VENTURA COUNTY WEEKEND : Season Especially Brisk for Area Booksellers : Stores from Thousand Oaks to Santa Barbara report long lines of customers and busy cash registers.

Publishers are reporting good news this holiday season. They are selling lots of books, particularly nonfiction. A survey of eight local bookstores resulted in an upbeat response from owners and managers.

At Adventures For Kids in Ventura, Jody Fickes Shapiro says there is plenty of business from regular customers and that new people are discovering the 16-year-old bookstore. “We gift-wrapped like mad, and lots of good children’s books and videos found happy homes.”

Deborah Casotti, manager of Barnes & Noble, which opened two years ago in Ventura, said, ‘It’s been a lovely holiday season for us and we’re really enjoying our involvement with the community.”

Audrey Moore, owner of 3-year-old Mysteries to Die For in Thousand Oaks, described this season as the best so far. She says it’s local authors such as Richard Barre and Paul Bishop, who are always gracious and willing to spend hours at the store, who attract swarms of mystery fans.

Mitnee Duque opened The Ojai Table of Contents 10 years ago and is delighted with the way the holiday season turned out. “Mad Comics artist Sergio Aragones drew a big crowd last week,” she added.

And at Ventura Bookstore, “business was brisk,” according to owner Ed Elrod. The bookstore is famous for its stock of hundreds of different 1996 calendars. And Santa Barbara bookstore owners tell a similar tale.

At Chaucer and Co., on upper State Street, owner Mahri Kerley was tired but in a great mood. “This is really a fun time of year,” she said. Kerley described how old friends and former residents visiting Santa Barbara returned to purchase gifts in the 21-year-old store. “After all, every interest in the world can be satisfied in a bookstore.”

Other bookstore veterans are Penny and Terry Davies of Earthling Bookshop in downtown Santa Barbara. “It was quiet for a while and then suddenly people began pouring in to buy books,” said Penny, adding that there were long lines at the checkout counters, customers were special ordering, and everyone was buying calendars.

Patricia Sullivan and Frank Goss opened Sullivan Goss Books & Prints two years ago. They renovated a building on Anapamu across from the Santa Barbara Art Museum and added a patio cafe. They too report healthy holiday sales. “The gardening, design and art books are flying out the door,” said Frank Goss.

And a merry New Year to all literary toilers.

Information on literary events should be sent to Frances Halpern at least two weeks in advance. Write to her at 93 S. Chestnut St., Ventura 93001, or send faxes to 653-7576.