Learning How to Write Your Way to Romance : Margaret Brownley of Simi Valley is among authors of the popular genre who will offer tips during April seminars.

Literary toilers who produce poetry and biography, novels and children’s books, mysteries and romance will be conducting seminars and visiting bookstores this week to read and discuss their work.

Margaret Brownley of Simi Valley is one of the romance writers who will appear at Learning Tree University’s Thousand Oaks campus every Thursday in April to read from their published novels and offer tips on how to write and market this popular genre. “Over 140 romance titles are published every month,” said Brownley, whose latest novel is “Petticoats and Pistols.”

Sue Hinkin will moderate the four seminars, which begin today at 6 p.m. at 1408 Thousand Oaks Blvd. The fee is $69. Call 497-2292.

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The Ventura Bookstore, 522 E. Main St., has three events planned. Local poet Manuela Aparicio Ryce will read at 7 p.m. Friday; Carolyn See, novelist, book reviewer and winner of the prestigious Los Angeles Times Jonathan Kirsch Body of Work Award, will sign her memoir, “Dreaming: Hard Luck & Good Times in America,” at 2 p.m. Saturday; Ruth Daigon, author of “Between One Future and the Next,” will perform her poetry at 7 p.m. Monday.

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Janell Cannon, who won an American Booksellers Book of the Year Award for “Stellaluna,” will sign her new book, “Trupp,” at 11 a.m. Saturday at Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura.

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Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, will host Alan Russell (“The Fat Innkeeper”) and Timothy Hallinan (“Bone Polisher”), who will sign their books at 1 p.m. Saturday; Steven Saylor signs “The Venus Throw” at 1 p.m. Sunday, and John Dunning, author of “The Bookman’s Wake,” will sign at 2 p.m. Monday.

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The Ojai Table of Contents, 208 E. Ojai Ave., will honor Bonnie Thompson Glaser and Ann Martin Worster, co-editors of “Ruby: An Ordinary Woman,” at a reception at 5 p.m. Saturday; actress Whitney Kershaw will perform for children at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

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Paul Bishop, Camarillo resident and Los Angeles police detective whose fifth novel, “Kill Me Again,” was published this year, will describe “How to Write So Your Work Will Get Published” at Ventura County Writers Club at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The new meeting place is Orchid Professional Building, 816 Camarillo Springs Road in Camarillo. Call 482-5648.

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The Conejo Valley Genealogical Society offers a class for beginners at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday on “Use of Census Records for Research.” At 7:30 p.m., Nora Hickey, director of the Family History Foundation in County Cork, Ireland, will discuss how to find religious minority Irish ancestors. The society meets at Conejo Valley Adult Center, 1025 Old Farm Road, Thousand Oaks. Call 497-8293.

* Author and radio talk-show host Frances Halpern writes a regular column in Ventura County Life. Information on literary events should be sent to her at least two weeks in advance. Write to her at 5200 Valentine Road, Suite 140, Ventura 93003, or send faxes to 658-5576.