Your Week in Virtual Book Events, Dec. 21st to Dec. 27th

Venerations
Monday, December 21st, 6:00pm EST
On the evening of the winter solstice, join poet and spiritualist, Cherise Morris, for a special reading of new work and ritual-performance to commemorate our moving through the shadows of the shortest day of the year and the winding down of 2020. This event will take place on the Room Project’s Instagram channel via Instagram Live. There will be an interactive component. Free.

What the Dickens?
Monday, December 21st, 7:00pm EST
Every year for more than a decade, Housing Works Bookstore Café & Bar has hosted a marathon reading of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. Since an in-person gathering is not possible this year, Housing Works will host a virtual (and abridged) reading with some of the Bookstore’s dearest friends including host Anthony Rapp (Without You) and our readers Alexander Chee (How to Write an Autobiographical Novel), Lisa Ko (The Leavers), Deborah Eisenberg (Your Duck is My Duck) & Wallace Shawn, and Jason Collins. Free, via Zoom.

Loneliness: A Collaboration (Part 2)
Monday, December 21st, 6:30pm EST
In this salon, each session will begin with 10-15 minutes of writing time. Then, attendees are asked to bring either a piece of writing that they wrote or a piece of writing they appreciate that speaks to the theme “what’s so new about the future?”. There’s been a lot of talk during this year about a “new normal”. Is there anything new about what is currently normal? Will there be a newer normal after the pandemic? Free, via Zoom.

(Virtual) Works in Progress
Monday, December 21st, 10:00pm EST
Works in Progress is a semi-monthly open mic event hosted by Hugo House on the first and third Monday. Writers of any and all genres can read their work, commune with other writers, and find out what’s going on in the literary community. Applause for all. No judgment. Some content not suitable for children or small animals. Listeners are welcome. Free, with registration.

Elizabeth Breck discusses Anonymous
Monday, December 21st, 10:00pm EST
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, author and licensed private investigator Elizabeth Breck will discuss her debut novel, Anonymous, with lifestyle blogger Dani O’Brien. Free, via Crowdcast.

Maggie O’Farrell discusses Hamnet with Mark Cecil
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2:00pm EST
A Mighty Blaze host Mark Cecil interviews Maggie O’Farrell about her bestseller Hamnet. Free, streamed on the Facebook of A Mighty Blaze.

Climate Reads: Why We Swim with Leanne Shapton
Tuesday, December 22nd, 7:00pm EST
From the Brooklyn Public Library, author Leanne Shapton (Swimming Studies) leads a discussion of Bonnie Tsui’s Why We Swim in a conversation with Anna Weber, a member of the National Resources Defense Council’s Water & Climate Team and novelist Lidia Yuknavitch (The Chronology of Water). Free, with registration.

SocietyX: Poetry Therapy Workshop — Become Your Own Muse
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2:00pm EST
La Marks, poet and founder of Ars Poetica, an international language arts agency specializing in interactive poetry, will host a therapeutic poetry workshop on inspiring yourself in your work. Free, with registration.

Virtual: “The Night Before Christmas”
Wednesday, December 23rd, 7:00pm EST
Based on the classic Clement C. Moore poem, The Night Before Christmas has delighted audiences worldwide for generations, and this new edition features art by Charles Santore. RJ Julia Independent Bookstores will host this holiday-themed pajama story time reading of the Christmas classic tale. Free, with registration.

Terri Libenson with Victoria Jamieson
Wednesday, December 23rd, 7:00pm EST
Award-winning cartoonist Terri Libenson, the bestselling author and illustrator of the EMMIE & FRIENDS series, joins An Unlikely Story for a virtual event moderated by Newbery Honor winning author Victoria Jamieson (Roller Girl). Terri and Victoria will chat about their latest books and answer audience questions. Free, via Crowdcast.

A Christmas Carol in the Dark
Tuesday, December 22nd – Thursday, December 24th 9:00pm EST
Theatre in the Dark, the two-year-old Chicago theater company whose original audio play retelling of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds was the breakout hit of the fall season, will follow up with live online audio performances of A Christmas Carol in the Dark for 10 special performances from December 10 through 24. Tickets begin at $12.50 and grow on a pay-what-you-can basis. Register here.