Chain of Fools

Guys are jerks — and all too often, the jerkiest guys are the ones girls find irresistible. Every girl knows it, but what to do about it? For the heroine of Fool's Gold, by up-and-coming Colorado manga artist Amy Reeder Hadley, the traditional "eat ice cream, have a good cry, try again" recipe isn't enough, so she starts a secret club to identify and ostracize said jerks — upending the social order of her high school in the process. "It's basically trying to wrestle with the question of how you prevent yourself from getting hurt," says Hadley, "and how merciful you should be versus how protective of yourself."

The newly released second book follows heroine Penny as she struggles with dating one guy who should be perfect (but isn't) and a quixotic attraction to another who may just be the biggest jerk of all. Join creator Hadley at 7 p.m. tonight at the Tattered Cover, 2526 East Colfax Avenue, to discuss the series and have her sign a copy of the new book. For more on Hadley and Fool's Gold, visit her website at www.tentopet.com; for event information, visit www.tatteredcover.com or call 303-322-7727.
Fri., Jan. 11, 7 p.m., 2008