Bards Alley on Church Street welcomes Arlington author Bill Schweigart for a free talk and signing of his new novel on Saturday, Sept. 19.
Schweigart will discuss Dirty 20, a LitRPG crime thriller the publisher describes as a mashup of The Sopranos and Dungeons & Dragons. Bards Alley bookseller Alice Scott leads the conversation, which starts at 7 p.m. at the shop's current location, 110 Church St. NW. A signing follows.
The novel, published in May by Disney's Hyperion imprint, follows Tommy Fugue, the teenage son of a Denver crime figure known as Big Al. Tasked with laundering $20,000 online, Tommy accidentally turns a tabletop role-playing game into a $650,000 crowdfunding hit, pulling him deeper into the family operation he wants to escape.
Schweigart is a former U.S. Coast Guard officer who lives in Arlington with his family. He drew on his time at sea for the nautical thriller Slipping the Cable. His other books include The Guilty One and a story co-written with James Patterson in Three Days to Live, along with The Fatal Folklore Trilogy.
The event is free, but registration is required. Attendees can RSVP through Eventbrite. Paperback copies of Dirty 20 will be available for purchase at the store. Readers can also reserve a copy by calling (571) 459-2653.
Free parking is available in the lot behind the store and along Church Street and Center Street.
Bards Alley owner Jennifer Morrow purchased a building at 103 Church St. NE for $1.5 million, FFXnow reported in February. According to the store's website, the shop plans to move there in January 2027 after a decade leasing its current storefront.
Upcoming at Bards Alley
- Saturday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.: Bill Schweigart, Dirty 20 talk and signing (110 Church St. NW). Free; RSVP on Eventbrite.
- Sunday, Oct. 4: Banned Books Week silent reading event at Bards Alley, according to the store's Lit Circle listing.
