Five Literary Events in Denver October 3-9

Meet a lauded graphic novelist or a Colorado-style sci-fi genius, hobnob with Nicholas Sparks, take part in a big-city writing project or chill with Latino poets. It’s all in a week’s work on the local word scene.
Gene Luen Yang, Secret Coders
Tattered Cover Colfax Avenue
6 p.m. Monday, October 3
If you’ve ever hankered to meet a MacArthur "Genius Grant" winner: Graphic novelist and 2016 MacArthur Fellow Gene Luen Yang will be in town to introduce, of all things, a youth series, Secret Coders, which instructs young readers in basic program coding while solving a mystery (no surprise, since he’s also served as a Children’s Book Council National Ambassador for Young People's Literature). Regardless of the subject matter he’s touting, the author of the autobiographical American Born Chinese and the graphic-novel epic Boxers and Saints is bound to mesmerize his audience.
Connie Willis, CrossTalk
Tattered Cover Colfax Avenue
7 p.m. Tuesday, October 4
Colorado sci-fi/fantasy powerhouse Connie Willis, Science Fiction Hall of Famer and winner of many Hugo and Nebula awards, goes technological in her latest book, CrossTalk, a speculative riff on what happens when connectivity goes too far. An all-around author who handles a story with genre-crossing prowess, Willis gives Colorado fans a resounding reason to celebrate homegrown talent.
An Evening With Nicholas Sparks
Denver Marriott South
7 p.m. Wednesday, October 5
Tickets: $40
The Tattered Cover teams with the Douglas County Library to present Nicholas Sparks, best known for his classic love story, The Notebook. In contrast to that romantic bestseller, his latest tale, Two by Two, is a love story in reverse, about a man who has the perfect life, only to suddenly fall into a tailspin that leaves him a jobless single parent. During this event, Sparks will discuss Two by Two and the rest of his vast catalogue; the price of a ticket not only benefits the library, but will get you a copy of the book, dessert, entertainment and a spot in the signing line.
Write Denver
LoDo Alleyways: A Collaboration with NINE dot ARTS 
Tattered Cover LoDo
1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, October 8
Free
As part of the transformation of LoDo’s historic Windsor Dairy into the Dairy Block, a massive redevelopment project that will include the anchoring Maven hotel and plenty of mixed-use space, NINE dot ARTS and the Lighthouse Writers Workshop's Write Denver project are teaming up to create an alleyway installation — and you can help. Write Denver provides participants with writing prompts inspired by a particular place; in this case, that focus is on the history of the Dairy Block and its place in a rapidly changing Denver. Resulting text will be incorporated into the installation, which will brighten downtown, along with large-scale artwork by Denver artists Nikki Pike and Collin Parson and Boulder artist Jen Lewin. Meet at the front entrance of the Tattered Cover in LoDo; the writing trek will end up two hours later at City Stacks Books & Coffee.
Beyond the Wall: An Evening of Poetry With Cafe Cultura
Mercury Cafe
7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, October 6
In conjunction with the new topical exhibit The Wall/La Pared at the University of Denver’s Vicki Myhren Gallery, poets from Denver’s Cafe Cultura spoken-word series will muse on issues of immigration and identity, just as the exhibit does. Hear locals Jozer Guerrero, Flor Marquez, Mari Zepeda, Hannabah Blue and Franklin Cruz off-site and in their element at the Mercury Cafe, and don’t miss the show, which runs at the gallery through November 13. 

What's on the next page in Denver's literary world? Visit Westword's Literary Event listings for this week.