VENTURA COUNTY WEEKEND : Author Says Simpson and Cochran Are Mirror Images : Barbara Cochran Berry, former wife of the famed defense attorney, says both men use their influence to control others.

Defense attorney Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. and O.J. Simpson are “mirror images--powerful, wealthy men who use their influence to control others,” says Cochran’s former wife, Barbara Cochran Berry. Berry and co-author Joanne Parrent will sign their book, “Life After Johnnie Cochran,” at 7 p.m. Friday at the Oaks at Ojai Spa, 122 E. Ojai Ave. The event is co-sponsored by the Ojai Table of Contents Bookstore.

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A four-star weekend at Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, begins with an appearance by Peggy Rathmann, author of “Officer Buckle and Gloria,” at 3 p.m. Friday. Artist Elisa Kleven will read from her whimsical “The Paper Princess” at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Rosemary Wells and Susan Jeffers will autograph their illustrated retelling of “Lassie Come Home” at 3 p.m. Sunday.

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Television producer Peter Berlin will teach a seminar on Writing for Children’s Interactive Multimedia from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Learning Tree University, 1408 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Call 497-2292.

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The Oxnard Library is hosting a series of evening programs for kids, titled “Turn Off the TV,” beginning at 6:30 p.m. Monday. The programs will include participation theater, puppet shows and book illustrating. The library also provides a Homework Center for both Spanish- and English-speaking children who need assistance with school assignments. Call 385-7353 for details.

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Would you be interested in volunteering two hours a week to tutor English-speaking adults? Training classes for Ventura County Library’s literacy program are scheduled at 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Call 652-6294.

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The $6.3-billion greeting card industry, as well as companies that make T-shirts, posters and buttons, buy clever sayings and pithy poetry from writers. How do you break into the market? Wendy Dager will have some answers when she talks to the Ventura County Writers Club at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Orchid Professional Building, 816 Camarillo Springs Road, Camarillo. Non-member fee is $5. Call 482-5684 for details.

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The Conejo Valley Genealogical Society will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to present research materials that include how to use the family-history card catalogue in the Cultural Hall of the LDS Family History Center, 1600 Erbes Road, Thousand Oaks. The beginners class on Accessing Immigration Records for Research will start at 6:30 p.m. Call 497-8293.

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To celebrate Children’s Book Week, Jon O’Brien and this columnist will interview Jody Fickes of Adventures For Kids about writing and choosing books for children at 7 p.m. Wednesday on KCLU 88.3-FM. The call-in talk show is broadcast from the campus of Cal Lutheran University.

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UP THE COAST

Artist/author Peggy Rathmann has created a book about a police officer and a wise dog to amuse children while teaching them safety tips. She will sign “Officer Buckle and Gloria” at 10 a.m. Friday at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza.

Pulitzer Prize-winning local resident Harry Ashmore, author of “Civil Rights and Wrongs,” will have a live cross-country conversation about racial tensions with author Mike Kelly at noon Saturday on KQSB 990-AM. Kelly’s book, “Color Lines,” deals with a racially motivated riot in New Jersey.