Between the Giller Prize and the Governor General’s Award, Richard Wright has some heavy street cred in the writing community. His latest novel, October, continues the trend of success by topping Maclean’s fiction list. It’s a haunting tale that moves between the Second World War and the present day, and you can hear it live at Memorial Park Library on October 18, 7 p.m.

Between Forest and Sky details Sharon Stratton’s career as a fire tower observer, sharing her unique perspective on the natural landscape. Join her for a reading at McNally Robinson on October 18, 7 p.m.

David Margoshe’s new fiction collection, Bix’s Trumpet and Other Stories, provides an intimate portrait of strangers. From the orchestra’s second violin section to the hidden life of a secret pornographer, Margoshes weaves complex tales of everyday life. He’ll be at Pages Books on October 19, 7:30 p.m.

A psychic child, a corrupt evangelist and a long-ago murder — Amber Hayward’s latest instalment in the Children of the Panther trilogy, Darkness of the God, describes an epic struggle between good and evil. Check it out at McNally Robinson on October 19, 6 p.m.

Linda Moore knows theatre. She’s worked at the Shaw Festival, the Stratford Festival, the Vancouver Arts Club and the Banff Playwrights Colony — so when there’s a murder on the set of Hamlet in her debut novel, Reading and Signing of Foul Deeds, the stage will sing with true-to-life detail. She launches her book at McNally Robinson on October 23, 6 p.m.

It’s Read Alberta Magazines Month, but what’s better than reading magazines? Writing for them! (Except when you’re on deadline — gulp.) AMPA and the Writers Guild of Alberta invite budding writers to How to Pitch, an informational session with three editors (Jennifer Hamilton, Avenue; Andrew Mah, Where; Peter Norman, Alberta Views) for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the publishing industry. Head over to Pages Books on October 23, 7:30 p.m., for the full scoop.

The first DVD I ever bought was High Fidelity – y’know, where John Cusack compulsively lists the Top 5 albums for any situation? Well, Bob Mersereau takes things a step further with The Top 100 Canadian Albums, a fact-filled romp through Canadian music from Neil Young to Arcade Fire. Be ready to defend your favourites at McNally Robinson on October 24, 6 p.m.

’Tis the season for spooky stories, and T.A.L.E.S. Calgary is only too happy to oblige with a special Story Café for Halloween. Hosted by singer-storyteller Michael Ebsworth, the evening features readings by Lawrence Chrismas, Karen Gummo and Diane Morton, not to mention an open mic where you can share your horrific tales. Head to the Central Blends Café on October 24, 7 p.m., for an evening of ghostly delight, $5 at the door.

Speaking of Halloween, Derek Mah and Art Slade are experts in all things supernatural — after all, they’ve interviewed all the biggest, baddest monsters. From Dracula to the Wolfman to the Wicked Witch of the West, they’ve got ’em all in Monsterology and Villainology, illustrated guidebooks of the dark and creepy. Come dressed as your favourite creature and win the costume contest at McNally Robinson on October 25, 7 p.m.

In 1688, facing civil war in England, Thomas de Chastelain flees to Scotland with the royal family, living as an outcast while his family suffers peril at home. Meredith Stephure’s debut novel, Civil Blood, brings the past to life in a tale of personal struggle and political stakes. She reads at Pages Books on October 25, 7:30 p.m.

She captured readers’ imaginations with her bestselling Outlander series. Now, Diana Gabaldon is back with Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, the latest instalment in her Lord John series. Caught in the heart of a raging war, Lord John unearths new clues to his father’s long-unsolved murder. Learn more at the Vertigo Playhouse (Tower Centre) on October 25, 7:30 p.m., $15 at the door.