Latest Events in Bothell(July Updated)

The Godfather meets West Side Story in this twisty, darkly romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd. A dangerous blast sends a girl into hiding to escape a deadly family feud...Third Place Books welcomes the return of Christina Doddto our Lake Forest Park storefor a discussion of her new book, Girl Anonymous, a romantic thriller about a woman who has been trying to escape the deadly feud her mother ignited years ago with devastating consequences—and with one explosion, she’s drawn right back in. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. About Girl Anonymous. . .Romeo and Juliet meets Sandra Brown with a dash of “The Godfather” in this romantic thriller about a woman who has been trying to escape the deadly feud her mother ignited years ago with devastating consequences—and with one explosion, she’s drawn right back in. Maarja Doe owns a moving company that’s been hired to move Mrs. Bouchard’s precious paintings and objects to her new home in Montana. The Bouchards are the undisputed leaders of an Old World/New World crime syndicate that is slowly transitioning into legitimate business, but those old values of revenge and retribution are alive and well. Maarja knows that for a fact because twenty three years ago, her mother ignited an explosion that killed herself and Mrs. Bouchard’s husband and it’s haunted Maarja ever since. For she was there that day too… Mrs. Bouchard doesn’t seem to recognize her, but her son, Dante, watches Maarja closely and has a million questions . Questions that seem benign but she knows he doesn’t miss anything. He was there that day too and she remembers him—his arrogance, his curiosity, his judgment. And just as they’re all about to part, the move completed, Maarja is standing with Mrs. Bouchard when she hears a crash…and then the roar of an explosion. Mrs. Bouchard saved her life all of those years ago and Maarja is determined to return the favor and get her out of the burning building. But when Mrs. Bouchard dies in Dante’s arms, Maarja loses control. She hoped she could escape the past, that the overwhelming fear she lived with on a daily basis would eventually subside. But it all comes roaring back—the desperate sound of her mother’s voice, the feel of the flames on her face, the panic that every moment could be her last. Dante Bouchard was there that day too. And this second explosion binds them even closer together than the first one did. They’ve both known unfathomable loss and grief and they both know that the people responsible for this second blast aren’t finished yet. Maarja and Dante are still alive and they won’t rest until that’s no longer the case. New York Times bestselling author Christina Doddwrites “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (ALA Booklist,) and much to her mother’s delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. Please accept Christina's invitation to enjoy her newsy, funny, book-centric mailings at christinadodd.com (yes, she is the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover.) About Third Place Books Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Kim Fay will be presenting 'Kate & Frida: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Books' at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park on March 18, 2025. This event offers a unique opportunity to delve into the world of Kate and Frida as they navigate the intricacies of friendship, food, and literature. Join Kim Fay as she discusses her latest work and invites attendees to explore the themes that bring these characters to life. The venue, located at 17171 Bothell Way Northeast #A101, promises a cozy setting for an evening of literary exploration. Don't miss this chance to immerse yourself in a captivating story that celebrates the joys of companionship and culinary delights.

Third Place Books welcomes back local author Susan Meissnerto our Lake Forest Park store! She will be discussing her new novel, A Map to Paradise, called A tale both tender and touching, about three complex and damaged women who despite their outward differences are all searching for that elusive thing called a home, by Kate Quinn, author of The Briar Club. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. Registration is recommended in advance. About A Map to Paradise. . .With her name on the Hollywood blacklist and her life on hold, out-of-work starlet Melanie Cole has little choice in company. There is her next-door neighbor, successful screenwriter Elwood, but his agoraphobia allows only for short conversations through the windows. He’s the closest thing she has to a friend in her exile, though, as she and her maid, Eva, an immigrant from Eastern Europe, rarely make conversation. Then they both happen to spot Elwood’s sister-in-law and caretaker, June, digging in his rose garden one morning just before dawn. After that they don’t see Elwood at all anymore. Where could a man who never leaves the house possibly have gone? Has something happened to Elwood? The two women can’t help trying to find out. But as they sneak up on and into June’s life, they discover an unexpected secret, and then a shared goal that's even more startling. Susan Meissner is a former managing editor of a weekly newspaper and an award-winning columnist. She is the USA Today bestselling author of Only the Beautiful, The Nature of Fragile Things, The Last Year of the War, As Bright As Heaven, A Bridge Across the Ocean, Secrets of a Charmed Life, A Fall of Marigolds, and Stars over Sunset Boulevard, among other novels. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Third Place Books is delighted to welcome Lucy Scoreto our Lake Forest Park store for the launch of her new novel, Story of My Life, the first book in a small-town romance series. Julia Quinn, the bestselling author of the Bridgerton series, will join in conversation. TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY DECEMBER 12 at 7am PST! What you need to know: All tickets include a pre-signed special edition of the event's featured book. This special edition includes gorgeous designed edges, spot gloss on the cover, a map, and chapter POV art.All books will be pre-signed by the author. In lieu of a signing line, this program will include a photo opportunity with the author! No personalization requests.Tickets must be purchased through Eventbrite. Pre-order of the featured book will notgrant you access to the event.If you are unable to attend the event, your book will be placed on hold at our Lake Forest Park store. You may request to have your book placed on hold at our Ravenna or Seward Park location. Please allow time for transfer.Click here for more about our COVID-19 policies for in-person events. Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:Tickets are required in advance. All tickets include a copy of the featured book. About Story of My Life. . .Hazel Hart was a successful romance novelist until a breakup drives her straight into writer’s block. Having failed (and failed some more) to deliver her new manuscript, she’s hiding from the world behind a wall of old takeout containers until her publisher lays down the law. If she misses her next deadline it’s The End. Desperate for inspiration, Hazel impulse-buys a historic home online and flees Manhattan to tiny Story Lake, PA. Upon her dramatic arrival—involving an incident with a bald eagle—she discovers the charm of her new home may have been slightly exaggerated. The house is a wreck and the town is struggling after their biggest employer shut down. Also, since her raccoon-infested home came with a seat on the town council our introverted heroine is stuck with a front row seat to all the small-town shenanigans. But Hazel isn’t worried. Not since all six-feet-three inches of grouchy contractor Campbell Bishop slapped a bandage on her forehead and unintentionally inspired the heck out of her. There’s only one thing to do: Hire Cam and his equally gorgeous brothers to renovate her new spider museum…er…house. Okay two things. A fake date for “research purposes” will really put her work-in-progress on track. Before Hazel knows it, she’s writing a romance novel and living one. At least until the drywall dust settles, the town she’s falling in love with faces bankruptcy, and growly Cam remembers why he can’t live happily ever after. Lucy Score is a #1 New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in a literary family who insisted that the dinner table was for reading and earned a degree in journalism. She writes full-time from the Pennsylvania home she and Mr. Lucy share with their obnoxious cat, Cleo. When not spending hours crafting heartbreaker heroes and kick-ass heroines, Lucy can be found on the couch, in the kitchen, or at the gym. She hopes to someday write from a sailboat, oceanfront condo, or tropical island with reliable Wi-Fi. #1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn loves to dispel the myth that smart women don’t read (or write) romance, and if you watch reruns of the game show The Weakest Link you might just catch her winning the $79,000 jackpot. She displayed a decided lack of knowledge about baseball, country music, and plush toys, but she is proud to say that she aced all things British and literary, answered all of her history and geography questions correctly, and knew that there was a Da Vinci long before there was a code. On December 25, 2020, Netflix premiered Bridgerton, based on her popular series of novels about the Bridgerton family. Quinn is the author of almost 40 books — all romance, mostly novels (some novellas, a graphic novel, and a few that defy easy labelling; please peruse her bookshelf). When not writing, she spends much of her time advocating for causes she strongly believes in. A graduate of Harvard & Radcliffe Colleges, she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Contested City offers a history of state-society relations in Baghdad, exploring how city residents managed through periods of economic growth, sanctions, and war, from the oil boom of the 1950s through the withdrawal of US troops in 2011Third Place Books is pleased to welcome Alissa Walterto our Lake Forest Park store for a presentation of her new book, Contested City: Citizen Advocacy and Survival in Modern Baghdad. Charting the social, economic, and political transformations of Iraq's capital city, Walter examines how national policies translated into action at the local, everyday level. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. RSVP is recommended in advance. About Contested City. . .Contested City offers a history of state-society relations in Baghdad, exploring how city residents managed through periods of economic growth, sanctions, and war, from the oil boom of the 1950s through the withdrawal of US troops in 2011. Interactions between citizens and their rulers shaped the social fabric and political realities of the city. Notably, low-ranking Ba'th party officials functioned as crucial intermediaries, deciding how regime policies would be applied. Charting the social, economic, and political transformations of Iraq's capital city, Alissa Walter examines how national policies translated into action at the local, everyday level. With this book, Walter reveals how authoritarian governance worked in practice. She follows shifts in mid-century housing and urban development, the impact of the Iran–Iraq and Gulf Wars on city life, and the manipulation of food rations and growth of black markets. Reading citizen petitions to the government, Walter illuminates citizens' self-advocacy and the important role of low-ranking party officials and state bureaucrats embedded within neighborhoods. The US occupation and ensuing sectarian fighting upended Baghdad's neighborhoods through violent displacement and the collapse of basic state services. This power vacuum paved the way for new power brokers, including militias and neighborhood councils, to compete for influence on the local level. Alissa Walter is an Associate Professor of History at Seattle Pacific University. She earned her MA in Arab Studies and her PhD in Middle Eastern History from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She traveled frequently to Iraq for her research, and has spent significant time in Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco. Walter regularly volunteers as an expert witness for Iraqi asylum seekers in Washington. Walter has deep roots in the Pacific Northwest: her husband was born and raised in the area, and they are now raising their two kids to experience all the natural beauty that the Northwest offers. Walter is a resident of Shoreline, WA. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Third Place Books is delighted to welcome the return of New York Times Book Review romance columnist and former bookseller Olivia Waiteto our Lake Forest Park store for the launch of her new cozy space mystery novella, Murder by Memory. This event is free and open to the public. Please note: Per request of the author, masks are required to attend this event or join the signing line. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. RSVP is recommended in advance. About Murder by Memory. . .A mind is a terrible thing to erase... Welcome to the HMS Fairweather, Her Majesty's most luxurious interstellar passenger liner! Room and board are included, new bodies are graciously provided upon request, and should you desire a rest between lifetimes, your mind shall be most carefully preserved in glass in the Library, shielded from every danger. Near the topmost deck of an interstellar generation ship, Dorothy Gentleman wakes up in a body that isn’t hers—just as someone else is found murdered. As one of the ship’s detectives, Dorothy usually delights in unraveling the schemes on board the Fairweather, but when she finds that someone is not only killing bodies but purposefully deleting minds from the Library, she realizes something even more sinister is afoot. Dorothy suspects her misfortune is partly the fault of her feckless nephew Ruthie who, despite his brilliance as a programmer, leaves chaos in his cheerful wake. Or perhaps the sultry yarn store proprietor—and ex-girlfriend of the body Dorothy is currently inhabiting—knows more than she’s letting on. Whatever it is, Dorothy intends to solve this case. Because someone has done the impossible and found a way to make murder on the Fairweather a very permanent state indeed. A mastermind may be at work—and if so, they’ve had three hundred years to perfect their schemes... Told through Dorothy’s delightfully shrewd POV, this novella is an ode to the cozy mystery taken to the stars with a fresh new sci-fi take. Perfect for fans of the plot-twisty narratives of Dorothy Sayers and Ann Leckie, this well-paced story will leave readers captivated and hungry for the series’s next installment. Olivia Waite writes queer science fiction, fantasy, historical romance, and essays. She is the romance fiction columnist for the New York Times Book Review. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Drawing from the experiences of real-life giving circles, philanthropy leader Hali Lee challenges our traditional understanding of giving, showing how everyday people can take back philanthropy from the billionaires and make the world a better place.Third Place Books is thrilled to welcome Hali Leeto our Lake Forest Park store for a discussion of her new book,The Big We: How Giving Circles Unlock Generosity, Strengthen Community, and Make Change. In The Big We, Lee argues that the future of philanthropy belongs to community action, specifically giving circles—groups of people who come together to pool their resources to make positive change. Born of traditions of generosity rooted in many of our ancestral cultures, giving circles provide a way for us to overcome our sense of overwhelm at the many problems we face by learning, acting, and giving together. She will be joined in conversation by Stephanie Gillis. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. Registration is recommended in advance. About The Big We. . .Drawing from the experiences of real-life giving circles, philanthropy leader Hali Lee challenges our traditional understanding of giving, showing how everyday people can take back philanthropy from the billionaires and make the world a better place. When you think of philanthropy, what do you envision? Uber wealthy donors? Extravagant galas? In recent decades, philanthropy has come to be seen as something exclusive to those with an abundance of resources. But giving doesn’t have to mean donating millions of dollars. It can be as simple as a group of people who come together to do something good in their community. In The Big We, Hali Lee argues that the future of philanthropy belongs to community action, specifically giving circles—groups of people who come together to pool their resources to make positive change. Born of traditions of generosity rooted in many of our ancestral cultures, giving circles provide a way for us to overcome our sense of overwhelm at the many problems we face by learning, acting, and giving together. Through stories of real giving circles around the country, including her own experience starting the Asian Women Giving Circle, Lee shows us a more expansive vision for the future of philanthropy. One led by people who are refocusing on community, who care about rebuilding the civic space, and who are yearning for connection, purpose, and shared vision. Through these giving circles do we see not only the immense impact we can have in our own backyards, but also the tremendous scope of change we can achieve through the power of collective action. In 2021, Hali Leewas named to Forbes’ 50 Over 50: Impact in recognition of her work as a cofounder of the Donors of Color Network, the first-ever national network of wealthy folks of color, a co-creator of Philanthropy Together, a national collective giving support organization, and as founder of the Asian Women Giving Circle. Her work has been covered by the Washington Post, New York Times, and Good Housekeeping, who called her “The Mindful Giver” and one of “10 Women Over 50 Who Prove It’s Never Too Late to Change the World.” Hali was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in Kansas City. She lives in Brooklyn, New York in the company of her family, a big love of a dog, an old cat, and rooftop honeybees. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

