In the three years I’ve known her, I’ve never seen Rhode Island author Rebecca Maizel wear any color but black.  I’ve never seen her sweep in or out of a room without an entourage.  I’ve never seen her let anyone stop her from getting what she wanted.  And I’ve never seen her sit still long enough to sign copies of books.

That last one is about to change.

Maizel, who moved back to her home state of Rhode Island in 2007 to pursue a master’s in creative writing at RIC, is a rare but deserved success story.  A fan and writer of short fiction, she was struck with inspiration for a 300-plus-page young adult novel, and she ran with it.  Infinite Days emerged, in which a sultry vampire named Lenah, who’d killed and hurt thousands without remorse for centuries, finally succeeds at what all vampires secretly want—becoming human.  Now Lenah’s real adventure begins: trying to fit in as a 16-year-old teenager at a posh 21st-century boarding school, learning about life and love, and realizing that she may never be able to leave her past behind.

Rebecca Maizel’s talent and persistence landed her a three-book contract from mega-publisher St. Martin’s Press.  Without missing a beat, she enrolled in an M.F.A. residency program at Vermont College, studying under some of the nation’s top writers.  Rebecca also teaches at CCRI (including a Children’s Literature class this fall in Providence).  Since the hype about Infinite Days began, she has spoken on literary panels, signed advance copies of her book, and traveled around Europe to research for sequels.  Infinite Days has gotten positive reviews from sites like Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, and Goodreads as well as a saucy write-up at Forever Young Adult, and I’m looking forward to the trilogy’s second installation, Stolen Nights, next year.

But despite being teen lit’s “it girl,” Maizel hasn’t forgotten her roots. The East Greenwich gal makes a hometown visit tomorrow night (how much do I love that it’s on Friday the 13th) for a launch party at Books on the Square.  I hear that refreshments will include vampire-themed cupcakes, so come before sundown and wear your good fangs.  Follow after the jump to hear more about Rebecca and her sultry new novel.

Friday, 8/13, 7-9 p.m., Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street, Providence
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Come to Books on the Square for a reading and book signing of Xombies: Apocalypticon, the second in Walter Greatshell’s popular Xombie series. Providence resident Greatshell placed the action of the first book, Xombies: Apocalypse Blues, right here in Rhode Island. It looks like the next installment may play out on a wider stage.

XOMBIES: APOCALYPTICON is the continuing saga of the USS No-Name, an Ohio-Class submarine converted to a refugee vessel during the worldwide plague of “Agent X”–a disease that changes women into raving, homicidal Typhoid Marys.

Leading the fight to survive are Dr. Alice Langhorne, whose research helped spawn the plague; Commander Harvey Coombs, Navy captain minus a navy; Sal DeLuca, BMX champ facing the ultimate Xtreme sport; and troubled teenager Lulu Pangloss, who died and was born again.

Not to mention the ‘yoga-crazed prison convicts’. This is your opportunity to meet Mr. Greatshell, and tell him about that anachronism you discovered in the third paragraph on page 138 where the girl says that thing to that guy . . . he would actually respect something like that.

7pm, Saturday, Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street, 331.9097

Meet Maryalice Huggins, author of Aesop’s Mirror, today at Books on the Square.

What antiques restorer Maryalice Huggins knew when she stumbled across the mirror at a country auction in Rhode Island was this: She was besotted. Rococo and huge (more than eight feet tall), the mirror was one of the most unusual objects she had ever seen.

Local hook? The mirror was passed down through the Brown family. This is the stuff they’re unloading! The Brown ‘attic’ must be something to behold.

2pm, Saturday, Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street

We are the future. Head over to Books on the Square this afternoon with the kiddies for Halloween activities. This is apparently for ‘the little ones’, toddlers and such, so this image isn’t quite right, but I keep staring at it and find I am powerless in its presence. Anyway, bring your camera to the shop and take pictures with the spooky Halloween display. Join Marvelous Marvin for magic and other things. And then there will be the now famous costume parade around Wayland Square. ***And if we see one single parent talking on a cell phone during the parade we will wreak our terrible vengeance, and rivers of blood and gore will gush about your ankles sweeping away your precious Bugaboos and we will form an army of militant warrior babies who will rise up and cleanse and purify the earth of idolaters and fornicators and the people who talk on their cell phones.*** (They made me say that. Look away. Look away.)

4-ish, Saturday, Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street

Zombies seem to be having a moment right now, which works right into Walter Greatshell’s cunning and subtle plan never to work at a real job ever again. Luckily he’s really good at this zombie thing, so good in fact that Berkley Books has signed him to a four-book deal. (He immediately ran out and bought gold-plated spinners and a string of race horses. I’ll have a talk with him soon.) You can meet Walter Tuesday evening, at Books on the Square and learn all about (and purchase) the first in the series, Xombies: Apocalypse Blues. The ‘X’ in the title refers to the X chromosome which should tell you something about the scientific underpinnings of his zombie theory. And the story takes place in Rhode Island! Walter recently sat on a panel of horror writers at the latest Comic-Con. There will be food, drink, and “special goodies for any daring souls who show up in blue Xombie makeup” (points deducted if you look anything like Mel Gibson in Braveheart). And did I mention the story takes place in Rhode Island?!!!

Photographer Richard Benjamin will be discussing his new book Narragansett Bay this afternoon at Books on the Square.  This work is a collaboration with John Torgan, Baykeeper for Save the Bay, who provided the text. Benjamin will be signing after the talk. (No indication that Torgan will be part of this event which is too bad because he totally rocks.)

2pm, Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street, 331-9097