Artist From Ojai to Sign Her Books and Prints

If you are in the mood for events charming and gentle, gather the young ones and head to Adventures For Kids this weekend. Ojai artist Susan Florence will autograph her books and prints at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Kideo Gallery.

Then stay for tea and at 2 p.m. celebrate Black History Month with the creators of “Gingerbread Days,” author Joyce Carol Thomas and illustrator Floyd Cooper

On Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., the local chapter of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is co-sponsoring an Open-Mike Afternoon for published and aspiring authors of poetry for children. Call 581-1906 for details. The bookstore and gallery are located at 3457 and 3455 Telegraph Road, Ventura.

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The value of first editions by some of your favorite novelists has increased well beyond their cover price. In some cases, by hundreds of dollars. So bring in up to three books (old or new) for an appraisal by Diane Neveu at 7 tonight at Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., Ventura.

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A Citizens for Libraries seminar sponsored by the advisory board of the Black Gold Cooperative Library System is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday at Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Road, Ventura. Author and columnist Anne Turner, director of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, and Dallas Shaffer, director of the Monterey County Free Libraries, will lead the free workshops.

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Joseph Seldner, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, screenwriter and former development director for Tom Hanks at Disney Studios, will conduct a workshop on Motion Picture Writing and Development from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Learning Tree University’s Thousand Oaks campus. Call 497-2292 for details.

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Wildlife on Wheels, an organization that rescues and rehabilitates injured or displaced animals, will offer children a rare opportunity to meet live animals at a storytelling event at 11 a.m. Saturday at Borders Books, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

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The Simi Valley Poetry Group will feature cowboy poet Gary Robertson at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Open readings will follow Robertson’s presentation. Donation of a good used book for the library book store will be welcome.

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The public is invited to hear student winners of the writing contest sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution read their essays at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Goebel Senior Center, 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks.

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Writers interested in exchanging critiques of their manuscripts are welcome to attend the Writers Club at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., Ventura.

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UP THE COAST: Local authors signing their books at Earthling Bookshop, 1137 State St., this week include Gayle Lynds, who will discuss how she created her spy-thriller novel “Masquerade” (Doubleday), at 3 p.m. Sunday. And Helen Heightsman Gordon will present “‘First Captured, Last Freed: Memoirs of a POW in World War II Guam and Japan” at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

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.