In this third collection, Heather Durham invites you into the lush terrain of a feral human in relationship with the more-than-human world, encountering new insights in the realms of folklore, feminism, ecophysiology, mental illness, and mysticism.Third Place Books is pleased to welcomeHeather Durham to our Lake Forest Park store for a presentation of her new memoir, Sylvan Crone: A Midlife Quest. At once restless and rooted, these lyric forays immerse in a single ecological landscape—in relationship with black bear and coyote, cedar and hemlock, water ouzel and chickadee, salmon and stream—and yet they range far, epic meanderings in the vast and changeable internal wilderness of a lifelong seeker. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. RSVP is recommended in advance. About Sylvan Crone. . .In this third collection, Heather Durham invites you into the lush terrain of a feral human in relationship with the more-than-human world, encountering new insights in the realms of folklore, feminism, ecophysiology, mental illness, and mysticism. Entering midlife as a single, queer, non-mothering, hypersensitive, forest-dwelling hermit in the midst of personal and cultural turmoil, she finds herself continually engaged with the question, who am I, and in these essays discovers twenty unique, profound, visceral, evocative, and still-evolving answers. At once restless and rooted, these lyric forays immerse in a single ecological landscape-in relationship with black bear and coyote, cedar and hemlock, water ouzel, and chickadee, salmon, and stream-and yet they range far, epic meanderings in the vast and changeable internal wilderness of a lifelong seeker. Heather Durham is the author of the 2019 nature memoir Going Feral: Field Notes on Wonder and Wanderlust, which was selected as a Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Nature Writing, and the 2022 collection Wolf Tree: An Ecopsychological Memoir in Essays, which won a Nautilus Gold Award for Memoir in Essays. Heather holds degrees in psychology, ecology, and creative nonfiction, and lives, writes, works, and plays on the traditional lands of Coast Salish tribes in the Cascades foothills of Washington. Learn more at heatherdurhamauthor.com. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

