About this Event
They'll discuss Lexie's The Blue Moon Café & 24-Hour Occult Emporium.
A book signing will follow with the authors. This ticketed event includes a paperback of the book.
Accessibility details and our event FAQ can be found here.
About The Blue Moon Café & 24-Hour Occult Emporium:
A magical witness protection program, a town in need of saving, and a sorceress-in-training . . . oh, and the human woman she’s not supposed to fall for. The Blue Moon Café has a little bit of everything (except, you know, decent coffee).
In the tiny town of Pine Hollow, barista and fledging sorceress Talula Smith runs The Blue Moon Café & 24-Hour Occult Emporium, aka the worst coffee shop in town. The café’s horrible reputation hides its true purpose: providing new identities and safe passage to at-risk magical beings while keeping humans far, far away. That is, except for town local Dahlia. Dahlia’s devastating dimples, addiction to Talula’s cocoa recipe, and keen observation skills keep the smitten barista scrambling to ensure that her magical abilities (or lack thereof) stay a secret.
But when big game hunters start preying on magical beings, her powerful sorceress mother is called away to track them down, leaving Talula and her barely-there magic in charge of The Blue Moon. With the impending Samhain festival to organize, magical refugees to help, half of the town turning against her, and her ever-growing feelings for Dahlia, Talula’s magical destiny feels further away than ever. But as the hunters set their sights closer to home, it’ll be up to Talula to master her craft, trust her heart, and bring her magical and human communities together . . . before she loses everything she loves.
About Lexie Sharabianlou:
LEXIE SHARABIANLOU earned her Master’s in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh. She has sold cupcakes, taught high school English literature, and written audio tours for zoos and museums. These days, she writes stories about magic, mischief, and falling in love. Her debut novel, The Blue Moon Café & 24-Hour Occult Emporium, has been featured on KQED-NPR, The Colorado Sun, SFGate, LGBTQReads, and was named one of Book Riot’s Best New Cozy Fantasy of 2026. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tell your pet she says hi.
About Alanna Bennett:
ALANNA BENNETT is a screenwriter and culture writer living in Los Angeles. Born in Hollywood and raised in Portland, OR, she has written feature films for major studios and has written for television in the writers rooms of XO, KITTY, ROSWELL, and THE HOSPITAL, as well as on her own development. Alanna’s writing has appeared on BuzzFeed and BuzzFeed News (where she worked for years), as well as the New York Times, Teen Vogue, The Cut, Vulture, Refinery29, Eater, TV Guide, and many more—on topics ranging from celebrity gossip to female friendship to representation in media to Captain America’s butt.
Event venue & nearby stays
The Ripped Bodice, 3806 Main Street, Culver City, United States
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