The best book events in NYC this week

As New York City's largest free literary festival, this annual celebration brings together hundreds of spectacular writers from across the globe for more than a week of talks and shopping to satisfy the borough's brainiacs. The festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Activities run September 14-22 with writers in a variety of genres: international and local, for adult and young readers, working in fiction and nonfiction, poetry, prose, and graphic storytelling. Events are free, but you’ll definitely want to bring some money to buy some new books to take home.  While activities run for the entirety of the nine-day celebration, the centerpiece festival day on Sunday, September 21, takes place in the parks and plazas surrounding Downtown Brooklyn’s Borough Hall and other venues. Multiple stages will overflow with conversation as authors come together to converse, read and sign books throughout the day. Featured authors include fan favorite Joyce Carol Oates, pioneering graphic memoirist Alison Bechdel, National Book Award winner Sigrid Nunez, NYT bestselling speculative fiction author Nnedi Okorafor, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Việt Thanh Nguyễn, Best of Brooklyn (BoBi) award honoree Marlon James, and other award-winning and emerging authors. Festival Day also stages the largest book market in the Northeast with more than 250 publishers, offering readers the possibility to discover new authors, independent publishers and literary organizations. Also don't...

Need some writing inspo? Gather with fellow writers for this unique writing prompt series that takes place every Tuesday in the back of Pete’s Candy Store. The event kicks off with a guest lecturer who reads a piece of literature meant to inspire and serve as a springboard for writers. Everyone has 30-45 minutes to write and can share what they come up with if they want to.  The free event meets at 5pm every Tuesday.