“Literary thrillers just don’t come any better than Ron Currie’s The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne. It’s profoundly serious and terrifying in equal measure.”—Richard Russo, author of Somebody's FoolThird Place Books is thrilled to welcome Ron Currie to our Lake Forest Park store for a discussion of his new novel, The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne, a crime saga like no other, with a ferocious matriarch at its bruised, beating heart and an unforgettable novel exploring love, retribution, and the ancestral roots that both nurture and trap us. Currie will be joined in conversation by Ben Gibbard, best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie rock band (ultra-marathon runner) Death Cab for Cutie. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. Registration is recommended in advance. About The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne. . .A mythic, propulsive novel about the tangled fates of a matriarchal crime family in Maine. Your ancestors breathe through you. Sometimes, they call for vengeance. Babs Dionne, proud Franco-American, doting grandmother, and vicious crime matriarch, rules her small town of Waterville, Maine, with an iron fist. She controls the flow of drugs into Little Canada with the help of her loyal lieutenants, girlfriends since they were teenagers, and her eldest daughter, Lori, a Marine vet struggling with addiction. When a drug kingpin discovers that his numbers are down in the upper northeast, he sends a malevolent force, known only as The Man, to investigate. At the same time, Babs's youngest daughter, Sis, has gone missing, which doesn't seem at all like a coincidence. In twenty-four hours, Sis will be found dead, and the whole town will seek shelter from Babs’s wrath. The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne is a crime saga like no other, with a ferocious matriarch at its bruised, beating heart. With sharp wit and profound empathy, award-winning author Ron Currie, delivers an unforgettable novel exploring love, retribution, and the ancestral roots that both nurture and trap us. Ron Currie is the award-winning author of five novels. He has won the New York Public Library’s Young Lions Award, the Addison M. Metcalf Award, the Alex Award, and the Pushcart Prize. His books have been translated into fifteen languages, and his short fiction and nonfiction have received recognition in Best American anthologies. As a screenwriter he worked most recently on the Apple TV+ series Extrapolations and has developed projects with AMC Studios, Amblin Television, and ITV America. He lives in Portland, Maine, and teaches in the University of Southern Maine Stonecoast MFA program. Benjamin Gibbard is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of Death Cab for Cutie, formed in 1997. The band has since recorded ten studio albums, including, most recently, the critically acclaimed Asphalt Meadows (2022). Gibbard is also one half of the electronic duo The Postal Service, whose sole album, Give Up (2003), is certified platinum and the second best-selling title in the 37 year history of Sub Pop Records. Gibbard released his debut solo album Former Lives in 2012. In 2009, in collaboration with Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt), he released the album One Fast Move or I'm Gone (2009), which also served as the soundtrack to the eponymous Jack Kerouac documentary. He has scored two films: Lynn Shelton’s Laggies (2014) and, along with musician and producer Steve Fisk, the Kurt Cobain documentary About a Son (2006). Additionally, he wrote and recorded two original songs featured in the 2011 remake of the classic film Arthur. Gibbard is an avid ultra-marathon runner and a longterm resident of Seattle, WA. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Riveting! A stranger-than-fiction tale that memorializes the Valencia among the great lost steamships of history—and one lost in the most jaw-dropping of ways. —Daniel Stone, author of Sinkable: Obsession, the Deep Sea, and the Shipwreck of the TitanicThird Place Books is pleased to welcome Rod Scher to our Lake Forest Park store for a presentation of his new book, Ship of Lost Souls: The Tragic Wreck of the Steamship Valencia. This book pieces together the story of the Valencia and her tragic end, weaving together not just the threads of the ill-fated voyage itself, but also relevant contextual history, including the development of radio technologies and lifesaving equipment and services that simply came too late to help the doomed voyagers. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. RSVP is recommended in advance. About Ship of Lost Souls. . .This book pieces together the story of the Valencia and her tragic end, weaving together not just the threads of the ill-fated voyage itself, but also relevant contextual history, including the development of radio technologies and lifesaving equipment and services that simply came too late to help the doomed voyagers. Of all the stories of ships lost in what has come to be called the “Graveyard of the Pacific,” that of the steamship Valencia is among the saddest. In January 1906, the Valencia set out from San Francisco, bound for Seattle with 108 passengers and some sixty-five crew members aboard. Owing to bad weather and the captain’s mistakes, the ship struck a reef eleven miles off Cape Beale on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. Rocks gashed open the ship’s hull, and a series of further missteps soon compounded the tragedy a hundredfold. Only thirty-seven people survived, largely because of a lack of lifesaving infrastructure in the rugged area where the Valencia ran aground. The wreck of the Valencia was an especially tragic one. To begin with, most on board perished, including every woman and child, many of whom had been lashed to the rigging high above the deck in an attempt to save them from the crashing waves. Additionally, the wreck itself was almost certainly avoidable, due almost entirely to navigational errors the captain made. Finally, rescue efforts—such as they were—were hampered by not just the sea and weather but by the mistakes (and some say the cowardice) of the would-be rescuers. Rod Scher is the former editor of Smart Computing Magazine and the author of Sailing by Starlight: The Remarkable Voyage of Globe Star and Leveling the Playing Field: The Democratization of Technology. He is the editor/annotator of recent editions of Joshua Slocum’s classic nautical memoir, Sailing Alone Around the World, and of Richard Henry Dana’s classic Two Years Before the Mast, all from Sheridan House Publishers. Rod began his career teaching high school English and journalism in Oregon and California. After several years in the classroom, he left teaching to become an editor at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in San Diego, California, where he edited a variety of humanities texts and participated in the development of computerized test preparation and textbook management products. Now semi-retired, Rod travels the country in a small motorhome with his wife, Lesley, writing and editing as the opportunity arises. When not on the road, Rod lives in Depoe Bay, OR. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Third Place Books is delighted to welcomeSarah Jio to our Lake Forest Park store for the launch of her new novel, Insignificant Others, a lively, surprising, and enchanting novel that explores the relatable and resonant “what ifs” of life, but most especially, love. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. Registration is recommended in advance. About Insignificant Others. . .“An ingenious and heartfelt love story. I absolutely adored this novel!” —Emily Giffin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Pact What if you could have a second chance to say “yes” to the one who got away? Lena Westbrook, a perfectionist and workaholic, has carefully planned and orchestrated every detail of her life. So when her boyfriend of two years breaks up with her on the night she expects him to propose, she’s heartbroken and confused. Lena flees to her beloved aunt’s home on Seattle’s picturesque Bainbridge Island to lick her wounds and recalibrate. That night, she falls asleep in the guest house. But when she awakens the next morning, she’s no longer in a cottage nestled on the Puget Sound, but rather in a chic Parisian apartment—wearing an expensive silk nightgown in bed with a handsome French man who seems to think that Lena is his wife. From the elegant neighborhoods of Paris to the charming landscape of Kinsale, Ireland, to the sparkling skyline of New York City, and many other unexpected destinations in between, each time Lena awakens, she finds herself somewhere else with someone else. In each experience, she’s given a glimpse of what life might have looked like had she chosen the “road not taken.” And as she becomes more clear-sighted about her past decisions, Lena begins to wonder, were any of these former romantic encounters actually...significant? Marrying the wish-fulfilling romance of Emily in Paris with the high-concept premise of Groundhog Day, Insignificant Others is a lively, surprising, and enchanting novel that explores the relatable and resonant “what ifs” of life, but most especially, love. Sarah Jiois the New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels and a journalist who has contributed to the New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Real Simple, and Marie Claire, among others. She has also appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her husband, three sons, three stepchildren, and two puppies. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Third Place Books welcomes the return of J.A. Janceto our Lake Forest Park store for the release of the eighteenth novel in her Ali Reynolds series, Overkill. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. About Overkill. . .Chuck Brewster, the former business partner of Ali Reynolds’s husband B. Simpson, once carried on an affair with Clarice, B.’s first wife. So when he’s found murdered with Clarice standing nearby covered in blood, it seems an open and shut case. But Clarice swears she’s innocent and begs for Ali’s help. At the same time, someone is targeting Camille Lee while she’s on the road for High Noon. Ali is swiftly running out of time to find the real killer and keep her employee safe in this high-octane thrill ride. J.A. Jance is the New York Times bestselling author of the Ali Reynolds series, the J.P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, and the Walker Family series. Born in South Dakota and raised in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington. Visit her online at JAJance.com. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Discover a world of flavors in this elegantly designed cookbook from Omid Roustaei—the Caspian Chef—featuring 75 mouthwatering recipes that blend Iranian dishes with global cuisines, accompanied by moving stories of Omid’s life and culinary journey from Iran to the US.Third Place Books is thrilled to welcome Omid Roustaei to our Ravenna store for the release of his new cookbook, Bitter & Sweet: Global Flavors from an Iranian-American Kitchen, an elegantly designed cookbook featuring 75 mouthwatering recipes from Roustaei, the Caspian Chef. Infused with moving stories, useful cooking tips, and gorgeous photographs, Bitter & Sweet teaches readers to experiment not only with Iranian dishes but also with the many cuisines and techniques that Omid has explored throughout his career. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. About Bitter & Sweet. . .Bitter & Sweet is an elegantly designed cookbook featuring 75 mouthwatering recipes from Omid Roustaei, the Caspian Chef. Infused with moving stories, useful cooking tips, and gorgeous photographs, Bitter & Sweet teaches readers to experiment not only with Iranian dishes but also with the many cuisines and techniques that Omid has explored throughout his career. His welcoming prose and down-to-earth methods are sure to engage both practiced hands and total newcomers to the kitchen. Recipes include Persian classics like Chicken in Pomegranate Walnut Sauce (Khoresh Fesenjun), Sour Cherry Rice with Petite Meatballs (Albalu Polo ba Ghel Gheli), and Rice with a Crispy Saffron Layer (Polo ba Tahdig) alongside international dishes such as Braised Burdock with Carrots (Kinpira Gobo), Creamy Smoked Fish and Vegetable Soup (Cullen Skink), and Fried Potato and Bulgur Kibbeh (Kibbet Batata bil Lahmeh). Omid Roustaeiis an Iranian-American chef and culinary instructor who has been deeply involved in the culinary world for more than 20 years. Born and raised in Tehran, he attended the School of Natural Cookery in Boulder, Colorado, where he studied the art of intuitive cooking. Omid now balances a career as a psychotherapist with his enthusiasm for teaching and writing. He shares Iranian culture and traditions through cooking and storytelling, using the power of food to foster connections and serve as a gentle form of advocacy and activism. His writing can be found at thecaspianchef.com, and he is a regular contributor to The Kitchn and The Spruce Eats. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Third Place Books is thrilled to welcome the return of Gretchen Rubin—one of today's foremost observers of the condition of happiness and human nature. Rubin will be discussing her latest book, Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives. Drawing from her long studies of happiness, and also from the challenges she’s faced herself, writer Gretchen Rubin has discovered the “Secrets of Adulthood” that can help us manage the complexities of life. To convey her conclusions, she turned to the aphorism—the ancient literary discipline that demands that a writer convey a large truth in a few words. Tickets are required in advance. What you need to know: All tickets come with a copy of the event's featured book.Tickets must be purchased through Eventbrite. Pre-order of the book will not grant you access to the event.If you purchase a book-bundled ticket but are unable to attend the event, your book will be placed on hold at our Lake Forest Park store. You may request to have your book transferred to our Ravenna or Seward Park neighborhood stores.Additional copies of Secrets of Adulthood and other books by Gretchen Rubin will be available for purchase at the store. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:Tickets are required for this event. All tickets include a copy of the event's featured book. About Secrets of Adulthood. . .The right idea, invoked at the right time, can change our lives. Drawing from her long studies of happiness, and also from the challenges she’s faced herself, writer Gretchen Rubin has discovered the “Secrets of Adulthood” that can help us manage the complexities of life. To convey her conclusions, she turned to the aphorism—the ancient literary discipline that demands that a writer convey a large truth in a few words. Perhaps you’re paralyzed by indecision, struggling to navigate a big change, fighting a temptation, or puzzled by the behavior of someone you love; whatever you face, the right aphorism can help. From procrastination to the pursuit of happiness, Secrets of Adulthood is filled with witty and thought-provoking reflections such as: “Recognize that, like sleeping with a big dog in a small bed, things that are uncomfortable can also be comforting”“Accept yourself, and expect more from yourself”“Easy children raise good parents”“What can be done at any time is often done at no time”For anyone undergoing a major life transition, such as graduation, career switch, marriage, or moving, or for those just encountering everyday dilemmas, these disarming aphorisms will inspire you by articulating truths that you may never have noticed but instantly recognize. Gretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential observers of happiness and human nature. She’s the author of many books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers Outer Order, Inner Calm; The Four Tendencies; Better Than Before; and The Happiness Project. Her books have sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide, in more than thirty languages. She hosts the top-ranking, award-winning podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, where she explores practical solutions for living a happier life. Raised in Kansas City, Rubin lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Third Place Books and the North Cascades Institute present Jennifer Hahn as part of our Spring 2025 Nature of Writing series! Hahn will be discussing her new cookbook and foraging guide, Pacific Harvest: A Northwest Coast Foraging Guide, introducing both novice and more experienced foragers to the Pacific Coast’s ample and diverse edible species. This event is free and open to the public. This event is co-sponsored by the North Cascades Institute, a nonprofit conservation organization working to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature. Learn more at ncascades.org. For important updates, registration is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. Registration is recommended in advance. About Pacific Harvest. . .Discover the Pacific Coast’s tastiest wild delicacies from the beach, field, and forest! Highlights 70-plus edible species including seaweeds, beach vegetables, shellfish, mushrooms, berries, trees, ferns, and wild and weedy greens Includes more than 60 recipes, plus tips for enjoying this natural abundance Key sections describe sustainable harvesting practices Pacific Harvest, written by expert forager and guide Jennifer Hahn, introduces both novice and more experienced foragers to the Pacific Coast’s ample and diverse edible species. Recognizing your local edible berries, flowers, greens, roots, tree parts, mushrooms, seaweeds, beach vegetables, and shellfish is a passport to a comforting sense of place. Hahn shares immersive descriptions of her foraging adventures as well as full-color photos to make identifying these species easy and enjoyable. Each featured food listing includes common names, taxonomy, primary location, description, harvesting details, and culinary tips for transition from the wild to the kitchen table. Select listings call out notable nutrition and wellness benefits, along with contemporary research on conservation status. This coastal foraging guide highlights contemporary and historic wild food uses as well as some indigenous uses of these time-honored foods. It also includes profiles of Indigenous leaders in the traditional foods movement. Hahn emphasizes a sustainable approach to foraging, reminding readers what other beings also depend on these plants and animals as food and shelter sources. Pacific Harvest includes dozens of recipes featuring foraged foods, ranging from no-fuss delights like Salal Berry Scones and Kelp-Wrapped Salmon to comfort foods like Fiddlehead Quiche and Horse Clam Stir-Fry. Jennifer Hahnis an author, scientist, teacher, culinary explorer, and wilderness guide. She teaches sustainable wild food harvesting at Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Western Washington University and leads seaweed workshops for the North Cascade Institute, Salish Sea tribes, and First Nations. Her first book Spirited Waters: Soloing South through the Inside Passage won the Barbara Savage Miles from Nowhere award. A naturalist and guide in Southeast Alaska and the Inside Passage, Hahn lives in Bellingham, Washington. Visit Jennifer online at pacificfeast.net. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

