Fiction

• “The Roxy Letters” by Mary Pauline Lowry | Release date: April 7, 2020 | Dismayed at her beloved city growing more and more corporate, 20-something Austinite Roxy takes it personally when a new Lululemon pops up at the intersection of Sixth and Lamar where the old Waterloo Video used to be.
• “The Which Way Tree” by Elizabeth Crook | Release date: Feb. 6, 2018 | Left traumatized and scarred after a panther attack in the remote Texas Hill Country, young Samantha vows to find and kill the beast that took her mother in a novel told through the voice of her brother, Benjamin.

Learn something new

• “How to Be a Texan: The Manual” by Andrea Valdez | Release date: May 3, 2016 | From seasoned Austin journalist Andrea Valdez, this manual gives how-to instructions on Lone Star traditions from two-stepping, taking the perfect bluebonnet photo, and building a Día de los Muertos altar.
• “The Secrets We Kept” by Lara Prescott | Release date: Nov. 8, 2019 | A New York Times Bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick was inspired by the true story of a CIA plot to smuggle “Doctor Zhivago” into the USSR, where it is banned.

Personal stories

• “97 Speaks: Lessons from the Decades” by Babette Hughes | Release date: Feb. 20, 2020 | Learn the lessons of Austinite Babette Hughes, who, at nearly a century old, retells lessons she learned from Prohibition, The Great Depression, World War II, navigating feminism during the 1950s and 60s, and how to live agelessly.
• “Corrections in Ink” by Keri Blakinger | Release date: June 7, 2022 | A deeply personal story about competitive figure skating, addiction, a prison sentence, and redemption, Marshall Project reporter Keri Blakinger grapples with her own missteps as well as a broken justice system.

• Fajita Festival | Now-Sat., Sept. 24 | Times vary | Buda City Park | Free | Experience the blending of foods, music, and cultures + treat your taste buds at the sixth annual edition of this festival.
• ZZ Top | Fri., Sept. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | Germania Insurance Amphitheater | $31+ | Join this legendary rock band for a show in their home state. 🎸

• Fall Festival | Now-Sun., Oct 30 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Mama Mary’s Farm and Pumpkin Patch | $7+ | Roam the pumpkin patch, pet some farm animals, try the hay maze, and don’t skip the photo ops. 🎃
• North Loop Pop Up Market | Sat., Sept. 24 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Beard Brand, 1000 E. 51st St. | Free | Stock up on vintage pieces, jewelry, plants, art, and food. Best of all, there’s free parking.
• Sixth Annual Library Con | Sat., Sept. 24 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Pflugerville Public Library | Free | Get ready for a full day of panels, crafts, cosplay, gaming, and meet-and-greets with authors, artists, and voice actors.

• FOXTOBERFEST Artisan Market | Sun., Sept. 25 | 12-5 p.m. | 12 Fox Beer Co. | Free | Peruse more than 50 local artists and creators of handmade goods at this dog-friendly market. 🛍

• Harry Styles | Mon., Sept. 26 | 8 p.m. | Moody Center*

• 100º | Sunny | 1% chance of rain ☀️

• Election season is coming up, do you know who your City Council member is? Districts 1, 3, 5, 8 and 9 are all up for votes — find your district here. (KUT)
• Users of Austin-based dating app Bumble can now add a “Voter” badge to their profiles to signal they’re committed to voting in the midterms. (CultureMap Austin)

• Celebrate Taco Tuesday and National Taco Day at the same time on Oct. 4. Yelp named three Austin-based taco joints — Granny’s Tacos, Cuantos Tacos, and Flavia’s Kitchen — in its national Top 100 list. 🌮 (KXAN)

• We asked what to call the future Austin-San Antonio metroplex, and you answered. After hundreds of votes on our Instagram, 45% of you said they like the name “Austonio,” followed by 21% voting for “Gridlockistan,” and 20% opting for “Greater San Marcos.” We also got some suggestions for “ASA” and “CapSA.” 🏙

• The University of Texas at Austin’s freshman class of 2022 is the biggest the university has ever seen. UT admitted 9,109 new students, topping last year’s all-time high of 9,060. (KVUE)

• Are you daydreaming about entering Harry’s House? Theme your Harry Styles concert experience with this guide to food + drink based on the singer’s songs and personal preferences. 🍉 (Eater Austin)

• Sundown on Sunday marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. People who observe this holiday typically enjoy apples and honey in hopes of having a sweet new year. It runs until the evening of Tues., Sept. 27. Shana Tova! (That’s Hebrew for “Have a good year!“)

• Lot sizes may not be Texas-sized, but house sizes in Austin are. According to a new study, Austin houses are the seventh-biggest in the US at an average 2,081 sqft. One Texas city ranked higher — Fort Worth — at an average 2,255 sqft.

• Show your support for local journalism by joining the ATXtoday membership program. Membership has some awesome perks like exclusive birthday deals, discounts from our online shop, Six & Main + more. Plus, 100% of membership funds help support our local editors — that’s us, London + Figi. Learn more + sign up. 💻

• Time to feel the fall breeze + enjoy the autumn leaves with the Fall For Your City Sale happening now on Six & Main, ATXtoday’s online shop. Take 20% off the entire Fall For Your City Collection now through Sun., Sept. 25.

• We want to wish a happy birthday (on Saturday) to our teammate London, ATXtoday City Editor. Happy birthday, London!

• Cleaning and staging and strangers, oh my. Did you know you can get an offer on your house without a single in-person showing? Learn how.*

• There’s nothing worse than tossing and turning because you can’t fall asleep — especially when you have a big day coming up that you won’t be well-rested for. If you’re looking for a natural solution to help you fall asleep faster, sleep deeply + wake up refreshed, this supplement can help. Use code code 6AM for 20% off.*