VENTURA COUNTY WEEKEND : New Author and Literary Icon to Make Appearances : First-time novelist Jeff Gomez and acclaimed writer T. Coraghessan Boyle will both visit Ventura Bookstore.

First-novelist Jeff Gomez and literary icon T. Coraghessan Boyle will talk about writing, life and the forces influencing their work at separate appearances at the Ventura Bookstore, 522 E. Main St.

Gomez, the 25-year-old author of the just-published “Our Noise” (Scribner/Simon & Schuster), writes about the angst-ridden fears, underpaid working days and over-indulging nights of the X generation. Gomez will be at the bookstore at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Boyle, the 47-year-old author who has been heaped with praise and awards for his short stories and novels, is a tenured professor of creative writing at USC. Boyle, who lives in Santa Barbara, will sign his new novel, “The Tortilla Curtain,” at 7 p.m. Saturday.

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Award-winning Southern California mystery writers April Smith, Rochelle Majer Krich, Wendy Hornsby and Catherine Dain will advise aspiring writers on how to break in at the “Sisters in Crime: Beyond Miss Marple” seminar at Learning Tree University’s Thousand Oaks campus. Hosted by Audrey Moore, owner of Mysteries to Die For, the first session begins at 7 tonight and continues Oct. 12, 26 and Nov. 2. The fee is $79. Call 497-2292.

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The public’s appetite for mysteries is insatiable. And Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., will feed that hunger this weekend. Laurali Wright will sign “Mother Love” at 1 p.m. Friday. Les Standiford will present his latest, “Deal to Die For,” at 3 p.m. Saturday. Les Roberts will sign his new Milan Jacovich adventure, “Duke of Cleveland,” at noon Sunday.

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Dale Salwak, whose mystery connections are his books and essays about famed mystery writers Barbara Pym and P.D. James, will be at Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., Ventura, at 1 p.m. Saturday to discuss “The Wonders of Solitude,” a compilation of thoughtful words about solitude by the world’s great thinkers and writers.

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The Simi Valley Library Open Poetry Reading will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the library at 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Poets are encouraged to bring their own work or favorite poetry to read. Donation of a used book for the Friends of the Library book store is welcome. Call 522-1178.

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Abe Polsky, award-winning playwright of “Devour the Snow” and “Custer’s Last Band,” will describe the role of dramatic structure in writing fiction at the Ventura Writers Club meeting, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Orchid Professional Building, 816 Camarillo Springs Road, Camarillo. Call 482-5648.