathlessly harrowing, and utterly unforgettable, Listen to Your Sisteris a hilarious and terrifying speculative tale of the nightmares that haunt us, and the deep, powerful love that can tie family together.

Neena Viel is a horror writer who lives in a cabin in the Washingtonian woods with her husband and the best dog on the planet. Her passion for philanthropy (almost) rivals her love for ghost stories. Listen To Your Sister is her debut novel.

Join Nic Stone, author of Chaos Theory and Dear Martin. She will discuss the themes in her books while stressing the need for equity, accountability and empowerment in reshaping our society. Nic Stone is a bestselling author and an outspoken racial and social justice advocate. Stone burst onto the scene with her #1 New York Times bestselling debut novel, Dear Martin, which chronicles the story of a 17-year-old Black high school senior, Justyce McAllister, after a bloody run-in with the police places him squarely in the crosshairs of media fallout. Seeking meaning in the events that follow and grappling with racism—and what it means for his future—Justyce writes a series of letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Of this fictional narrative inspired by everyday encounters for young Black Americans, author Jason Reynolds certifies Dear Martin is “raw and gripping.”

Doors open at 3:30pm.

Talk starts at 4pm. Book signing starts at 5pm.

Please register at

Fulfill The Promise: The Rise. The Fall. The Promise, executively produced by Chardonnay Beaver, is a 90 minute documentary exploring the cultural impact of Seattle's Central District, focusing on the late Rev. Dr. Samuel Berry McKinney's efforts to combat systemic poverty through one of the nations first skill-based centers, Seattle Opportunities Industrialization Center (SOIC). His vision lives on with the McKinney Center for Community & Economic Development, launched in 2020.

Film's Featured Topics:

The Great Migration

Redlining

Urban Renewal Program

Mt. Zion Baptist Church, the Black Church.

Rev. Dr. Samuel Berry McKinney, Rev. Dr. Wade H. McKinney

The Social Gospel

Seattle's World Fair

Rev. Dr. Leon Sullivan, Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America (OIC of America)

Seattle Opportunities Industrialization Center (SOIC)

Political leaders: Mayor Clinton (Seattle), President Nixon, President Reagan, Councilman Smith (Seattle), Mayor Rice (Seattle), King County Councilman Gossett (WA), Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (WA)

Crack epidemic in Seattle, Reaganomics

Seattle Vocational Institute (SVI), the closing of SVI

HB 1918, formation of the Central District Community Preservation & Development Authority

The launching of the McKinney Center for Community & Economic Development

Bonus Book Signing: Chardonnay, the producer of the film, will also be signing and selling her newest book Words of Wisdom: A Compilation of Life Principles, Inspired by Truth & Guided by Purpose Vol. 1

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