The Chantilly Writers are coming to Elaine's!: Dec. 6, noon to 3pm

Enjoy book readings and live music while meeting local authors, including Nick Bruner, Corinne Delaney, Tom Sterling, Joan Leotta, Laynie Bowen, Angela Glascock, and more!

These books, and their anthologies, make amazing holiday gifts!

About the Anthologies:

Recipes for Life: Writers of Chantilly Anthology 2024

Get ready to embark on a journey full of flavors and emotions! The aroma of food can awaken powerful memories and emotions: a bakery might remind us of the last delicious pie we ever prepared with our mother, a slice of chocolate cake can take us back to that first trip abroad, while unique flavors could spark a reminiscence of dinner and dancing with a stranger. Whether it’s a big event, like a wedding or a holiday, talking over warm bowls of soup, baking a batch of special cookies, or just sitting down with an old friend over coffee and slices of rich, creamy cheesecake, food is a recurring theme in our lives and memories. In this 2024 Anthology, you’ll find a 34-course meal full of our food-inspired stories, poems, essays, and recipes. So take your place at our table, open this book, and feast on the recipes and stories of life’s journeys contained within! Click here to buy the book.

Did I Ever Tell You About the Time . . .?: Writers of Chantilly 2023 Anthology

Did I ever tell you about the time I met JFK, or when I drove a taxi for Jacqueline Onassis? Have I described my first kiss, my first business deal, or my new treasure for the house? Did you hear about the time I let my ten-year-old shave my head? I could tell you what life was like during the Cold War, or how one little kitten can take over your house. I have many heartwarming stories about my family as well. Did I mention nearly getting swept away by a tornado in the mountains of West Virginia? You won’t believe what my beach house looked like after a hurricane. Did you hear about my astonishing legal case, or the unusual body that the police found? I must tell you about when I stumbled, during the middle of a snowstorm, into an old inn and a merciless pack of thieves and murderers, drinking and carrying on. And I know you won't believe it, but I'll tell you about that morning Memaw went to battle during an alien invasion.
Grab a seat and turn the page. Have I got some stories for you . . . ! Buy the book!

WildLife: Writers of Chantilly 2022 Anthology

WildLife proceeds through tales of fabled lands, great adventures, and wild lives and loves. A dragon breathes fire in a mysterious cave, mythical creatures meet vicious rulers in an elf kingdom, monsters emerge from tempestuous seas, and a ghost appears every Saturday morning. Wild birds and ducks, bears and buffalo, frogs and dogs enter into the lives of humans in fascinating and often delightful ways. Come join us on our enchanting, surprising, and adventurous journeys. Buy the book!

Dancing in the Rain: 2022 Anthology

Sometimes, the clouds ain’t clearing. Sometimes, you just gotta dance in the rain. In this charming 2021 anthology from the Writers of Chantilly, the choreography says it all. Fourteen stories—including a Twilight-Zone-flavored vacation getaway, a personal essay about a sister’s spirit in a thunderstorm, and two segments of Hemingway-inspired “six-word stories” opening and closing the book—come together to put forward the best this writers’ group has to offer. Take it from us—waiting for the earth to dry is not the way to go. Life’s more fun wet. Buy the book!

About our Elaine's Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com

Find more of Elaine's Literary Salon events here.