Clinic Will Critique Book Ideas for Kids

The baby-boom generation is buying books for their babies and contributing to a booming children’s literature market. This may mean that children’s book authors are finding markets for their work, but it is a very competitive playing field.

Those who want to get published must study the categories and learn what attracts young readers and their parents.

So pencil in the Ventura-Santa Barbara Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators manuscript critiquing clinic scheduled from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura.

Writers are encouraged to bring up to 10 manuscript pages of a work-in-progress, a bag lunch and portable chair. The event’s hosts will provide beverages, dessert and constructive manuscript feedback. The registration fee is $5. Call Alexis O’Neill at (805) 581-1906.

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Greenwillow Books has just published “The Ring,” a wordless picture book written by 26-year-old Lisa Maizlish, a longtime Santa Barbara resident now working in New York as a photographer-illustrator.

Publishers Weekly praises the first-time author for “sparkling creativity, and delivering a tale which will set children’s imaginations soaring.” By combining photography and advanced digital technology, Maizlish creates the illusion of a little boy flying over New York City.

Adventures for Kids is launching the book locally at a reception and signing from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura.

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Tim Pompey will read at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at an evening of poetry hosted by the Simi Valley Library Poetry group in the library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Audience members are encouraged to participate in open readings after the featured poet’s presentation. Donations of a good used book or cash will be accepted to support the Friends of the Library book fund.

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Estelle Berger will share “Tips and Tricks for Using WordPerfect 5.1” at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Conejo Valley Genealogical Society’s Computer Interest Group meeting at Conejo Valley Adult Education Center, 1025 Old Farm Road, Thousand Oaks. Call 495-9659 for details.

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The Simi Valley Branch of National League of American Pen Women sponsors the annual Dorothy Daniels Writing Award Competition, which is open to all writers (except local chapter members and their families).

Cash prizes are awarded in three categories: poetry (50-line maximum), fiction (up to 2,000 words) and nonfiction (1,500-word maximum). Entry fee is $3 for poetry and $5 for the fiction-nonfiction categories. The Pen Women support local arts groups and the library, and provide scholarships to college-bound high school seniors who demonstrate interest in a writing career. Deadline is July 30. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to NLAPW-SVB Contest, Box 1485, Simi Valley 93062 for contest rules.

In Santa Barbara: Joyce Burditt, author of two successful novels, “Triplets” and “The Cracker Factory,” will sign her first private-eye mystery, “Buck Naked,” at 2 p.m. Saturday at Borders Books, 900 State St. Burditt’s TV credits include writer-producer for “Perry Mason,” “Matlock” and “The Father Dowling Mysteries.”

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Lisa Maizlish returns to her hometown to sign “The Ring.” The youngster pictured in the wordless book is Sam Rosenthal, who was born in Santa Barbara. Maizlish will discuss and sign her book at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Earthling Bookshop, 1137 State St.

Frances Halpern is co-host with Jon O’Brien of “Beyond Words” at 10 a.m. Sundays on KCLU 88.3 FM, Ventura County’s National Public Radio station.