About
Welcome to Elaine’s Literary Salon, hosted by bestselling thriller novelist and restaurateur Jeffrey James Higgins: By day, Jeff manages Elaine’s, the award-winning Alexandria, VA restaurant he opened with his wife Cynthia in 2022.
A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor.
He has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. He’s a #1 Amazon bestselling author with 21 literary awards, including the Claymore Award, PenCraft’s Best Fiction Book, and a Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal. He has been a panelist at ThrillerFest, Killer Nashville, Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity, and other conferences.
Black Rose Writing published his first three novels, FURIOUS, UNSEEN, and THE FOREVER GAME. Severn River Publishing has acquired Jeffrey’s newest collection, the Nathan Burke espionage series.
Jeffrey is an active member of the Authors Guild, the Virginia Writers Club, International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, and the Royal Writers Secret Society. He’s represented by Jackson Keeler at Inkworks.
Elaine’s Literary Salon has partnered with Inkandescent PR + Publishing Co.: Founded in 2008 by award-winning journalist, nonfiction author, and entrepreneur Hope Katz Gibbs, Inkandescent is proud to be collaborating with Jeffrey and Elaine’s to feature the work of authors of all genres.
“From promoting their events at Elaine’s on Eventbrite and in our newsletter to bring in more guests to the Salon, to producing the amazing one-hour interview the author has with Jeff, it’s an honor and pleasure to share with the world the stories, ideas, and imagination of writers from around the world,” says Hope, who is the author of PR Rules: The Playbook, and the love story series Why Divorce: 5 Reasons to Leave, Why Marry: 5 Reasons to Say Yes, Why Remarry: 5 Reasons to Do it Again: WhyDivorce.us.
Since joining forces with Jeff in 2025, Hope and her Inkandescent team have featured dozens of authors on the Inkandescent channels:
- On Inkandescent Radio: Listen to Elaine’s Literary Salon podcast show
- The podcasts are also blasted out on Spotify, Apple, and iHeart Radio
- On Inkandescent TV: Elaine’s Literary Salon video show
- Find all of the episodes on Jeff’s column: BeInkandescent Health & Wellness business magazine
She has built websites and podcast/video shows for authors who have been featured at the Salon, including:
- Bestselling noir writer and Marvel author Christopher Chambers: ChrisChamberNoir.com
- Award-winning IP attorney and author of 7 books, Timothy Trainer: TimothyTrainer.com
Hope also publishes books for her clients, including the most recent:
- Diary of a CFP® Pro
- Wealth Management Rules, by award-winning financial planner Marguerita Cheng
- The Secret Sauce: 45 Essays on what makes Falls Church City Public Schools Special by Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan.
Click here to learn more: Inkandescent.us.
About Elaine’s: Elaine’s modern Mediterranean cuisine is based on exquisite food found in Alexandria, Egypt. The unique style is best described as Middle Eastern with French, Greek, and Italian influences. Elaine’s is located at 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. The 1880 building, the previous home of Bilbo Baggins for 38 years, has been completely renovated with a new look and feel. The restaurant is located in the heart of Old Town’s Historic District within sight of the Potomac River. Founders Park, The Torpedo Factory Art Center, and Old Town Alexandria Waterfront are only blocks away. Elaine’s is named after the owner’s grandmother. When the owner was twelve years old in Cairo, Egypt, she promised her grandmother that one day she would own a restaurant and name it after her. The owner is proud to share her family’s recipes with the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Make a reservation today: elaines-restaurant.com.