Love, Lust and Loathing

On Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., a new reading series kicks off here in Newburyport with a Valentine's Day special. The Tannery Series will offer Steve Almond ("My Life In Heavy Metal"), Rachel DeWoskin ("Foreign Babes in Beijing") and Fred Speers reading at the Jabberwocky Bookstore here in beautiful downtown Newburyport. The organizers - full disclosure, one of them is my neighbor - promise demented tales of love gone wrong in various colorful and scandalous ways. There will also be an open mike where guests are invited to read their favorite classic love poem (as long as it's three minutes or less). The event is free, and purportedly there are more to come. For more info, email [email protected].