There are a couple great literary festivals happening this weekend in the city. BOOKED! Three Days Between the Covers, is a new event presented by various publishers. It aims to give readers of all genres a chance to meet their favourite authors (ahem, stephenkingiloveyou). The Caribbean Canadian Literary Expo is also happening this weekend, with four celebrations planned to honour our Carribean-Canadian authors. And of course there's Luminato, which, surprisingly (to me, anyways) is sponsoring three literary events.

Here are my lit event picks for this week:

Tuesday, June 5th:

PEN Canada and ARCfest present the TAXI Stand Jam. Collaborations between 7 Toronto artists and 7 writers in exile; they have 7 hours to create a 7-minute performance. Featuring drummer Suleiman Warwar (Palestine), dub poet d'bi.young (Jamaica), artist Lisa Pijuan-Nomura, Metis multidisciplinary Jani Lauzon, Rosina Kazi (Bengali ) from Lal, dancer BaKari E. Lindsay (Trinidad), musician Waleed Abdulhamid (Sudan), journalist Sheng Xue (Beijing ), activist/children's book writer Benjamín Santamaría (Mexico), journalist Genc Tirana (Albania), imprisoned writer Martha Kumsa (Ethiopia), freedom writer Tahir Aslam Gora (Pakistan), social communicator Emma Beltrán (Mexico) and writer Reza Baraheni (Iran). Should be interesting!
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. 8pm. $10 suggested donation.

Toronto Public Library presents celebrity mystery-lovers reading from their favourite crime fiction in celebration of Crime Writers Week. Actor Harvey Atkin, Toronto Star theatre critic Richard Ouzounian, opera comedienne Mary Lou Fallis, Herbie Kuhn- the voice of the Toronto Raptors, and others read from their favourite mysteries. Hosted by John Moore from CFRB Radio.
Toronto Reference Library. 7:30pm. Free.

This IS NOT A READING SERIES presents Eldon Garnet, award-winning visual artist and writer, for a conversation with Pages' Marc Glassman on the new multi-media novel Lost Between the Edges.
The Gladstone Hotel. 7:30pm. Free.

More events after the jump...

Wednesday, June 6th:

Ontario College of Art and Design Student Press launches its inaugural book, Shift:Positions, with a night of music, art and readings by Katherine Morley, Chris Braden and renowned Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky.
The Gladstone Hotel (2nd floor). 6:30pm, $5.

Tapestry presents Wordplay, a festival of libretto readings, to include readings and musical excerpts from the short operas of Opera to Go 2008 and several full-length works in development (continues June 7 and 8).
Ernest Balmer Studio, Building 58, Studio 315. 7:30pm. $10 ($5 students)

Thursday, June 7th:

BOOKED! Three Days Between the Covers begins. Presenting Barry Callaghan, David Gilmour, Stephen Henighan and Ray Robertson, reading from recent and soon-to-be-published novels and story collections.
Enwave Theatre, Harbourfront Centre. 7:30pm. $10.

The Toronto Writers' Centre launches Gothic Calligraphy by Flavia Cosma, presented by George Elliott Clarke, Charles Siedlecki, and Krzysztof Zarzecki.
The Toronto Writers' Centre. 6:30pm. Free.

Toronto launch of Stealing Nasreen, Farzana Doctor's novel about queer identities, immigrant life, secrets and lost loves. TASA will be performing at 9pm.
Trane Studio. 7-9 pm. Free.

Caribbean Canadian Literary Expo signature event honouring Austin Clarke, with poetry readings from Cuba and Haiti. Bicentennial Message by the Governor General of Jamaica, with host Dwayne Morgan
Toronto Reference Library. 7-9 pm, Free.

Friday, June 8th:

BOOKED! Three Days Between the Covers, in conjunction with Luminato and Simon & Schuster Canada, hosts a gala tribute to Stephen King as the best-selling author receives a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Booksellers Association. Chuck Klosterman will interview King on stage and celebrity guests will include Margaret Atwood and Clive Barker. Emceed by George Stroumboulopoulos.
John Bassett Theatre, Metro Toronto Convention Centre. 7:30pm. $25.
Check for the BOOKED! day of children's programming at Historic Fort York and Harbourfront Centre, too.

CCLE: Palabras de Cuba - Georgina Herrera, Dr. Rogelio Martínez Furé with special guests: George Elliott Clarke and Nalo Hopkinson. Hosts: Prof. Keith Ellis and Dwayne Morgan.
Victory Cafe, 7-9 pm. $10.

Join Tightrope Books for its spring 2007 launch of Tell Your Sister by Andrew
Daley and The Animal Bridegroom by Sandra Kasturi. The event will feature a reading by Stacey May Fowles and music by DJ Louis Calabro. Hosted by Myna Wallin.
The Central. 6:30pm. Free.

Saturday, June 9th:

BOOKED! continues... with a full day of events at Harbourfront Centre, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Historic Fort York featuring authors Gail Anderson-Dargatz, Lesley Choyce, Linwood Barclay, Louise Penny, Rick Blechta, Lyn Hamilton, José Latour, Maureen Jennings, Sean Cullen, Richard Scrimger, Elizabeth Hay, Richard B. Wright, Julia Golding, Kenneth Oppel, James A. Owen, Tom Douglas, Lance Goddard, Peter Pigott, Liam O'Donnell (Max Finder), Michael Cho, Sherman Alexie, Jane Green, Ami McKay, Jeannette Walls, Chris-topher Hitchens, Naomi Klein, Daniel Levitin and Linda McQuaig.
See www.bookedbetweenthecovers.ca for complete schedule.

CCLE: Africa in Cuba - Research and Performance with Dr. Rogelio Martínez Furé, with Althea Prince, and host Prof. Keith Ellis.
Victory Cafe, 7-9 pm. $10.

Women of Comics II Symposium, to be held at the Paradise Comics Toronto Comicon, features top female writers, artists and editors from the comic-book world. Direct Energy Centre. Hall C. 10am-6:30pm. $15 for a day pass to the convention.

Sunday, June 10th:

Last day of BOOKED! Gil Adamson and Clare Clark read from new novels.
Spiegeltent'ntavern. Harbourfront Centre. 12 noon. Free.

Presented by Luminato and BOOKED!,
James Patterson, author of more than 40 books, several bestselling crime series, founder of the Page Turner Awards, etc. will read from his new novel The 6th Target, followed by an on stage interview and signing.
Premiere Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre. 1:30pm. $10.

Monday, June 11th:

If you missed him yesterday, you can catch James Patterson at the Bay-Bloor Indigo.
5:30 pm. Free.