To rebuild their broken family, a pair of audacious tween cousins must confront the long-buried secrets that destroyed it in this upper middle grade novel told from dual perspectives.Third Place Books is delighted to welcome Dori Hillstead Butlerand Sunshine Bacon for the release of their co-written middle grade book, Rabbit Rabbit, in which tween cousins Alice and Bee make space for their friendship and shifting identities while standing up to their far-from-perfect family, with all the love and grace they can muster. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. About Rabbit Rabbit. . .Twelve-year-olds Alice and Bee are practically strangers when their grandparents’ anniversary party reunites their estranged families and ignites their own fast friendship. But their reunion doesn’t last long—Bee’s mother and grandfather are dead set on keeping the liberal Seattle faction of the family away from the conservative Minnesota crew. “It’s complicated,” the grown ups tell them over and over (and over!) again. Bee and Alice grow closer despite their geographical distance, determined to keep their friendship going—and to uncover the big family secret. What happened all those years ago, and why did it tear their family apart? Just when they've started to make progress, the COVID pandemic strikes. Bee and Alice watch as the world shuts down and their loved ones grow further divided along their fractured lines. Somehow, it’s up to the twelve-year-olds to clean up the mess that the grown ups have made. This powerful, timely story cuts deep, touching on recent historic events and intimate family details alike. With an age-appropriate approach, Rabbit Rabbit tackles religion, sexuality, bodily autonomy, and other juicy stuff you're not supposed to talk about at Thanksgiving. Readers will fall headfirst for Alice and Bee as the unforgettable tweens make space for their friendship and shifting identities while standing up to their far-from-perfect family, with all the love and grace they can muster. Dori Hillestad Butler is the author of more than 60 books for young readers including the two-time Geisel Honor award winning King & Kayla series and the Edgar award winning Buddy Files series. Her books have been named to ALSC Notable, CCBC Choice, Bank Street College Best Book of the Year, Junior Library Guild, Chicago Public Library Best Fiction for Younger Readers and many state award lists. She grew up in southern Minnesota, spent 19 years in Iowa, and now lives in Kirkland. Sunshine Bacon is the author of two YA novels. She is a fierce advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She loves prime numbers, tabletop games, roller derby, and any kind of conundrum. As a child, she was drawn to people’s stories, and she remains eager to learn how you met your best friend or got that scar. In her relentless pursuit of stories, Sunshine asks lots of questions and travels widely. She lives in Seattle with her partner and three children. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Learn about PNW native, edible, medicinal plants, their physical, emotional and spiritual healing properties, ethical and spiritual foraging practices, wildcrafting techniques, how to decolonize self and land to heal self and land, and witchy tips for spiritual practice. Please note trails are dirt and narrow at times with uneven terrain. Please email pnwecotherapy@gmail.com with any mobility concerns before purchasing tickets. For more info: www.pnwecotherapy.org/seattleplantclass Indigenous folks attend for free, please email pnwecotherapy@gmail.com to register if that's you Information Source: PNW Ecotherapy: Seattle Nature Classes | eventbrite

