This Week in Lit: Dancing Shoes, Rockin' With Nikki Sixx, Drugs, Cupcakes and Rubber Ducks

We've got a lot of action this week in Seattle's Lit World; everything from the stories of ballet dancers and drug addicts, to reading with rock stars and oceans filled with rubber ducks. Better try hitting them all this week.

Jacques D’Amboise with Peter Boal at Town Hall—Co-presented with Pacific Northwest Ballet:
Aside from all of that fantastic leaping and bounding, ballet legend Jacques d’Amboise also has a flare for words—and a new memoir, I Was a Dancer. His insanely long career began with Balanchine’s discovery of him at 15, and quickly spiraled along—a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet at 17, a celebrated star in films like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Carousel, and founder of the arts education program, the National Dance Institute. Jacques d’Amboise will be chatting onstage with our very own Peter Boal, the artistic director of Pacific Northwest Ballet—and I’m sure the man has such a plethora of stories to share that even the dancing-impaired will want to stumble their way over to this event.

Tuesday, 7 p.m. // Town Hall // $5 at door, advance www.brownpapertickets.com/Elliott Bay Book Co.

Nikki Sixx at University Book Store:
Alright, calm down now…this is only a book signing so there is little chance of any impromptu performances. Regardless, it’s hard not to be excited about the chance to see the Mötley Crüe man in the flesh—and to check out his new autobiography of the band, This is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography, and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx. It’s packed with photos, journal-style writing (which better be juicy), and super tough Rock ‘n’ Roll things! Probably. You do need a signing ticket to stand in the line, which is available by purchasing his book from University Book Store—and heads up, he won’t be signing memorabilia or posing for pictures.

Wednesday, 7 p.m. // University Book Store // Must purchase signing ticket to stand in line

Nic Sheff at Elliott Bay Book Company, Co-presented with the Recovery Cafe:
Book readings should never be dull, and Nic Sheff is back at Elliott Bay Books to spice things up with his wild tales of recovery (and struggles) with drug addiction. His book, We All Fall Down: Living with Addiction, offers a crazy candid account of his story, and gives the opportunity for people to have honest dialogue about the affects of addiction in families and in the community. Don’t worry about preaching, Nic’s more apt to shock you with his wicked chatter—and show your support for the Recovery Café, a non-profit that is essential for people dealing with addiction, homelessness, and mental health issues.

Thursday, 7:30 p.m. // Elliott Bay Book Company // Free

E. Lockhart at Teen Center, Seattle Public Library Central Branch:
So maybe most of you aren’t teenagers, but that doesn’t mean you don’t know one who loves cupcakes! And treasure maps! And raffle tickets! E. Lockhart, author of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks and the Ruby Oliver series, is having a reading at the Seattle Public Library, and it sounds kind of awesome. People just need to look for fliers with a “Treasure Map”, answer the trivia question on the back (about Lockhart’s book series with is based in Seattle), take it to the library branch nearest the place in the answer, and have a staff person stamp your map. Then, bring that map to the event and you might win a gift card to Starbucks or University Book Store! Sounds complicated, but it isn’t—and regardless of a map, there will be cupcakes for teenagers who want to ask the lady some questions or grab an autographed copy.

Thursday, 4:30 p.m. // Seattle Public Library Central Branch // Free

Donovan Hohn at Elliott Bay Book Company:
Thousands of rubber duckies floating in the ocean seems like the stuff of make-believe, but Donovan Hohn has discovered the insane things hidden beneath the surface of the water. In his new book (with an incredibly long title), Moby Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Seat and of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalist, and Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them, Hohn explores the shipping industry, ocean currents, our global economy and much more. His adventures seem pretty fascinating, unbelievable, and fodder for an interesting book event.

Sunday, 2 p.m. // Elliott Bay Book Company // Free