Save the Date: Join us for a Halloween celebration

Meet the Event Organizers:

Hello! My name is Chanthal. I'm a lifelong reader who discovered a love of horror and science fiction at an early age. From haunted houses and ghost stories to imagined futures and speculative worlds, books became a way to explore possibilities, ask questions, and find meaning in the unknown.

Located at 1510 King Street in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, Long Dark House is an independent bookstore specializing in horror and science fiction, with a carefully curated selection of other strange stories. Rooted in community, curiosity, and imagination, the bookstore was founded on the belief that bookstores should be places to gather, linger, discover, and connect.

The name Long Dark is rooted in the idea of the liminal—the spaces between what was and what comes next. It exists in that threshold between certainty and possibility, where stories take shape, transformation becomes possible, and the ordinary gives way to wonder. Through books, events, and community programming, Long Dark House embraces the mysterious, the unconventional, and the imaginative while creating a welcoming home for readers who find comfort in the strange.

More than a bookstore, Long Dark House is intended to be a literary hub and third space for the Alexandria community....a place where readers can browse shelves, attend events, join book clubs, discover new authors, buy gifts/chocolates, and spend time among people who take comfort in the unconventional.

About A home for authors everywhere, the Salon features writers on our popular for literary salon shows. Watch all of the videos in the series on YouTube at

Elaine's Literary Salon is located at . A menu filled with delicious modern Mediterranean cuisine selections is sure to please everyone in your party. The dishes are inspired by exquisite food from Alexandria, Egypt—a blend of Middle Eastern, French, Greek, and Italian influences. Elaine’s is named for the owner’s grandmother and is based on a promise she made at the age of 12, growing up in Cairo. "I promised my grandma I would someday own a restaurant and name it after her," shares Cynthia, who is also an author. She and her husband, bestselling thriller novelist Jeffrey James Higgins, are proud to share my family’s recipes with new friends and families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Located in an 1880s building, it was the home of the beloved bistro Bilbo Baggins for 38 years. The newly renovated restaurant is located in the heart of Old Town’s Historic District within sight of the Potomac River and Founders Park, just a few blocks from The Torpedo Factory Art Center and Old Town Alexandria Waterfront.