Third Place Books is delighted to welcome Portland author and illustrator Rowan Kingsbury to our Lake Forest Park store for a presentation of her new kids' graphic novel, Avery and the Fairy Circle. This event is free and open to the public. Readers of all ages welcome! For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. About Avery and the Fairy Circle. . .Avery’s family has just moved to a small cottage in the forest. She is obsessed with plants and loves exploring nature outside her home until one day she stumbles into a magic fairy circle. Shrinking to the size of a teeny tiny fairy, Avery tries to find her way back home. A young fairy named Birch agrees to help her reverse the magic, but only if Avery helps her complete some fairy chores! Hopefully, Avery can befriend Birch and complete the tasks required if she wants to return home before her parents discover she is missing... Rowan Kingsburyis an illustrator and storyteller dedicated to crafting things full of wonder, warmth, and whimsy. She was raised in the evergreen state of Washington and graduated from the Pacific Northwest College of Art with a BFA in Illustration. Rowan now resides in Portland, Oregon, choosing to stay close to the rainy forests she spent her childhood exploring. Avery and the Fairy Circle is her debut graphic novel – inspired by the magic of those same forests. Besides doodling fairies and running her online shop, she also enjoys cooking up treats, ambling around, and trying to find the nearest cat to bother. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

This is a 2-night course! Hey there! Are you ready to start planning for your retirement but not sure where to begin? Join us at Retirement Planning University at University of Washington - Bothell where we will cover everything you need to know to start preparing for your golden years. From investment strategies to healthcare options, we've got you covered! Date: 2 nights //April 28th & April 29th Time: 6:00 PM Location: Commons Hall - UW2-005 Come join us for a fun and informative evening of retirement planning. See you there! CLICK BELOW FOR EASY DIRECTIONS Click - Directions to the Venue Click - Directions to Parking Click - Walking Directions to the Classroom Looking for upcoming events in your area? Navigate to the Retirement Planning University Eventbrite Page for a list of all scheduled events. Want to join us in the future? Follow the Retirement Planning University Eventbrite Page to receive timely updates on newly posted events. Can't find an event in your area? Reach out to us! By email: info@retirementplanninguniversity.com By phone: 844-476-7353 One of our representatives will be happy to assist you! Looking for more info about Retirement Planning University? Find us at www.retirementplanninguniversity.com for all things RPU! Why you should attend Retirement Planning University: If you’re like most people in or near retirement, you probably get invited to “free dinner seminars” all the time. This. Is. Totally. Different. Retirement Planning University is a non-profit designed to provide far more value than the regular dinner seminar. You’ll get real in-depth training on all the retirement planning topics you need in an educational environment, without the high-pressure pitch ! Retirement Planning University will cover specific topics such as 401(k)s, IRAs, brokerage accounts, taxes, health care, estate planning, etc., but specific financial products will NOT be discussed. The class will be taught by a qualified financial professional who will enhance the learning experience with real-life examples. Along with the 2-night course we invite you to have a complimentary Strategy Session with a trusted advisor. Learn how to optimize different types of retirement accounts to maximize cash flow Find out how you can reduce or eliminate unanticipated estate expenses Discover the impact that tax law changes will have on your retirement income Discover how to avoid the pitfalls of taking retirement income distributions Maximize Social Security Discover which of the 567 ways to claim will get you the most from your hard-earned benefits Combat Market Volatility Learn ways you can reduce or eliminate market losses, and discover the truth about “buy and hold” Reduce Tax R isk See how you may be able to reduce your #1 lifetime expense, taxes, with today’s unique tax-planning strategies Estate Planning 101 Understand the process that ensures your assets stay with your family (not the IRS and the courts) Retirement Healthcare Get clear on your retirement healthcare options without buying expensive Long Term Care insurance Income Planning Create an income plan to help you avoid what most Americans fear: Running out of money in retirement Disclosures: Included in your tuition is the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the course instructor to address your personal questions and apply the course material to your specific situation. This is the equivalent of “Office Hours” in a university setting. This session is not mandatory, but has been described by many as the highlight of the course. Retirement Planning University® is a non-profit organization. It is not sponsored or presented by any accredited University. If you are a Financial Advisor, we ask as a professional courtesy that you do not register for this course. If you are a Financial Advisor and would like to attend as a training course, there is a $2500.00 registration fee for your attendance. Advisory services through Strategic Wealth Investment Group (SWIG), a federally registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Insurance products offered through Strategic Wealth Designers (SWD). SWIG and SWD are affiliated but separate entities. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed is to be construed as solicitation to buy or sell a security of personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Retirement Planning University® is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of investment advice or specific recommendations on investment activities and trading. Retirement Planning University® is not an actual accredited university. Investment Advisory Services offered through Strategic Wealth Investment Group, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Individual responses to persons involving either a securities transaction or personalized investment advice for compensation will not be made without appropriate registration or exemption. Insurance products and services are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed agents in all appropriate jurisdictions. None of the information contained on this website shall constitute an offer to sell or solicit any offer to buy a security or any insurance product. Strategic Wealth Designers is an independent financial services firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of investment and insurance products to custom suit their needs and objectives. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. Any references to protection benefits or steady and reliable income streams on this website refer only to fixed insurance products. They do not refer, in any way, to securities or investment advisory products. Annuity guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Annuities are insurance products that may be subject to fees, surrender charges and holding periods which vary by insurance company. Annuities are not FDIC insured. The information and opinions contained in any of the material requested from this website are provided by third parties and have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. They are given for informational purposes only and are not a solicitation to buy or sell any of the products mentioned. The information is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual’s situation. Information Source: Retirement Planning University | eventbrite

Third Place Books is pleased to welcome Laura Munson for the release of her new book, The Wild Why: Stories and Teachings to Uncover Your Wonder, a book of teaching, and teaching-spirited stories, all centered on how to find our true self-expression and the wonder that spawns it. She will be joined in conversation by Bill Kenower. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. About The Wild Why. . .What is wonder? Wonder is curiosity and awe put together. We are born with our wonder intact. Why? What? How? Wow! Look at that rainbow! What makes a rainbow? Wonder is what we need to survive and thrive, not just as individuals but also as a civilization. It’s what’s lauded and honored by our society in young children. Until it isn’t. The Wild Why calls for an illuminating end to this endemic crisis of self, and a return to what we know at birth and need to reclaim. This is a book of teaching, and teaching-spirited stories, all centered on how to find our true self-expression and the wonder that spawns it. Laura Munson is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of the novel Willa’s Grove and the memoir This Is Not The Story You Think It Is. Founder of the acclaimed Haven Writing Retreats, she has been featured or published in Vanity Fair, Elle, Redbook, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times “Modern Love” column, The New York Times Magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine, and many others. She has appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, WGN, NPR, London’s This Morning, Australia’s Sunrise, and other global media outlets. She lives in Whitefish, Montana. William Kenoweris the author of Everyone Has What It Takes: A Writer’s Guide to the End of Self-Doubt, Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write With Confidence, and Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion, and is the Editor-in-Chief of Author magazine. In addition to his books, he’s been published in The New York Times, Writer’s Digest, Edible Seattle, Parent Map, and has been a featured blogger for the Huffington Post. He also hosts the popular podcasts Author2Author, and Fearless Writing With Bill Kenower. You can find him at williamkenower.com. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

