Top 11 Book & Author Events in Houston: October 2022

Blue Willow Bookshop in West Houston hosts authors and pop-up opportunities in October | Courtesy of Blue Willow Bookshop

Dig into virtual and live book events, the latest appearances by authors, and more with our roundup of book and literary events taking place in Houston in October 2022.

There’s a lot for literary lovers to get into this month, especially as the Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival kicks off, plus you can learn about Black history in Houston, and much more.

Here’s the scoop on what’s happening across the Bayou City this month:

Top 11 Book & Author Events in Houston: October 2022

  • Susan McCauley at Barbara Bush Branch Library in Spring | Thursday, October 1 | FREE – The author of the popular middle-grade Ghost Hunters series will read excerpts from her work in Spring. The event, ideal for ages 8 to 12, should provide a perfectly spooky kickoff to Halloween celebrations. Space is limited. 2pm.
  • Gulf Coast Cosmos presents An Ode to Wash Day at Kindred Stories | Friday, October 2 – A celebration of beauty, friendship and the strength of Black women, as well as a release party for the new graphic novel Wash Day Diaries, this event explores Black hair rituals and includes a writing workshop. $35; includes a copy of the book. 11am.
  • FotoFest presents Creative Conversations: Mark Sealy & Christopher Blay at Whitehall Houston Hotel | Friday, October 7 | FREE – Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) curator Christopher Blay will talk with Mark Sealy about his latest work, Photography: Race, Rights, and Representation. A Q&A session and book signing follows the discussion, which will also include details about the FotoFest Biennial 2022 exhibition at HMAAC, African Cosmologies: Redux. Space is limited; registration is required. 5:30pm.
  • Afrikanah Book Club presents Lit in the Fifth at the DeLuxe Theater | Sunday, October 9 – This day-long event celebrates the African American literary tradition. It includes the launch of author Lindsay Gary’s The New Red Book: A Guide to 50 of Houston’s Black Historical and Cultural Sites, as well as readings and discussions by local Black women writers, workshops and more. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Noon to 5pm.
  • Inprint presents Maggie O’Farrell at Cullen Performance Hall at University of Houston | Monday, October 10 – The author of the best-selling Hamnet is in town as part of Inprint’s Margarett Root Brown Reading Series. She’ll read selections from her latest best-seller, The Marriage Portrait, followed by a discussion with former Houston Chronicle book editor Maggie Galehouse. $30; includes a signed copy of the book. 7:30pm.
  • A Morning with Maria Hinojosa at Houston Public Library | Tuesday, October 11 | FREE – The Emmy Award–winning journalist and best-selling author, Maria Hinojosa will be at the Downtown HPL campus to talk about her new book, Once I Was You, and how she grew to be the first Latina to found a national independent nonprofit newsroom in the United States. 10:30am to noon.
  • Carmen Oliver at Blue Willow Bookshop | Thursday, October 13 | FREE – The popular, award-winning children’s author will sign copies of her latest book, The Twilight Library, which explores the mystery and magic that happens deep in the wilderness when creatures of the night gather. Free, though to have a book signed, you must purchase a copy from Blue Willow Bookshop. 5pm.
  • Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan at Brazos Bookstore | Thursday, October 13 – Jodi Picoult is the New York Times best-selling author of books such as Small Great Things and My Sister’s Keeper. Jennifer Finney Boylan writes for the New York Times opinion section and is the author of She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders and Good Boy: My Life in Seven Dogs. Together, they’ve written Mad Honey, the story of two women who find their lives intertwined in ways they never expected. The writing duo will discuss the work with Houston-based, best-selling writer Katherine Center, author of Things You Save in a Fire. $30; includes a copy of the book. 7pm.
  • Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman at Congregation Emanu El | Thursday, October 13 – The former White House national security council staff member and retired lieutenant colonel will discuss his book Here, Right Matters: An American Story. The book explores his life growing up as an immigrant in Brooklyn, his American military career and facing President Trump’s impeachment trial under intense political pressure. Following the discussion, a Q&A and book signing will take place. $45 and up. 7:30pm.
  • 50th Jewish Book & Arts Festival at Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center | Saturday, October 22 to Saturday, November 5 – Celebrating its 50th anniversary, this annual event offers something for everyone. Authors Liza Wiemer and Samantha A. Vinokor-Meinrath meet for a Wednesday evening teen session to talk about their books that explore classroom dynamics around the Holocaust and American Jewish Gen Z’s coming of age, respectively. There are also family days and more author appearances, including actor Jennifer Grey, who discusses her life and work in her new memoir Out of the Corner, which should prove a must for Dirty Dancing fans. Prices vary by individual event; a pick-three pass is $38, and full festival passes are $110. Times vary.
  • Justin Deabler at the West University Community Center Auditorium | Tuesday, October 25 | FREE – Harris County Public Library and the Gulf Coast Reads Committee host author Justin Deabler who will discuss his novel, Lone Stars, which the New York Times called “desperately affecting.” It follows four generations of a Texas family through an ever-changing American landscape. A Q&A will follow, and guests can purchase the book from Blue Willow Bookshop’s pop-up shop to be signed. Free, but registration is recommended. 6:30pm.

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Holly Beretto
Holly Beretto writes about food and wine, the arts and interesting people for a variety of local and regional publications. In addition to 365 Things to Do in Houston, her work has appeared in the Arizona State University Alumni Magazine, Arts + Culture Texas, Bayou City Magazine, Downtown, Galveston Monthly and Houston Woman. She is also a regular contributor to Eater.com's Houston site. She earned her B.A. in mass communication with a minor in professional writing from Franklin Pierce College (now Franklin Pierce University) and her M.A. in communication studies with an emphasis in journalism from St. Louis University. She has worked in television news production, public relations and marketing in Rhode Island, Maine, New York and Texas. A native Rhode Islander, she has lived in Texas since 1997. She is the author of Christ as the Cornerstone: Fifty Years of Worship at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, published by Bright Sky Press.