North Little Rock native Nate Powell‘s new graphic novel “Any Empire” (Top Shelf, $19.95, hardcover) is available now. The follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2008 comic “Swallow Me Whole,” which won the Eisner Award (the top prize for a graphic novel), “Empire” examines how the culture of war seeps into the lives of three children in middle America. It’s grounded in rich, nostalgic detail familiar to anyone (especially any boy) who grew up in the early ’80s, but also at times — like much of Powell’s work — eerily surreal.

The Central Arkansas Library System’s Main Library will open its new teen section on Saturday, Sept. 17. In addition to books and DVDs aimed at teens, the 9,700 square-foot space features 10 computer stations and a gaming section with Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. The library says it plans to offer programming geared towards college-prep, Internet safety and cooking. The section will be open 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

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Local publisher Parkhurst Brothers announced it will publish the debut novel from local artist Jane Hankins sometime in the first half of 2012. The novel is an adaptation of a script of a play originally staged in the Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s Black Box that Parkhust Brothers describes as “part Greater Tuna, part Lake Woebegone, and a touch of Fannie Flagg with a local flavor.”

September books

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10 J. Maxwell West (“For the Love of Money”), 1 p.m., TBIB.

13 David Jauss (“Alone With All That Could Happen”) and Nickole Brown (“A Book of Birds”), 6:30 p.m., RJ Wills Lecture Hall in the Pulaski Tech Campus Center, 3000 W. Scenic Drive, North Little Rock. Free.

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15 Delphine Hirasuna (“The Art of Gaman”), 6:30 p.m., Main Library.

20 Camille T. Dungy (“Smith Blues”), 6:30 p.m., Main Library.

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20 Cookie’s Bookclub discusses Terry Brooks “Sometimes the Magic Works,” 7:30 p.m., TBIB.

Area bookstores, libraries and venues:

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CS: Clinton School of Public Service, Sturgis Hall, 1200 President Clinton Ave., 683-5200.

FCL: Faulkner County Library, 1900 Tyler St., Conway, 501-327-7482.

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LL: Laman Library, 2801 Orange St., North Little Rock, 501-758-1720.

ML: Main Library, 100 Rock St., 918-3000.

TBIB: That Bookstore in Blytheville, 316 W. Main St., Blytheville, 870-763-3333.

WW: WordsWorth Books & Co., 5920 R St., 663-9198.

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