World War II spy, Filipino guerrilla fighter, war hero, Medal of Freedom recipient, leprosy survivor, teacher, peacemaker . . . The legendary and inspiring life and work of Josefina “Joey” Guerrero is introduced to middle grade readers by bestselling author Erin Entrada Kelly.Third Place Books is thrilled to welcome Newbery Medal winner Erin Estrada Kelly to our Lake Forest Park store for a discussion of her new book, At Last She Stood: How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom. Local children's author Tae Keller will join in conversation. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. RSVP is recommended in advance. About At Last She Stood. . .World War II spy, Filipino guerrilla fighter, war hero, Medal of Freedom recipient, leprosy survivor, teacher, peacemaker . . . The legendary and inspiring life and work of Josefina “Joey” Guerrero is introduced to middle grade readers by Newbery Medal winner and bestselling author Erin Entrada Kelly. For fans of Steve Sheinkin and Candace Fleming. Josefina “Joey” Guerrero, a native of the Philippines, was diagnosed with leprosy (Hansen’s disease) as World War II unfolded in Europe and Asia. Soon after the Japanese occupied the Philippines, Joey—believing she would die soon—joined the guerilla movement to complete covert missions in support of the Allies. Because of her condition, she was rarely searched by Japanese soldiers, which allowed her to courier secret messages, including an invaluable minefield map that she taped to her back. She was eventually awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom and admitted to the National Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana, where she lived for nine years. When she was cured and released, she found it difficult to find work because of racial discrimination and her health history and was forced to pawn her Presidential Medal to make ends meet. Eventually, she shed her previous identity. When she died in 1996, her obituary identified her as a secretary from Manila. But Joey Guerrero was much more than that—she was a hero who changed the course of history. Erin Entrada Kelly’s engaging nonfiction debut combines themes of the Philippines, World War II, the Asia-Pacific War, spy stories, Louisiana, immigration, disease and medicine, racism, perseverance, religious devotion, and hope. Illustrated with photographs, maps, and other illustrative material and featuring sidebars that clearly illuminate key moments in history, At Last She Stood is for readers and educators who love Candace Fleming, Deborah Heiligman, Christina Soontornvat, and Steve Sheinkin. Includes an author’s note, source notes, index, and other back matter. Erin Entrada Kelly is the author of the Newbery Medal–winning novels Hello, Universe and The First State of Being, which was also named a finalist for the National Book Award. She received a Newbery Honor for her acclaimed novel We Dream of Space. Erin Entrada Kelly grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and now lives in Delaware. She teaches in the MFA in writing for children and young adults program at Hamline University. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Philippines Free Press Literary Award for Short Fiction and the Pushcart Prize. Before becoming a children’s author, Erin worked as a journalist and magazine editor and received numerous awards for community service journalism, feature writing, and editing from the Louisiana Press Association and the Associated Press. Erin Entrada Kelly’s debut novel, Blackbird Fly, was a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, an ALSC Notable Book, and an Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book. She is also the author of The Land of Forgotten Girls, winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature; You Go First, an Indie Next Pick; Lalani of the Distant Sea, an Indie Next Pick; Those Kids from Fawn Creek, named to numerous best-of-the-year lists; and five popular novels for younger readers, Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey, Surely Surely Marisol Rainey, Only Only Marisol Rainey, Your Turn Marisol Rainey, and Felix Powell, Boy Dog, which she also illustrated. Tae Keller is the Newbery Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Jennifer Chan is Not Alone, When You Trap A Tiger, and The Science of Breakable Things. She was born and raised in Honolulu, where she grew up on purple rice, Spam musubi, and her halmoni's stories. After high school, she moved in search of snow, and now lives in Seattle. Visit her at TaeKeller.com, follow her monthly love letters at bit.ly/lovetae, and find her on Twitter and Instagram. (Photo Credit: Saavedra Photography) About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Twenty-nine of today’s most inspiring flower farmers present stories, how-to-cultivate expertise, and favorite new varieties in a lushly photographed guide to feed your every floral fantasyThird Place Books are pleased to welcome Debra PrinzingandRobin Avnito our Lake Forest Park store for the release of their new book, The Flower Farmers: Inspiration & Advice from Expert Growers. Flower farmers are the Top Chefs of the gardening world, with dedicated social media channels and hundreds of thousands of avid fans who dream about the lifestyle and of having a lush cutting garden of their own. Today’s gardeners follow celebrity growers to gather ideas and expert advice regarding planting techniques and the best varieties and seasonal plants to choose. The Flower Farmers presents a curated group of favorite growers, from industry leaders to pioneering newcomers. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. Registration is recommended in advance. About The Flower Farmers. . .Flower farmers are the Top Chefs of the gardening world, with dedicated social media channels and hundreds of thousands of avid fans who dream about the lifestyle and of having a lush cutting garden of their own. Today’s gardeners follow celebrity growers to gather ideas and expert advice regarding planting techniques and the best varieties and seasonal plants to choose. The Flower Farmers presents a curated group of favorite growers, from industry leaders to pioneering newcomers. Each grower shares their specialty knowledge and seasonal practices so that readers will be able to create a similar relationship with flowers and discover sustainable techniques for their own gardens. Dedicated sidebars dig deeper, with information on everything from raising a unique cultivar to the best floral varieties for long-lasting arrangements. Gorgeous photography illustrates each farmer’s profile, highlighting the beauty of their farms, floral passions, and the flowers themselves. Includes an introduction by Christina Stembel of Farmgirl Flowers (@farmgirlflowers). Debra Prinzing is a Seattle-based writer, speaker and leading advocate for domestic, local and seasonal flowers. Through her many Slow Flowers-branded projects, she has convened a national conversation that stimulates consumers and professionals alike to make conscious choices about their floral purchases. Debra is the producer of SlowFlowers.com, the online directory to American grown farms, florists, shops and studios who supply domestic and local flowers. Each Wednesday, approximately 2,500 listeners tune into Debra's Slow Flowers Podcast, available for free downloads at slowflowerspodcast.com, or on iTunes and via other podcast services. Debra is editorial director and co-founder with Robin Avni of BLOOM Imprint, a boutique publisher that identifies and develops creative book ideas by and about members of the Slow Flowers Movement. In 2016, the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, a farm-to-florist cooperative, honored Debra with the first Growers Choice Award for her outstanding contributions to revitalizing the local floral community. She is a 2016 inductee to the Garden Writers Association Hall of Fame and a 2019 inductee to Professional Floral Communicators International. Debra has authored 12 books, including Slow Flowers, The 50 Mile Bouquet, Where We Bloom, and, most recently, The Flower Farmers (Abrams Books 2025). Robin Avni works with authors and creatives to produce well-organized, informative, and beautifully designed books and publications. She is a creative veteran in the media + high-tech industries, including 15+ years in the media and publishing industry and eight years at Microsoft in design and creative management. Robin has successfully managed innovative, award-winning design teams and high-profile projects as well as receiving numerous national design awards and photo editing honors for her own work. She has produced 18 books, including seven in collaboration with her BLOOM Imprint co-founder Debra Prinzing. Robin received a BA in journalism from Indiana University, Bloomington, and a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship at the University of Michigan, a grant program awarded for outstanding achievement in journalism; she holds a Master of Communication in Digital Media from the University of Washington with a focus on visual communication. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

From Eisner Award-winning author Aron Nels Steinke comes a heartfelt and funny middle-grade graphic novel about friendship, anxiety, and expressing yourself.Third Place Books is pleased to welcome Aron Nels Steinke, author of the Mr. Wolf's Class series, to our Ravenna store for his new middle grade graphic novel, Speechless: A Graphic Novel. This event is free and open to the public. Readers of all ages welcome! For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Tickets:This event is free to attend. Registration is recommended in advance. About Speechless. . .Middle school was supposed to be a fresh start for Mira, who struggles to speak in class even though she can speak at home without a problem. Her former best friend, Chloe, has become her worst enemy, and Mira's only solace is making videos for her secret stop-motion animation channel. But when Chloe's mom has to travel for a family emergency, Mira is horrified to learn that her family has volunteered to let Chloe stay with them. When it feels like everything is going wrong, will Mira ever find her voice? Aron Nels Steinkeis the creator of the bestselling Mr. Wolf's Class series, the Eisner Award-winning illustrator and coauthor, with Ariel Cohn, of The Zoo Box, and is a former classroom teacher. When he's not writing, drawing, or visiting schools, Aron can be found taking long walks with his family and his dog, Ginger, in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. His favorite thing is to go swimming in the Sandy River when it's just barely warm enough to do so. Visit him online at mrwolfsclass.com. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Inside Story is the Western Washington Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' biannual celebration of book creators. This May, SCBWI invites their membership, area booksellers, teachers, and librarians to attend and hear from authors and illustrators. Arrive by 6:30 PM to mingle with friends, peruse and buy books! Speakers will begin at 7pm, including: Jenna Lee-Yun, The Last Rhee Witch and the Nine-Tailed FoxRachel Wilson, How to Pee Your Pants: the Right WayCraig Orback, Passover on EverestWill Taylor, The School for Wicked Witches 2: Wicked Never WaitsVictor Evans, The Double Case of Sticky Fingers: An Evan Sinclair MysteryMartha Brockenbrough, A Gift of DustCurtis Manley, Grace Builds an Almost-Perfect DogAmy Hevron, Poo Pile on the PrairieSuma Subramaniam, V. Malar - Greatest Host Of All TimeSuzanne Kaufman, Dog/HumanVanessa Torres, On the Wings of la NocheMary Boone, Pedal Pusher: How One Woman's Bicycle Adventure Helped Change the WorldDori Butler & Sunshine Bacon, Rabbit RabbitHaving trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. Registration is recommended in advance. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Tuffaha's poems interweave Palestine’s historic suffering, the challenges of living in this world full of violence and ill will, and the gentle delights we embrace to survive that violenceThird Place Books is honored to welcome Lena Khalaf Tuffaha to our Lake Forest Park store for a reading and discussion about Something About Living, winner of the 2024 National Book Award for Poetry. Tuffaha will be joined in conversation by poet Gabrielle Bates, author of Judas Goat. This event is free and open to the public. “Something About Living opens with a single bird and ends in a dazzling meteor shower, and in between lies something of a marvel—an electric and sobering song crackling with possibilities for a homeland fractured and besieged by Empire. Lena Khalaf Tuffaha writes, ‘Love is paying attention,’ and this impressive collection serves as a powerful exemplar of devotion—brilliantly rendered in surprising forms—and profoundly teaches us 'a million ways to love.’” —Judges’ citation, National Book Award for Poetry For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! This event is in partnership with MENA Heritage Month. Join us in coming together with the Middle Eastern & North Africa community to celebrate and share our various cultures, in April 2025 and beyond Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. RSVP is recommended in advance. About Something About Living. . .2025 ALA Notable Book Winner of the 2024 National Book Award for Poetry Winner of the 2022 Akron Poetry Prize It’s nearly impossible to write poetry that holds the human desire for joy and the insistent agitations of protest at the same time, but Lena Khalaf Tuffaha’s gorgeous and wide-ranging new collection Something About Living does just that. Her poems interweave Palestine’s historic suffering, the challenges of living in this world full of violence and ill will, and the gentle delights we embrace to survive that violence. Khalaf Tuffaha’s elegant poems sing the fractured songs of Diaspora while remaining clear-eyed to the cause of the fracturing: the multinational hubris of colonialism and greed. This collection is her witness to our collective unraveling, vowel by vowel, syllable by syllable. “Let the plural be a return of us” the speaker of “On the Thirtieth Friday We Consider Plurals” says and this plurality is our tenuous humanity and the deep need to hang on to kindness in our communities. In these poems, Khalaf Tuffaha reminds us that love isn’t an idea; it is a radical act. Especially for those who, like this poet, travel through the world vigilantly, but steadfastly remain heart first. —Adrian Matejka, author of Somebody Else Sold the World Lena Khalaf Tuffaha is a poet, essayist, and translator. She is the author of three books of poetry: Something About Living (UAkron, 2024), winner of the 2024 National Book Award and winner of the 2022 Akron Prize for Poetry; Kaan & Her Sisters (Trio House Press, 2023), finalist for the 2024 Firecracker Award and honorable mention for the 2024 Arab American Book Award; and Water & Salt (Red Hen, 2017), winner of the 2018 Washington State Book Award and honorable mention for the 2018 Arab American Award. Her writing has appeared in journals including Los Angeles Review of Books, Michigan Quarterly Review, the Nation, Poets.org, Protean, Prairie Schooner, and many others. Tuffaha’s work has also been anthologized widely, including in The Long Devotion (Georgia Press), We Call to the Eye and the Night (Persea Press), and Gaza Unsilenced (Just World Books). She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from the University of Washington and an MFA from Pacific Lutheran University’s Rainier Writing Workshop. Tuffaha lives with her family in Redmond, Washington. Gabrielle Bates is the author of the poetry collection Judas Goat (Tin House, 2023), a New York TimesBook Review 'The Shortlist' pick and a Chicago Review of Books 'must-read' book of 2023. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Bates currently lives in Seattle, where she works for Open Books: A Poem Emporium, co-hosts the podcast The Poet Salon, and teaches occasionally through universities and arts organizations. A Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship finalist, her work has been featured in the New Yorker, Poem-a-Day, Ploughshares, The Slowdown show, and elsewhere. On Twitter: @GabrielleBates. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

