Literary 'Saloon' returns

The next literary saloon (in a play on words, the organizers are calling it a "saloon" instead of "salon") will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, featuring a number of local authors and a drawing for two open mike spots.

The saloon is hosted by authors Susan Bono and Ransom Stephens.

New to Petaluma author, Nicholas Nicastro, writes short fiction, travel and science articles for the New York Times, the New York Observer, Film Comment and the International Herald Tribune. He is author of four historic novels, most recently, "Antigone's Wake: A Novel of Imperial Athens," and the nonfiction historical science work, "Circumference: Eratosthenes and the Ancient Quest to Measure the Globe."

Visit www.nicastrobooks.com to learn more about his work.

Petaluma writer Nancy Long has hosted, directed or performed with groups such as LiveWire Literary Salon, Writers on the Edge, Dominican University's One Act Play Festival, Marin Actor's Workshop and Petaluma's People, Places and Things poetry group. Her plays have been performed locally, as well as in New York City and Canada.

Joe Quirk is a novelist whose debut novel, "The Ultimate Rush," was chosen as People Magazine's "Page-Turner-of-the-Week." His new novel, "Exult," is a metaphor of hangliding and the meaning of life. His bestselling humorous science book, "It's Not You. It's Biology," has been translated into 17 languages. Quirk is also a humor columnist at H+ Magazine and ghostwrites under various names.

To learn more about Quirk, visit www.joequirk.com.

Sebastopol writer Guy Biederman has taught fiction in Marin, San Francisco and Sonoma counties since 1990. He is publisher of Bust Out magazine, as well as books by writers such as Gina Berriault.

Visit Biederman's Web site at www.lowfatfiction.com.

Barbara Baer, founder of Floreant Press, has been living, writing and publishing in Forestville for 30 years. Baer's most recent publication is "Pomegranate Roads," by Dr. Gregory Levin. Her latest work is a novella, "Grisha the Scrivener." She is currently working on a family saga.

To learn more about Baer, visit www.floreantpress.com.

Admission to the saloon is $5, or free with the purchase of a meal or book.

Writers are encouraged to bring a short piece of writing and enter the drawing for the two open mike slots (four minutes each).

For more information, visit www.aquscaf?com.