Elaine's Literary Salon

About the author and his new book: Carlos Gutierrez has been an influential figure in business and politics for over 35 years, but his route to global leadership was far from the well-worn path of the Ivy League M.B.A. In fact, he never graduated from college and began his life in America without knowing a word of English. When he was only six years old, his family fled the Cuban revolution with a...

Meet the Author: D. A. Spruzen grew up near London, U.K., graduated from the London College of Dance and Drama Education, and earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Queen’s University of Charlotte; she teaches creative writing in Northern Virginia when not seeking her own muse. She resides in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland. About D.A.’s books: Odin’s Word is the fourth book in...

Meet the Author:  For more than 34 years, Towanda Brown has called Howard County, Maryland, home. Here, she raised two successful African-American sons and emerged as a beacon of advocacy, working tirelessly to ensure fair opportunities in education and beyond for her children and her community. Her story is one of resilience, determination, and an unwavering pursuit of justice—not only for hersel...

When: Saturday, November 21, 2026 from 12-3pm Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Get your free ticket: 30MinutestoLondon.eventbrite.com Our agenda for today’s brunch event: Noon: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine’s award-winning menu 1pm: Our 45-minute interview begins, followed by a 15-minute Q&A with the audience to be produced on our popular pod...

When: Sunday, November 8, 2026 from 12-3pm Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Get your free ticket: QuillendeBruney.eventbrite.com The agenda for our brunch event: Noon: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine’s award-winning menu 1pm: Our 45-minute interview begins, followed by a 15-minute Q&A with the audience to be produced on our popular podcast and video...

Meet the Author: S.J. Rozan was born and raised in the Bronx and is proud of it. She spent over 20 years as an architect in New York City and is kind of proud of that, too. Now she writes and teaches. She’s done 15 books in the Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series, two standalones, and two paranormals co-written with Carlos Dews under the name Sam Cabot. She’s also published eight dozen short...

Today on Elaine’s Literary Salon: Meet violinist Joan Singer, the founder and director of QuinTango. Managing the group combines Joan’s flair for storytelling and weakness for glitz with her love of music and travel. Before founding QuinTango, she played at Inaugural Balls, backed up Aretha Franklin and was a tenured member of the Baltimore Opera Orchestra. About QuinTango: For the las...

Meet the Author:  Wolf Bahren is the pen name used by the writer Kristi Bahrenburg Janzen for her fiction. The Secessionist’s Wife is her third thriller. A lover of spy stories since childhood, she published her first novel, Agents of Suzharia, in 2016, and then Source of Deceit in 2020. Her fiction is a blend of espionage, political, international, and journalistic thriller genres. She has been a...

Meet the Author: Dr. C. Victor Herbin III (aka: Dr. Vic) is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, leadership advisor, and the founder of Organizational Arrogance — a leadership development brand built on more than two decades of service at the highest levels of government and the military. Through books, assessments, and keynote programs, Dr. Herbin helps leaders see how a sense of superiority w...

Our agenda for tonight’s event: 6pm: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine’s award-winning menu 7pm: Our 45-minute interview begins, followed by a 15-minute Q&A with the audience to be produced on our popular podcast and video series 8pm: Guests talk with the author, buy her books, and get them signed! Click here to get your free tickets: katherineschweit.eventbrite.co...

The agenda for our brunch event: Noon: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine’s award-winning menu 1 pm: Our 45-minute interview begins, followed by a 15-minute Q&A with the audience, to be produced on our popular podcast and video series 2 pm: Guests talk with the author, buy her book, and get it signed! Reserve your free ticket: TonyaPoindexter.eventbrite.com Meet the Autho...

When: Sunday, September 27, 2026 from 12-3pm Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Get your free ticket: TanyaStokesSept27.eventbrite.com Our agenda for this beautiful Sunday Brunch event: Noon: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine’s award-winning menu 1pm: Our 45-minute interview begins, followed by a 15-minute Q&A with the audience to be produced on our popu...