This is a 2-night course! Hey there! Are you ready to start planning for your retirement but not sure where to begin? Join us at Retirement Planning University at University of Washington - Bothell where we will cover everything you need to know to start preparing for your golden years. From investment strategies to healthcare options, we've got you covered! Date: 2 nights // May 13th & May 14th Time: 6:00 PM Location: Commons Hall - UW2-005 Come join us for a fun and informative evening of retirement planning. See you there! CLICK BELOW FOR EASY DIRECTIONS Click - Directions to the Venue Click - Directions to Parking Click - Walking Directions to the Classroom Looking for upcoming events in your area? Navigate to the Retirement Planning University Eventbrite Page for a list of all scheduled events. Want to join us in the future? Follow the Retirement Planning University Eventbrite Page to receive timely updates on newly posted events. Can't find an event in your area? Reach out to us! By email: info@retirementplanninguniversity.com By phone: 844-476-7353 One of our representatives will be happy to assist you! Looking for more info about Retirement Planning University? Find us at www.retirementplanninguniversity.com for all things RPU! Why you should attend Retirement Planning University: If you’re like most people in or near retirement, you probably get invited to “free dinner seminars” all the time. This. Is. Totally. Different. Retirement Planning University is a non-profit designed to provide far more value than the regular dinner seminar. You’ll get real in-depth training on all the retirement planning topics you need in an educational environment, without the high-pressure pitch ! Retirement Planning University will cover specific topics such as 401(k)s, IRAs, brokerage accounts, taxes, health care, estate planning, etc., but specific financial products will NOT be discussed. The class will be taught by a qualified financial professional who will enhance the learning experience with real-life examples. Along with the 2-night course we invite you to have a complimentary Strategy Session with a trusted advisor. Learn how to optimize different types of retirement accounts to maximize cash flow Find out how you can reduce or eliminate unanticipated estate expenses Discover the impact that tax law changes will have on your retirement income Discover how to avoid the pitfalls of taking retirement income distributions Maximize Social Security Discover which of the 567 ways to claim will get you the most from your hard-earned benefits Combat Market Volatility Learn ways you can reduce or eliminate market losses, and discover the truth about “buy and hold” Reduce Tax R isk See how you may be able to reduce your #1 lifetime expense, taxes, with today’s unique tax-planning strategies Estate Planning 101 Understand the process that ensures your assets stay with your family (not the IRS and the courts) Retirement Healthcare Get clear on your retirement healthcare options without buying expensive Long Term Care insurance Income Planning Create an income plan to help you avoid what most Americans fear: Running out of money in retirement Disclosures: Included in your tuition is the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the course instructor to address your personal questions and apply the course material to your specific situation. This is the equivalent of “Office Hours” in a university setting. This session is not mandatory, but has been described by many as the highlight of the course. Retirement Planning University® is a non-profit organization. It is not sponsored or presented by any accredited University. If you are a Financial Advisor, we ask as a professional courtesy that you do not register for this course. If you are a Financial Advisor and would like to attend as a training course, there is a $2500.00 registration fee for your attendance. Advisory services through Strategic Wealth Investment Group (SWIG), a federally registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Insurance products offered through Strategic Wealth Designers (SWD). SWIG and SWD are affiliated but separate entities. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed is to be construed as solicitation to buy or sell a security of personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Retirement Planning University® is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of investment advice or specific recommendations on investment activities and trading. Retirement Planning University® is not an actual accredited university. Investment Advisory Services offered through Strategic Wealth Investment Group, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Individual responses to persons involving either a securities transaction or personalized investment advice for compensation will not be made without appropriate registration or exemption. Insurance products and services are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed agents in all appropriate jurisdictions. None of the information contained on this website shall constitute an offer to sell or solicit any offer to buy a security or any insurance product. Strategic Wealth Designers is an independent financial services firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of investment and insurance products to custom suit their needs and objectives. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. Any references to protection benefits or steady and reliable income streams on this website refer only to fixed insurance products. They do not refer, in any way, to securities or investment advisory products. Annuity guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Annuities are insurance products that may be subject to fees, surrender charges and holding periods which vary by insurance company. Annuities are not FDIC insured. The information and opinions contained in any of the material requested from this website are provided by third parties and have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. They are given for informational purposes only and are not a solicitation to buy or sell any of the products mentioned. The information is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual’s situation. Information Source: Retirement Planning University | eventbrite

How is it possible to fear an AI induced dystopian future when we live in a human induced dystopian present? We have trashed our environment, poisoned our political discourse, normalized obscene wealth and extreme poverty, raised taxes to historic levels and created the least happy generation of children on record. Pointing the finger at AI’s imaginary dystopia is hypocrisy that should embarrass us all. AI’s potential to heal humanity’s self-inflicted wounds is reason enough to face these fears even if they were merited. AI has come to us in the knick of time and we need to embrace it with every fiber of our carbon-based being. Indeed, the only dystopian future I see is one where western democracies lose the AI race to bad actors and oppressive autocracies. Winning the AI race is our only hope at reversing otherwise irreversible human catastrophe. It’s disingenuous to imagine AI being worse than humans. In this talk, I present the case for AI being our best (and perhaps only) way out of the dysfunction of modern society. To accomplish this, I tell the origin story of extra-human intelligence with approachable science and zero bullshit. I then delve into the utopian vision of AI creating a world of leisure and abundance before shattering that vision as impractical (history is clear on this point: humans cannot be trusted to do the right thing). We end up in a familiar place where technology creates both evil and good in measures. The great challenge of mankind is tipping these scales in favor of good and the guardrails, laws and safeguards necessary to do this are discussed. You’ll learn: How knowledge escaped its human host and found itself in the clutches of machines How machine “brains” work and why they outperform human gray matter Why AI is so much more powerful than ordinary software How AI can lessen human toil and unleash our creativity How AI can optimize human well being, both mental and physical How AI can create wealth that eliminates the need for all taxation What life could be like as we cohabitate with AI This will be held at the SIDE HUSTLE LOCAL location! 18117 Bothell Way NE Bothell, WA 98011 Information Source: Side Hustle Taproom | eventbrite

