Bookstores plan ‘Harry’ release celebrations

Nothing would please me more than being able to fill this column with Harry Potter clichés.

But that’s not going to happen. We’ve been given orders to avoid hackneyed, J.K. Rowling-inspired phrases as if they were Dementors in debt.

It’s almost as if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is looking over our shoulders. Great Dumbledore’s ghost!

So I’m just going to have to report straight the news that, as you might expect, most of the major bookstores (and at least one art gallery/bookstore) in the immediate area are holding parties Friday to celebrate the release of Rowling’s final installment in the series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” – which retails at a hefty $34.99.

I called all five Hastings stores (including Coeur d’Alene), both Barnes & Nobles, both Borders (including Coeur d’Alene), the Spokane Valley Mall Waldenbooks and Auntie’s Bookstore.

The Tinman Gallery, 811 W. Garland Ave., is holding a “grown-up version for fans who grew up with Harry” (see story on page D1), while Children’s Corner Books & Toys said they aren’t holding a party this year.

All participating stores will start their Potter parties anywhere from 5 to 9 p.m., with events ranging from costume contests to raffles to refreshments. Almost all are free (Auntie’s and Tinman are exceptions) and open to the public, though most require pre-ordering of the book to ensure purchase.

Some preorder dates have passed, but all stores say they should have extra copies to sell. Sales won’t begin until midnight, as the official release date is Saturday.

For specifics about each celebration, call each store individually. The numbers are as follows:

“Auntie’s – (509) 838-0206. Auntie’s charges $5 a ticket with purchase of a book (which it is selling at a 20 percent discount), $10 without purchase. Adults are asked to come only in the company of a child.

“Barnes & Noble – NorthTown Mall, (509) 482-4235; Spokane Valley, (509) 922-4104.

“Borders – North Spokane, (509) 466-2231; Coeur d’Alene, (208) 762-4497.

“Hastings – Lincoln Heights, (509) 535-4342; North Division, (509) 483-2154; Shadle, (509) 327-6008; Valley, (509) 924-0667; Coeur d’Alene, (208) 664-0464.

“Tinman Gallery – (509) 325-1500. Admission is $5; space is limited.

“Waldenbooks – Spokane Valley Mall, (509) 892-3907. (The mall’s south entrance nearest Macy’s should be open.)

Book sale today

Your chance to say goodbye to Defunct Books, plus maybe take a bit of the store’s inventory away with you, will come today at 11 a.m.

The store’s entire contents, including 15,000-some books along with bookcases and various other fixtures, will be auctioned. A preview begins at 10.

Defunct Books, which includes the last vestiges of the old Inland Book Store, is in the basement of the Atrium Building, 123 S. Wall St. Owner Greg Delzer has relocated to Iowa City, Iowa.

For further information, see www.defunctbooks.com.

Book clubbing

April Christofferson’s novel “Buffalo Medicine,” which is set in Montana, seems to be the perfect summer read for The Spokesman-Review Book Club (see feature on page D3).

We’ll follow that in August with Tacoma writer Thom Jones’ 1993 short-story collection “The Pugilist at Rest” (Broad Bay Books, 240 pages, $16.99 paper).

And for September? Let’s stick with short stories. And to celebrate the start of another school year, let’s go with “Athletic Shorts” (HarperTeen, 208 pages, $6.99), Spokane young-adult writer Chris Crutcher’s 1991 set of six sports-themed tales.

Want to suggest something? The S-R book club, which has been going monthly since November 2002, specializes in Pacific Northwest writers (to see the entire list, go to www.spokane7.com/blogs/moviesandmore and scroll down to the July 11 entry).

We read only paperback editions. E-mail your ideas to danw@spokesman.com.

Poets who know it

Poetry Scribes of Spokane is sponsoring a World Day of Poetry Contest.

Authors are invited to submit a pair of poems in each of two categories, rhymed and unrhymed. Mail entries (one copy with your name, one without) to: Clararose Childs, Poetry Scribes of Spokane, 2912 W. Longfellow Ave., Spokane, WA 99205.

Deadline is Sept. 11. Entry fee is $5; cash prizes will be awarded. For further information, call Childs at (509) 325-4393.

Book talk

“Dark City Mystery Book Group (“Two Minute Rule,” by Robert Crais), 7 p.m. Monday, Auntie’s Bookstore, Main and Washington. Call (509) 838-0206.

“Family Readers Group (“The Misadventures of Maude March,” by Audrey Couloumbis), 7 p.m. Monday, Valley Hastings, 15312 E. Sprague Ave. Call (509) 924-0667.

“Sci/Fantasy Readers Group (“A Clash of Kings,” by George R.R. Martin), 7 p.m. Friday, Valley Hastings.