If you're in the mood for a few great stories today, drop everything you're doing and head to the Writer's Festival at Charlestown Retirement Community today, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is the community's second festival, held at the Cross Creek clubhouse, and features nine pulbished residents.

Talents include a former Morgan State and Coppin State creative writing teacher, whose novel will be published in December and an 86-year-old first-time published author, who used his experiences as a real estate agent for C&O and B&O Railroads as the inspiration for his collection of short stories.

"In this era of texting and tweeting," Jeff Getek of Erickson Living said in an e-mail, "these folks have put pen to paper for the love of story-telling."

 If that's too short notice for you, beginning tomorrow, Daedalus Books -- both in Baltimore and Columbia -- is holding a sidewalk sale, featuring 50 percent off books, all weekend.

Ukazoo Books' monthly Books 'N' Brunch will be held Saturday morning. You can browse the Towson shop's books while munching on free breakfast, held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

And Constellation Books is hosting a tea with local author Gary Clites, whose mystery Seneca Wood is set in Baltimore and West Virginia.

Got some more bookish events? Tell us about them, and they'll be added to the Read Street calendar.