WORDS AND IMAGES : Santa Barbara Festival Will Honor Poets

Despite the fact that Southern California poet-novelist Kate Braverman complained at a recent book signing that she was giving up poetry because it doesn’t sell, many poets continue the struggle to produce and publish. And so when the organizers of the annual Santa Barbara Poetry Festival decided to sponsor a contest open to residents of the tri-counties, more than 250 poets submitted their work. Entries had to reflect the festival theme, “Getting Down to Earth.”

Among the six winners who will be honored during the festival, which runs May 1-9, are Oak View resident Elizabeth Cain for “Freeing the Instinct” and Rae Edgar of Oxnard for “Sounds of Hunger.” Cain, whose wolf, Yukon, is featured in her winning poem, is a school teacher and horse breeder.

Edgar, a retired secretary-bookkeeper and avid bird watcher, has been writing poetry for 60 years. She also publishes The Gleaner, a monthly newspaper that covers the activities of the Food Share Bank. The winners will read their work at 7:30 p.m. May 9 in the Bluebird Cafe in Santa Barbara and will be published in the literary journal “Cafe Solo.”

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The Simi Valley Poetry Series will host readings by Luis Campos and Julia Stein at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Poet-humorist Campos now creates crossword puzzles in English and Spanish for United Features Syndicate. Stein’s poetry collections have been widely published. Both poets are recorded by New Alliance Records. Sign up for open readings at 7:15 p.m. Call 527-5534.

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Edgar Award winner Will Harriss will sign his new wine country mystery “Noble Rot” at noon Sunday at Mysteries To Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

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“Natural Wonders” and “Lost Sierra” are the last in the California’s Gold series to be screened at 7 p.m. Monday in the Prueter Library, which has scheduled more films in May. Call 486-5460.

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Children 8 years and older will learn about the wonderful creatures who live in tide pools at a slide show conducted by John Christianson, former coordinator of the UC Santa Cruz Ocean Education Program at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Ojai Library. Call 646-1639.

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If fiction is your passion give serious thought to attending “Voices of Women: A Fiction Writer’s Workshop” scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 1 at UC Santa Barbara’s Ventura Center, 3585 Maple St. Instructor Lise King-Couchot (whose classes I have monitored) is a creative, organized teacher and award-winning published writer. Call 644-7261 for details.