Meet the Author: I am an attorney with over thirty years of experience. My legal experience has varied from a start in criminal law to intellectual property, specifically trademarks, and now healthcare. I also pursued a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the George Washington University late in my career. It is an interesting field, and I have come to find that public health affects everyo...

Meet the Author:  Richard H. Smith, MSc., is a futurist, technologist, and science policy expert whose career spans more than 30 years at the forefront of emerging technology and strategic forecasting. He has worked alongside scientists, engineers, Fortune 50 companies, and U.S. and international governments on issues ranging from nanotechnology and artificial intelligence to healthcare innovation...

This week on Elaine’s Literary Salon: Meet p opular motivational speaker and New York Times Bestselling author Don Mann. A retired Navy SEAL Team SIX who, for the last two decades, has delivered compelling presentations that have inspired business leaders, military and government personnel, and professional athletes. The lessons he shares during his presentations are born from his colorful a...

Meet the Author:  Kerri Hagerty is a dedicated law enforcement officer who has proudly served her community for over 20 years. Through roles ranging from patrol officer to detective, she has received several awards, including Officer of the Year, Officer of the Month, two Life Saving Awards, and numerous public commendations. Beyond the badge, Kerri is also an accomplished children’s book author....

When: Saturday, August 15, 2026 from noon to 3pm Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 We welcome debut bestselling novelist J.D. Barker to Elaine’s Literary Salon, where he’ll be sharing his latest novel, “The Probability of Murder” Our agenda for the Aug. 15 event: Noon: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine’s award-winning menu 1pm: Our 45-minute interview begin...

Meet the Author :  A trial and appellate lawyer for many years, David writes history and historical novels. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington Independent Review of Books, was a reporter for the Staten Island Advance, and for 10 years wrote the monthly Supreme Court column for the American Bar Association Journal . He has also done on-air commentary for CNN, C-SPAN,...

Meet the Author: Justin Laborde, PhD, is a strategic consultant and frequent speaker on consumer trends, marketplace insights, and business-growth strategies at Fortune 500 companies. Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Justin now lives with his wife, Amanda, and their three children in Cary, North Carolina. About Scattered Far and Wide: This book follows the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1938 as they...

When: Saturday, August 22, 2026 from 12-3pm Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Get your free ticket: BekaWueste.eventbrite.com Our agenda for this fabulous brunch event: Noon: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine’s award-winning menu 1pm: Our 45-minute interview begins, followed by a 15-minute Q&A with the audience to be produced on our popular podcast and...

Meet the Author:  Dr. Stephen L. Cook serves as the Catherine N. McBurney Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at Virginia Theological Seminary, the largest of the accredited seminaries of the Episcopal Church (founded in 1823). He and his wife, Catherine, a psychotherapist, live on the seminary campus in Alexandria, Virginia, with their daughter from China, Rebecca. Prior to joining...

Meet the Author: Elizabeth Hodges was 38 when she got the news, “You have leukemia.” Six weeks later, she was told she also had adult cystic fibrosis. With three young children, intense fear set in that she might not live to see them grow up. Instead of giving in, she became determined to prioritize her role as a mother and lead a life driven by purpose and clarity, even with cancer. Over her eigh...

Experience QuinTango: Alexandria-based music group QuinTango made its splashy debut on the world stage in 1999 at the Clinton White House State Dinner for the president of Argentina.  Robert Duvall danced, and global news networks covered the event.  The following morning, QuinTango received an invitation to perform at an international music festival in Costa Rica, and they were off and running. ...

When: Wednesday, September 02, 2026 from 6-9pm Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Get your free ticket: MatthewLavoie.eventbrite.com We welcome debut novelist Matthew Lavoie to Elaine’s Literary Salon to share his debut novel, “Main Street Fringe.” Our agenda for tonight’s event: 6pm: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine’s award-winning...

Meet the Author: Irene Vinyard Bennett has wide experience as a writer and educational minister. Her debut novel, BATTLE OF THE ARTISANS: Making the Bells of Marquis Yi, won the International Proverse Prize of 2022.  It is the first story about the Bronze-Age Bells of Marquis Yi, a National Treasure of China. An international motivational speaker, workshop leader, and minister, Irene writes and ed...