Third Place Books is delighted to welcome Diana Mato our Lake Forest Park store! She will be discussing her two latest novels, Rainbow Fair and Force of Chaos. Rainbow Fair is set against the backdrop of a middle school cultural fair, where twelve-year-old Sophie learns about her family's Hui (Chinese Muslim) identity. Force of Chaos is a young adult novel in the universe of the Power Rangers, following teenager Trini Kwan as she takes up the mantle of the Yellow Ranger.This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. For important updates, registration is highly recommended in advance. About Rainbow Fair. . .Set against the backdrop of a middle school cultural fair, this tenderhearted and funny novel fromThe Unbeatable Lily Hongauthor stars twelve-year-old Sophie Hu—who discovers the power of defining oneself as she navigates friendship drama, family expectations, and learning about her Hui, Chinese Muslim, identity. Sophie’s work on the Chinese booth at last year’s Rainbow Fair is a point of pride for herself and her parents, even if Sophie and her best friend, Katie, think the whole thing is a little silly. Sophie’s family is Hui, Chinese Muslim. The Muslim part is something she doesn’t know much about. Her parents prefer to keep it private. So when it gets slipped to an overenthusiastic teacher that Sophie is Muslim, the only Muslim in her class, suddenly Sophie is in charge of debuting a booth representing the Islamic religion she doesn’t practice, an assignment she is determined to keep secret from her parents. Having to choose between leaving the Chinese booth or taking on double the workload leaves Sophie feeling conflicted. Why does she have to choose which part of herself to represent? Is it an issue with her or with how the Rainbow Fair is organized? Between juggling both booths, old and new friends, and learning more about her Muslim faith and ancestry, Sophie notices how her working on two booths starts to spark change throughout the student body. It turns out Sophie isn’t the only one at Monroe Middle School whose identity isn’t so simply categorized by the Rainbow Fair’s limited booths. One thing is for sure: this year’s Rainbow Fair won’t look anything like it did in the past, and Sophie beings to realize that that might not be a bad thing at all. About Force of Chaos. . .From the world of Hasbro’s Power Rangers entertainment franchise comes an action-packed, original YA novel from the point of view of Trini Kwan, the Yellow Ranger. Trini Kwan is trying to get through high school unnoticed. Nobody knows that she has trained for years in martial arts, and she prefers to let her classmates think she’s just the shy Asian girl. But Trini’s world turns upside down when the homecoming game is attacked by an otherworldly winged beast with an army of clay soldiers. Unable to sit by while innocent people get hurt, Trini springs into action—alongside science genius Billy, her childhood best friend Zack, popular jock Jason, and new girl Kimberly. In the aftermath, the five teenagers are recruited by an alien warrior named Zordon to become the new Power Rangers, charged with protecting the planet from an evil sorceress who recently escaped imprisonment. Suddenly thrust in the middle of a millenniums-long intergalactic war is hard enough, but getting her new teammates to work together proves to be a difficult task. Can Trini help the others move past their rocky first impressions—and her own complicated history with Zack—to protect their home from destruction? And will she be able to finally accept her full self—and this new role? Diana Ma is a Chinese American author of Middle Grade and Young Adult books and an anti-oppressive educator. She was a 2019 We Need Diverse Books mentee and a 2021-2023 Highlights Foundation Muslim Storytellers Fellow. Her debut novel Heiress Apparently was a 2021 Washington State Book Award finalist in Young Adult Literature. She teaches at North Seattle College and believes that it’s important for all kids to recognize themselves as the heroes of the books they read. Her belief that diverse books help us create a better world is what drives her writing and teaching. More information can be found about Diana on her website: Dianamaauthor.com About Third Place Books Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

In a tale inspired by Peru’s Andean cosmovision and earth-centered spirituality, Call of the Owl Woman is a gripping coming-of-age story for people who like to immerse themselves in other times, places, and cultures, people who love adventure, and those who are drawn to the mystical and magical.Third Place Books is pleased to welcome K.M. Huberto our Lake Forest Park store for the launch of her new young adult novel, Call of the Owl Woman: A Novel of Ancient Peru. Huber will be joined in conversation by Suzanne Morrison. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. RSVP is recommended in advance. About Call of the Owl Woman. . .In sixth-century Peru, the Nasca people have flourished for centuries, their faith and ingenuity keeping the desert valleys green in a land where water is scarce. But a prolonged drought now fuels dangerous unrest. Cunning sorcerers and brutal priests vie for control, and Water Guardians like Patya’s father, who refuse to favor the powerful, are under attack. Devastated by her grandmother’s sudden death, fifteen-year-old Patya retreats into dance and music. She does not want to become a healer like the long lineage of women in her family before her. Even her grandmother had hinted she was born for something else. But, in the wake of a deadly earthquake, Patya must not only help the healers, she must do things she never thought possible. As she begins to conquer her self-doubts and trust her own sense of justice, she will also have to outwit men of power to keep her little brother from being sacrificed by religious extremists at the coming solstice. As Patya begins to realize and grow into her own power, she also discovers her grandmother’s secret legacy and prepares to step into an unexpected destiny. k. m. huber (Kathi, she/her) grew up surrounded by trees and mountains in the Pacific Northwest. She left her verdant homeland for the desert coast of Peru where she lived for more than 20 years, working as a teacher and librarian while exploring Andean folklore and traditions. She co-created an award-winning documentary about deforestation in southern Peru, and wrote two books published there. Huber's essays, stories, and poetry can be found in Vice-Versa, Earth Island Journal, Post Road, Rougarou, The Macguffin, and Latin America Press, among others. She now lives with her husband in East Tennessee, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. Suzanne Morrison is the author of Yoga Bitch (Random House), which was an Indiebound bestseller, a Crosscut Best Northwest Book and has been translated into seven languages. Yoga Bitch had its start as a long-running one-woman show of the same title, which played in New York, London, and across the United States. A recipient of grants from the Seattle Arts Commission, 4Culture, and Artist Trust, her fiction and essays have appeared in American Short Fiction, Popshot (UK), Litro, Salt Hill, Washington Square, the Chicago Tribune, and elsewhere. She teaches creative writing at veteran centers through the Red Badge Program and is at work on a trio of linked novels. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite

Third Place Books welcomes Dr. Emily M. Bender and Dr. Alex Hanna for a conversation about their new book,The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want. They will be joined by fellow AI researcher Dr. Margaret Mitchell, recognized in 2023 as one of TIME's Most Influential People. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book! Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here. Tickets:This event is free to attend. RSVP is recommended in advance. About The AI Con. . .Is artificial intelligence going to take over the world? Have big tech scientists created an artificial lifeform that can think on its own? Is it going to put authors, artists, and others out of business? Are we about to enter an age where computers are better than humans at everything? The answer to these questions, linguist Emily M. Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna make clear, is “no,” “they wish,” “LOL,” and “definitely not.” This kind of thinking is a symptom of a phenomenon known as “AI hype.” Hype looks and smells fishy: It twists words and helps the rich get richer by justifying data theft, motivating surveillance capitalism, and devaluing human creativity in order to replace meaningful work with jobs that treat people like machines. In The AI Con, Bender and Hanna offer a sharp, witty, and wide-ranging take-down of AI hype across its many forms. Bender and Hanna show you how to spot AI hype, how to deconstruct it, and how to expose the power grabs it aims to hide. Armed with these tools, you will be prepared to push back against AI hype at work, as a consumer in the marketplace, as a skeptical newsreader, and as a citizen holding policymakers to account. Together, Bender and Hanna expose AI hype for what it is: a mask for Big Tech’s drive for profit, with little concern for who it affects. Dr. Emily M. Bender is a Professor of Linguistics at the University of Washington where she is also the Faculty Director of the Computational Linguistics Master of Science program and affiliate faculty in the School of Computer Science and Engineering and the Information School. In 2023, she was included in the inaugural Time 100 list of the most influential people in AI. She is frequently consulted by policymakers, from municipal officials to the federal government to the United Nations, for insight into how to understand so-called AI technologies. (Photo credit: Susan Doupé) Dr. Alex Hanna is Director of Research at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) and a Lecturer in the School of Information at the University of California Berkeley. She is an outspoken critic of the tech industry, a proponent of community-based uses of technology, and a highly sought-after speaker and expert who has been featured across the media, including articles in the Washington Post, Financial Times, The Atlantic, and Time. (Photo credit: Will Toft) Dr. Margaret Mitchell is a computer scientist and researcher focused on machine learning (ML) and ethics-informed AI development in tech. Her main areas of study include natural language processing, natural language generation, assistive technology, and AI ethics. In 2023, she was recognized as one of TIME's Most Influential People. About Third Place BooksFounded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events. Information Source: Third Place Books | eventbrite